Angampora , Sri Lanka’s little known martial art!
Angampora is Sri Lanka’s native martial arts. According to folklore, Angampora dates back to over 30,000 years. It is said that the fighting style originated among the Yaksha tribe that lived in Sri Lanka back then. Two ancient scripts named Varga Purnikawa and Pancha Rakkhawaliya identify nine hermits as its founders.
Angampora combines combat techniques, self-defence, sports, exercise, meditation and music. Angampora is an unarmed combat, unlike the Ilangam, which uses traditional weaponry including 32 types of blades. Here, fighters use bodily strength in combat and attack the enemy’s nerve points.
Angampora was part of the techniques used by the royal army of Sri Lanka. It is said to have played a crucial role during the conquest of Jaffna (1147-1450) and was even used to fight the Portuguese in the 16th century. However, it almost disappeared when the British colonized Sri Lanka. When Sri Lanka gained independence in 1948, the few families that still practised it worked to revive the tradition.