Kung Fu Ambassador: Madagascan martial arts star aspires to show Africans the wonderful world of China
The 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. The theme of this year's summit is "Joining Hands to Advance Modernization and Build a High-Level China-Africa Community with a Shared Future." In light of this, we are launching a series of China-Africa stories, including interviews with political leaders, stories of exchanges between young people from both regions, and intensive cooperation in various fields. Through these stories, we will see how China and Africa are deepening their ties and building a brighter future together.
With a petite frame, a soft voice, and a face more youthful than her chronological age, it's hard to imagine Rotsy as a formidable kung fu master when you first meet her.
Rotsy, whose full name is Miarimbola Andrianalinatovo Rotsy Ny Fitia, is a 24-year-old from Madagascar. Her journey began with Chinese martial arts films on a black-and-white TV, continued with kung fu training at the Confucius Institute, and led to becoming a martial arts instructor.
With a deep understanding of Chinese culture, Rotsy aspires to engage in diplomacy and become a bridge between China and Africa.
"I first encountered China when I was a child on a black-and-white TV," Rotsy recalled.
In 2010, Jackie Chan's movie The Karate Kid sparked a martial arts craze in Madagascar. Rotsy and the village children mimicked the moves from the movie. At the time, the seeds of martial arts had already taken root in her heart.
As she grew older, Rotsy's longing for martial arts did not diminish, but grew stronger as her elder sister who studied Chinese at the Confucius Institute always shared stories about the institute upon her returned home, which fueled Rotsy's fascination with Chinese martial arts.
After entering university, she joined the Confucius Institute and began her journey of learning the Chinese language. Without any hesitation, she quickly joined the martial arts team and began her training.
"The variety of weapons like swords, spears, and staffs dazzled me; the intricate moves of the senior students overwhelmed me; and the movements of the martial arts teacher left me in awe. Hands like shooting stars, eyes like lightning, body like a dragon, legs like arrows," Rotsy described her teacher's movements with admiration in her eyes.
However, the path to mastering martial arts was not smooth. Due to her short stature, she faced difficulties in performing jumps and aerial moves. "I would often stumble or jump half as high as others, not to mention others performing 90-degree aerial turns with ease," Rotsy said, recalling the hardships of her training.
But these challenges did not make her give up; instead, they motivated her to train even harder. She practiced tirelessly until she mastered each move.
Among all the martial arts disciplines, Rotsy's favorite is swordplay. "When wielding a sword, it gleams with silver light, moves like a dragon, flows like water, dazzles like a firework, slithers like a snake, and soars like an eagle," she described her swordsmanship.
"For every kung fu enthusiast, the biggest dream is to visit the Shaolin Temple," Rotsy told the Global Times.
This July, she finally fulfilled her dream by representing Africa at the 2024 Shaolin Games at the Shaolin Temple in Central China's Henan Province.
"I felt nervous and excited when I landed, because, on one hand, I was here for the competition, but on the other hand, it was also a dream come true," she said excitedly.
Standing on the grounds of the Shaolin Temple, the emotions of nervousness and excitement intertwined, creating one of the most cherished memories of her martial arts journey.
After studying Chinese for two years, she also participated in the 19th "Chinese Bridge" Chinese Proficiency Competition for Foreign College Students in 2020. With her excellent Chinese language skills and outstanding martial arts performance, she won the Grand Prize in the Madagascar Division and eventually clinched the African Continental Championship.
During the competition, she played the traditional Chinese instrument guzheng while singing "A Laugh in the Sea," a song that depicts the grandeur of the martial arts world.
Today, she works as an interpreter, Chinese teacher, and martial arts instructor, passing on her knowledge of martial arts and her love for Chinese culture to more students in her country.
Every time she sees her students sweating during training, Rotsy is reminded of her own days at the Confucius Institute. "It feels like a passion is growing from the bottom of my heart, slowly growing stronger," she said. "Perhaps this is called belief, perhaps it is called courage, or perhaps it is called a sense of mission."
"My dream is to quickly reach China, continue my studies, return to Madagascar, and teach this beautiful culture and language to more people in Madagascar, allowing them to discover the wonderful world of China and the Chinese language," she said.