52 BLOCKS, JAILHOUSE ROCK, KICKIN AND KNOCKIN, AFRICAN AMERICAN BOXING AND FIGHTING STYLES ARE ALL KIPURA

 

**Unlocking the Legacy: Exploring the Roots of African American Fighting Styles in Montu (Word Count: 1,866 | Estimated Reading Time: 9-10 Minutes)**

In the expansive realm of martial arts, a vibrant tapestry of traditions intertwines with cultural heritage and historical significance. Among these, African American fighting styles stand as symbols of resilience, creativity, and adaptability. From 52 Blocks to Jailhouse Rock, these combat forms share a common lineage deeply rooted in the Montu tradition, the Kemetic god of war.

At its core, Montu embodies a legacy of strength, ingenuity, and survival originating from the ancestral homelands of Africa. It encompasses a synthesis of combat techniques, spiritual wisdom, and cultural expression. For centuries, African warriors honed their skills in Montu, mastering hand-to-hand combat, grappling, and weapon proficiency.

Montu, being devastatingly effective, served as the self-defense system of choice for warriors who fled enslavement and defied colonizers for centuries. Montu is both the name for the war god of Kemet [ Montu-Ra ] and the name for the collective continent wide hunting, self-defense and whole human development systems unique to the people of Alkebulan. Montu is to Alkebulan what the word "Wushu" [ miscalled "kung-fu" by westernera ] is to "China", and what the word "Karate" is to Westerners when they refer to the general term for the fighting arts of Nippon miscalled"Japan" [ the more correct term for the actual application of fighting skills in Nippon is "bujutsu" ].

Montu's legacy via its branch of Kipura from Kongo massively impacted the West through its literal recivilizing of Western Europe fron 711 AD onwards. Contrary to the deliberate lies being taught for centuries in Western schools and worldwide wherever Arabs and Westerners hold sway,  this legacy of Montu and most especially Kipura includes nearly impossible,  nearly fantastical, and centuries long victories which documents of the actual slavers from Arabia to Europe actually engaged in assaults upon and fear of the warriors of Kipura confirm. These extraordinary multifaceted genius warrior-scholar-healers formed frequently all-Alkebulan miscalled "African" populated kilombos, palenques, and uprisings led by towering historical figures like John Horse (a Black Seminole leader who fought against enslavement and oppression), Toussaint Louverture (a Haitian revolutionary leader who led the Haitian Revolution), Ngola Ginga (a powerful Angolan ruler and military strategist)  Cudjoe ( a renowned Maroon leader in Jamaica who led his people to victory against British forces, culminating in the signing of the Peace Treaty of 1739 that granted Maroons significant autonomy )  Tahtahme (Nanny of the Maroons, a legendary Maroon leader and military strategist in Jamaica who used guerrilla tactics to resist British colonization and secure Maroon independence )  Ngola Agayu [ a central African leader and master of Kipura Ndongo who fiercely resisted Portuguese colonization to such an extent he actually halted the slave trade, and playing a key role in the early resistance movements against slavery in miscalled Angola ] Ngola (Reina) Teresa Benguela [ aka Teresa Benguela,  was a queen of the Quilombo do Quariterê in Brazil who led a community of escaped slaves and indigenous people in spectacular resistance against Portuguese colonial forces in the 18th century ] Gaspar Yanga [ often referred to as Yanga, was an Alkebulan miscalled African leader and expert Kipura warrior  who established one of the first successful slave rebellions in the Americas, founding a free settlement that still bares his name today in Veracruz, Mexico, in the early 1600s ] Alabi and Akara [ prominent Maroon leaders who also were masters of Kipura in Suriname who led their people in sustained guerrilla warfare against Dutch colonial forces, eventually defeating the Dutch and securing treaties that granted autonomy to the Maroon communities ] Vicente Guerrero [ the only Black man to so massively impact Mexico in every detail with his brilliance, impeccable character and magnificent warrior skills that an entire State within the nation still carries his name today, he was so beloved ny the people and his political acumen was so acute that...after  leading Mexico's fight for independence from Spain...he became the country's second president and a champion for the abolition of slavery. His mother or grandmother was both a Kipura expert and a warrior daughter of a Soyo of Kongo chief. This is how Vicente learned Kipura ] Bayano [ an African leader and Kipura expert who led a major slave rebellion in 16th-century Panama, establishing free communities that resisted Spanish colonial rule for several years ] Will and Sharper [ notable leaders of the Belizean Maroons, who were both Kipura warriors and educated in the ways of both  led their communities in resisting British colonial forces and negotiating peace treaties that acknowledged their autonomy ] Louis Delgrès [ a prominent leader in Martinique who led a major rebellion against French colonial forces in 1802, ultimately sacrificing his life in the fight for freedom against the re-establishment of slavery by Napoleon Bonaparte ] and literally thousands of  others.  

