The 07 Jan 2022

Combat sport, martial art or the science of interaction?

Muay Thai, a mix of initiatory rites, education and cultural diplomacy

As part of the exhibition “Ultimate Combat. Arts of fighting in Asia” the musée du quai Branly - Jacques Chirac is proposing a series of conferences, workshops and events dedicated to the knowledge and practice of Asian fighting disciplines. This programme includes talks with researchers, historians and leading representatives of contemporary martial arts schools.

Conference-demonstration in person and live and on replay on the museum's YouTube channel.

We will try to answer the question asked through the different perspectives provided by an international expert in Thai boxing, an anthropologist and two journalists who furthered their research by practising this genuine "national art of defence” in its country of origin. An opening lecture, screenings of scenes with commentary from the documentary film Muay Thaï, au-delà du ring, as well as a demonstration of techniques of Muay Thai and Muay Boran, the so-called “ancient” version, presumed to exist before it became a sport, will serve as the basis for discussion between the speakers and the audience. 

  • Speakers

    • Stéphane Rennesson, anthropologist (Laboratory of Ethnology and Comparative Sociology, CNRS), author of the book Les Coulisses du Muay Thai. Anthropologie d'un art martial en Thaïlande, Les Indes Savantes, 2005.
    • Pascal Mathieu, Vice President of the International Federation of Muaythai Associations
    • Hakim Djelouat and Antoine Marcy, Director and Co-director of the documentary film Muay Thaï, au-delà du ring, HDN Production - Myriam Djelouat
  • Place:   Théâtre Claude Lévi-Strauss
  • TimeSlots:
    The Friday 07 January 2022 from 17:00 to 18:30
  • Accessibility:
    • Handicap moteur
  • Public:   Researcher, student, All publics
  • Categorie : Symposia
  • Free entry (subject to available places)
    Gratuit (dans la limite des places disponibles)

Around the event

Guided tours, workshops, concerts, etc.
all activities organized as part of the event

Around the event