The world of taekwon-do martial art The 8th Dan Owner, Senior Master Abdi Kedir

Senior Master Abdi Kedir, the International Taekwo-do expert is the guest of Herald. International Taekwondo was founded on April 11, 1955 by General Choi (Korean), to promote and encourage the growth of the Korean martial art of Taekwon-Do. The ITF main functions include coordinating and approving tournaments and seminars, setting standards for teaching (patterns, sparring and destruction), collaborating with affiliated member organizations, and providing services in regard to rank and certification.

Taekwon-do has twenty-four patterns. It is Korean art of self-defense. Ko-Dang is the original 39 movements. The names of these patterns typically refer either to events in Korea or to important people in Korean history. During the tournament Taekwon-do has special rules for the safety of the fighters or competitors: no strikes below the belt, no elbow strikes, brawling, no falling down, no going out of the ring and the like.

Senior Master Abdi Kedir is among the famous and the oldest martial artists in Ethiopia, specializing in International Taekwon-Do. His many years practice of the profession as a learner and later as instructor has endowed him with the unrivaled competency to shine and prove himself worthy of the art. He is the type of a sportsman, who never succumbs to trying circumstances, and to the amazement of all around him, he presses onward to where his inner combatant and relentless vigor entices him to prevail. He is never bogged down by anything. He continues in a determined way, not budging the slightest, no matter how the challenges that confront him are vicious.

He never abandons his firm position rather he tenaciously clings to his principles until he accomplishes what he sets out for, all cost. He is not the type who easily gets bogged down by unfavorable circumstances. Such heroic act is never achieved casually; it is the result of many years of strenuous trainings in which greater efforts and physical practices are called into play. It is an endeavor that demands human ability beyond the ordinary. It is rather extraordinary. Such situation reacts on persons of special natural and human qualities to catapult them to a higher level in their ultimate endeavors.

Herald had the opportunity to approach Senior Master Abdi Kedir closely to learn about the mystery of his highly commendable success in International Taekwondo that placed him among the globally renowned masters of the martial artists.

Herald: Senior Master Abdi Kedir, Herald is very pleased to have you as its guest. Could you tell us what your position in martial arts profession?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: Thank you very much. To mention some, I am the president of Ethio-International Taekwondo Association, the president of Africa International Taekwondo Federation and representative of International Martial Arts Games Committee.

Herald: when did you first start Taekwondo practice?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: It was when I was only five years old with my father who was working in AU which was then known as the Organization of African Unity (OAU). Later, I was fortunate to find a foreign instructor who laid the firm and proper basics of the art. It is now well over half a century. I wonder how time flies; I feel as if it were yesterday.

Herald: Where did you start practicing the art?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: As aforementioned, originally it was in OAU compound under the instruction of the Korean Master Kion. Soon after that I had to continue my practice at Addis Ketema sub city, Addis Ababa. Afterwards, out of uncontrolled desire of passing my skills to others, I started training my friends and others in the forest since it strictly forbidden carryout any kind of martial arts under the military junta. Anyone who violates the law and open training club was liable to imprisonment or even being killed. Things have changed these days and if some desires to open training club as long as he has the capability to do so, the doors are wide open.

Herald: What other belts have you been awarded so far?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: It is good you raised this question. I was awarded my first Dan or Black belt in Piongiang, Korea thirty-four years ago. As a sixty-five year old sports man, I am still practicing all martial arts sports, namely, taekwondo (international and world taekwondo), wushu, karate, and kick boxing. To date, I am awarded 8th dan as the only Ethiopian and African martial artist. For the award ceremony, Riang Sung, president of International Taekwondo and International Martial arts, came to Ethiopia in 2017 to award him his 8th don the only Ethiopian to receive such belt. I am training hard to receive my 9th dan to become a grand master.

Herald: What have these many awards enabled you to do?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: Thank God! I was able to travel to different countries in Europe and Asia like South Korea, North Korea, and Vienna (Austria) for conferences and training business.

Herald: When did you start instructing trainees?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: I clearly remember it. It was exactly on July 8, 1976.

Herald: What did you do with the art you acquired?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: Through strenuous training my students, I develop and organized International Taekwondo in Ethiopia and Africa. In addition I was instructing in countries in Africa and around the world such as Germany, England, Italy, Greece, South Africa, Kenya and Uganda and even in the United States.

Herald: While training in all these countries, how many students have you had so far?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: It is interesting question just because of the magnitude the whole process. I find it very difficult to put the exact figure; but to satisfy your curiosity, there are roughly 37,000 trainees under Ethio-United International Taekwondo Association.

Herald: To what level have you raised your trainees related to the art?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: As much as trainer dreams to raise the status of his trainees, I have done my best to equip my trainees with adequate and internationally accepted taekwondo skills through mental and physical development. Thus, almost most of them have reached the rank of first dan and a few, the second dan and even higher.

In tournaments held many are gold and silver winners in Ethiopia and internationally. Moreover, many of them have their training centers in Addis, Harar, Diredawa, Tigrai, Amhara, Oromia and in the Southern Region with a minimum of 38 – 40 clubs everywhere. The objective of the training is to create future Taekwondo generation who are law abiding, true patriots, responsible, disciplined and professionally dependable citizens.

Herald: From your vast experience, what is taekwondo to you?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: To put it in a nutshell, it is philosophy of life to me, nothing more and nothing less. I can say that Taekwon-do is my body, my soul and my spirit without it which my existence will be meaningless or rather at stake.

Herald: How do you compare Taekwon-do with other martial arts?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: In principle all martial arts are more or less similar. There are certain variations as per the focus of the training style. Some people say that Taekwo-do emphasizes the leg while Wushu capitalizes on the hands activities. Other than that, all commonly enjoy the beauty of the art, the rules and discipline .yet the rules of competition differ during tournaments.

Herald: How do different martial arts relate to one another?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: As they are basically the same, they respect and love one another and unite in many things. Except for their rules and patterns differences here and there, they all run for love, peace and security of their country.

Herald: How do you rate your success in this art of your passion?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: The love I cherish for the art beyond expression. It is this love that glued me to it and enabled me to win many belts. My dream has been materialized to extent of being awarded 13 international gold medals. This situation drew me to my Christian wife who is also a martial artist with black belt. In 35 years of marriage, her contribution in all my endeavors. On almost every occasion award ceremony she was on my side.

Herald: Currently, regarding Taekwondo, what are you doing?

Senior Master Abdi Kedir: I am trying to form a union of all martial arts. As a indication of my efforts I taken clubs such as Wushu, kick boxing, World Taekwondo and International Taekwondo to Belarus for international tournament in which many won gold and silver medals. We are preparing for anther international tournament abroad.

Life’s success with a highly motivated person to accomplish what his soul desires, proves him to be a man of big caliber.

The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition 9 February 2020

 BY JOSEPH SOBOKA