The Legend of the Madagascar Karate Wars.

[Kurando]

When I was a younger man in the mid-80's I met a traveler, a wayfaring man, who told me a most incredible tale: The Legend of the Madagascar Karate Wars. Since I was a former merchant sailor we struck up a conversation and for some reason I mentioned Martial Arts; he then went on to relate to me a story which has been in the back of my mind ever since:

He said that there are four large-scale karate clubs on the island of Madagascar with several hundred members each, and that they are literally "at war" with one another, and to this end they have epic karate battles between the clubs to prove who is best + to hear him tell it there was no punches pulled and these Madagascar Karate fighters were willing to risk their lives for the honour of their particular karate school/style + also for there to be all-out rumbles between two clubs where 500 guys fight at the same time is not uncommon.

I don't know why, but for some reason I think about this Legend of the Madagascar Karate Wars very often and wonder if it's true of not. Has anyone else at the org ever heard of this?

[Al Khalifah]

Sounds to me like Madagascar: Total War.

[Byzantine Prince]

No, i never thought Madagascarians had enough economic development to pursue extra-caricular activities like karate. I find the story very funny although most likely it is false.

ROFL, just thinking about it makes me laugh. ~:cheers:

[Al Khalifah]

Did you know, Madagascar is the 8th largest land mass in the world?

Or that Madagascar is one of only 2 countries in the world that still use non-decimal currency? Instead it uses multiples of five.

[Taffy_is_a_Taff]

one of my uncles has a crazy fascination with Madagascar. He's a very weird guy. Madagascar sounds like a very weird place though.

[Kurando]

Well I'll be dawg gone! There is actually some basis in fact to this... Check out this quote is from the All Reference article on Securty Concerns in Madigascar (http://reference.allrefer.com/country-guide-study/comoros/comoros39.html)


The next major internal threat [to Madagascar] surfaced in the mid-1980s, when about 6,000 members of various Chinese martial arts Kung-Fu associations battled the Tanora Tonga Saina (TTS), which acted as Ratsiraka's private presidential security force. Problems started in September 1984, after Ratsiraka banned the practice of martial arts, which led to several clashes between Kung-Fu adherents and the TTS. On December 4, 1984, a larger confrontation occurred when Kung-Fu groups attacked TTS headquarters in Behorika, and killed more than 100 TTS members. Kung-Fu demonstrations continued for the next few years. Finally, on July 31, 1986, army units supported by twelve armored cars and helicopters demolished Kung-Fu headquarters in Antananarivo, and killed the movement's leader and about 200 of his followers.
There is also this BBC article Kung Fu Spirit Runs Deep in Madigascar (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/1948288.stm) -Man, just I love the quotes "Kung fu fighters today occupy something of a mystical space in the Madagascan psyche because of their strength and power" and "We are ready to die for our cause and fear nothing except God"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1945000/images/_1948288_kungusitting300.jpg

I'll tell ya: to hear it from the sailor who was actually there in the 80's when the original Legend of the Madagascar Karate Wars went down, it was some genuine wild west kinda stuff + in fact it sounds so rad that someone should make a movie about it!

[master of the puppets]

wow, what an awsome topic...mabey i'll write a fictional story bought it in the mead hall...