By Anesu Chakanetsa

THOSE martial artists who have passed through his hands — young and old — bow down in the sifu posture; clenching the f ist, and holding it with the other hand. That is the respect Sifu Barnabas Kachitsa, popularly known as Mdara Bharna, gets from his former students, because they revere him as a master or legend in Zimbabwe’s martial arts lexicon.Although some of his present students are tempted to give up on count downs, be it press-ups or sit-ups, he will not tone down his training regimen. They get punished afterwards, of course. Sifu Kachitsa has been training aspiring martial arts students in wushu, tai chi and Chinese kung fu, which are often lumped together as the mixed martial arts, as far as he can remember.

“Wushu, tai chi and Chinese kung fu provide youngsters with good discipline, physical fitness and good health” says Sifu Kachitsa (the title of the highest-ranking wushu trainer) “And the most important thing is selfdefence. With martial arts, you will shock criminals with defence tactics they didn’t even know existed,” he adds. And just who is Sifu Kachitsa? Sifu Kachitsa graduated with a certificate in martial arts in 1997 after completing a year of training under Sifu f ield. Du Gua You, a Chinese martial arts guru.

The certificate allows him to coach martial arts at all levels in Zimbabwe. Upon graduating, Sifu Kachitsa worked as the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) martial arts instructor for 27 years, making him the ‘Bruce Lee’ of police training in Zimbabwe. He left a lasting legacy in the police force while some of his methods are still being used to train ZRP recruits, notably the dreaded mangongongo. “You have to be creative in coming up with these methods, that’s why its called martial arts — it’s an art,” reminisces Sifu Kachitsa.

The earliest recorded evidence of martial arts practices in China dates back to the Zhou Dynasty (1046-256 BCE). During this time, martial arts were practised for military purposes, as well as for physical and mental discipline.Over the years, Chinese martial arts have evolved into various styles, such as Shaolin kung fu, tai chi and wing chun, each with its own unique history, philosophy and techniques. In the 20th century, the Chinese government formalised wushu as a modern sport, standardising its forms, rules and competitions. Today, wushu is practised and competed in as a sport globally, with China remaining a dominant force in the Some martial arts styles, however, originated from Japan, among them jujitsu, kenjutsu and karate.In Zimbabwe, tsiva is a term used for boxing and dates back to ancient Shona states during which people gathered to watch young men exchange blows. It was like the modern illegal street f ights in some parts of Africa, where young men challenge each other for a small prize. During his prime, the versatile Sifu Kachitsa trained several local prominent martial artistes like Sensei Admire Chingozhoro, famous for his explosive kicks. Second in rankings to Sensei Samson Muripo in karate in Zimbabwe, Sensei Chingozhoro hogged the limelight when he got the better of Russian and Chinese nationals in the Kyokshin Karate Championships. Unfortunately, full contact karate is not an Olympic sport because of its lethal nature, otherwise Zimbabwe would be a potential medal winner in the discipline. Another of Sifu Kachitsa’s products is musician Qalabash of ‘Pukunyu’ fame.

In the video of the hit song, Qalabash unleashes an acrobatic kick to demonstrate his martial arts fighting skills courtesy of Mdara Barna. “I respect that man, he’s a legend,” says Qalabash. ” I have learned a lot from him, especially when it comes to discipline.It is always important to bear in mind that proficiency in martial arts is not a licence to bully others in the street. “In the wake of rampant drug abuse among the youths, martial arts should be the ideal sport to partake in as it helps in instilling good discipline.” Now in his twilight years, Sifu Kachitsa attributes his energetic lifestyle to the martial arts. “The reason I am in my twilight years, but still going strong is down to the fact that martial arts has given me this lifelong endurance,” he says.

“Most of my peers now survive on medication, but for me, physical training is my therapy.” “This why we emphasise on endurance training, building muscles and a strong heart that can withstand the rigours of martial arts.” Unfortunately in Zimbabwe, martial arts is way down the pecking order when it comes to sports rankings.In fact, sports that involve fighting, and that includes boxing and wrestling, do not enjoy as much popularity as, for example, soccer, cricket or rugby. Be that as it may, martial arts has more long-lasting benefits than most people think.