Bokator
| Also known as | Kun Bokator, L'Bokator |
|---|---|
| Focus | Striking, grappling, wrestling, ground fighting, weaponry |
| Hardness | Full-contact |
| Country of origin | Cambodia |
| Famous practitioners | San Kim Sean (Grandmaster), Tharoth Sam, Nang Sovan, Chan Rothana |
| Descendant arts | Kun Khmer |
| Kun L'Bokator, traditional martial arts in Cambodia | |
|---|---|
| Country | Cambodia |
| Reference | 01868 |
| Region | Asia and the Pacific |
| Inscription history | |
| Inscription | 2022 (17th session) |
| List | Representative |
Bokator (Khmer: ល្បុក្កតោ, lbŏkkâtaô [lɓokatao]) or Kun Bokator (គុនល្បុក្កតោ, kun lbŏkkâtaô [kun lɓokatao], lit. 'the art of pounding the lion') is an ancient Cambodian battlefield martial art. It is one of the oldest fighting systems existing in the world and is recognised as intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO.
Oral tradition indicates that Bokator (or an early form thereof) was the close-quarter combat system used by the ancient Cambodian armies before the founding of Angkor, the capital city of the Khmer Empire. The martial art encompasses hand-to-hand, wrestling and weapon techniques.