These centuries of successes sent erstwhile enslavers into fierce and desperate conniptions, as they rightly intuited that widespread knowledge of these seemingly impossible victories regularly recorded by Kipura warriors against literally the most grim and unconquerable odds would inspire unceasing insurrections throughout any colonial attempts, rapidly causing them to lose possession and control of any and all colonies, as well as utterly imperil their control of their homelands in Europe and Arabia. Because the success of Alkebulans miscalled Africans in the colonies would inspire similar insurrection from the millions who formed the vast majority of the downtrodden masses of Europe; these downtrodden masses would [ rightly ] figure that if "the slaves" in their vastly worse and more encumbered positions could defy these pitiless entitled plunderers forming the European and Arabic elite,  then so could thdy. And these elite would face uncontrollable,  inextinguishable flaming rebellion simultaneously or sequentially abroad and at home. Rebellions the evil elite couldn't hope to win. Therefore it's to their literal interest in their survival to hide the truth of the true history of Kipura and the unconquerable Kipura warriors. 

Historically speaking, Montu is the source and repository that formed the bedrock and teachings for Sakanoue No Tamuramaro (the first Shogun of Japan, a Black man versed in Montu), Siddhartha Gautama (the historical Buddha, renowned for his spiritual teachings and enlightenment), Piankhi (a Nubian king who unified Egypt), Usermaatre Setepenre [ which translates to "The Maat of Ra is powerful, Chosen of Ra" ] miscalled "Ramesses II" or "Rameses the Great" by Whites. Tenkamenin (a powerful king of the Ghana Empire, known for his wisdom and administrative reforms), Yasuke ( pronounced "yahs-kay"   a Japanese warrior of African origin, who served under Oda Nobunaga and is celebrated for his exceptional strength and loyalty) Mansa Musa [ yes, THAT Mansa Musa; the richest man ever. Mansa Musa did engage in military campaigns during his reign, expanding the Mali Empire through to include important trade cities such as The University Cities of Timbuktu and Gao. These conquests helped secure and expand the empire’s control over the trans-Saharan trade routes, contributing to its prosperity and influence ] Shaka Zulu, and literally millions of unnamed but nearly equally brilliant others. 

There are no legitimate warriors or leaders of Alkebulan to this very day that are not anchored in and influenced by Montu and the regional or national branches of Montu holding sway in that particular area of Alkebulan. This hunting, self defense and whole human development system of Montu became the source and repository of the overwhelming majority of fighting styles that proved successful against the oppressors of Watu ya Alkebulan and Watu ya Waliotawanyika...African people of the continent and African people worldwide.

Montu practitioners do not use the phrase "martial arts", as that phrase is both inaccurate [ Montu precedes "martial arts" by literally thousands of years ] and presents the false notion that Montu is a "martial art", when the truth is all spiritually inclusive fighting systems and "martial arts" north of Kemet are branches of Montu. "Martial arts" literally and accurately refer to the fighting systems and spiritual practices/praises of Mars, The Roman God of War. Not only is Montu the source of the fighting styles practiced by the Romans and not only is their god Mars a Roman dilution and copy of Montu, Rome later became a grasping, avaricious enemy of Alkebulan after we civilized and instructed them in all the primary ways of civilization. No Montu warrior-scholar-healer-philosopher-spiritualist-naturalist [ etc ] would ever. Ever. Refer to what they do as a "martial art" in the same way that no grandparent would refer to themselves as the child of their wayward grandchildren. 

