Dambe T-Shirt

Inspired by Dambe boxing, 360 record deals and desire for Freedom.

Dambe is a centuries-old West African form of kick boxing originating from the butcher caste of the Hausa people. A fight lasts three rounds, ending in the knocking out of one of the opponents. Dambe fighters do not use boxing gloves but instead wrap their hitting arm in rope.

Historically, Dambe derived from the Hausa word for “boxe” and included a wrestling component, but now it is essentially a striking art. Traditionally it was practiced as a way to ready men for war and its techniques and terminology allude to warfare.

Although there are no formal weight classes, competitors are fairly matched. These competitors aim to knock down their opponent using kicks and punches in the three-round fight. Like the weight classes, the rounds are also open ended – there is no time limit. Instead a fight ends when there is no activity, one participant or an official calls for a halt, or a participant’s hand, knee or body touches the ground.

The main weapon is the participant’s hitting arm, which is known as “the spear”. Instead of sporting a boxing glove, as is the case in modern boxing, the hand is wrapped in a piece of cloth and tightly covered by rope. In the past, fighters would dip their rope-covered hitting arm in resin mixed with shards of broken glass, but this practice has been banned – for good reason. The other hand, or lead hand, is referred to as “the shield”. It is held palm open toward the opponent, in order to grab or hold on as needed.

Item Ships August 31st or Can Be Picked Up @ Alumni of NY - Flatbush Avenue Location During Product Launch.