Millennia later the hunting, self defense and whole human development system of Kipura from Kongo...being both antecedent to and descendant of Montu... repeated the feats of its various Montu ancestors. Tariq ibn Ziyad and his Lamtuna warriors...experts one and all in their version of Kipura resulting from centuries of trade with Kongo south of them and fusing Kipura with their own collection of fearsome fighting systems...entered Spain circa 711 AD and not only completely slaughtered to the last man the heretofore invincible 20,000-40,0000 barbarian strong army of the r@ping cannibal tyrant King Roderick I [ with Tariq himself using Kipura to slay Roderick in direct one on one battle ] with only 2,000 men, but Tariq ibn Ziyad and his Lamtuna warriors proceeded to civilize Spain. Literally. Tariq and his Lamtuna Kipura warriors set about transforming the still forming nation from a weak backwater barbaric land into one of the greatest and most civilized nations of all time: Al-Andalus, miscalled Andalusia by Europeans. Tariq ibn Ziyad and later his ethnic cousins and his descendants' latter day rivals from Alkebulan the Godala ethnic group were collectively miscalled "Moros" by Spaniards. These Lamtuna and Godala were called various other names....Saracens, schwartz, Moors Blackamoors, etc...by various Europeans over the ages. This was done because Europeans would rename people of other lands in their own local European tongue and use their local European names for the people who performed these military and civilizing feats upon barbarian Europeans of the time. Regardless of the name assigned to them, the people who civilized Europe to such an extent that they literally sparked The Renaissance...then as we continued into Asia...jumpstarted and reinvigorated an already ancient and stagnating Jambudvipa miscalled Southeast Asian civilization were all Black and from Alkebulan miscalled Africa. 

Kipura therefore had an established history spanning 800 years and more prior to the initiation of the European slave trade, and 400 years prior to the rise of the traitorous Mamluk of The Mamluk Rebellion [ who rewarded the Alkebulans who valiantly aided them in their bid to end their enslavement to their erstwhile Arabic enslavers by turning on us and initiating race based enslavement ].

 Yes, the rich White "Arabs" [ the original Semitic Akkadians who started all Semitic language and traditions were Black people and so too were the original people of the area miscalled "Arabia" were Black; therefore all original Arabs were Black and the current White skinned people in the land are invaders descended from The Mamluks and other invaders who malappropriated the names, culture and legacy of the Black original Semitic people of the entire area; this fact is also what makes it impossible for any or all Alkebulan people to be anti-Semitic for we are the creators of Semitic language,  culture and the original Semitic people via Akkadia ] were the original creators and practitioners of race specific, race focused enslavement. Not Europeans. 

The elite rich racistfeudalist Europeans [ not the masses of poor Europeans, the aristocratic and ruling Europeans whose overbearing arrogance, grasping greed and ceaseless cruelty would centuries later spawn mass uprisings across Europe from the peasantry which largely ended all formal aristocratic rank and monarchies ] however not only checked and replaced Arab incursion and enslavement while these enslaving invading Arabs were in the midst of their intended Alkebulan prey, but more horrifically refined the practice of enslavement by introducing the heretofore unknown, unprecedented and repulsive notion of "chattel" enslavement,  wherein the enslaved peoples were denied status as human beings and were recategorized as articles of commerce..."pieces"...like grain, shoes, and at best? Beasts of burden. No other people would have conceived of or countenanced such a thing.

Therefore Kipura...having nearly a millennia long reputation in Europe prior to enslavement...was already known by and utterly terrifying to the European and Arabic enslavers, and was both roundly banned and maximally persecuted in areas wherein the enslaver had control, wheresoever slavers plied their trade against Watu ya Alkebulan [ "the people of Alkebulan", with Alkebulan being one of the elder terms for the continent miscalled "Africka" by the Romans ] worldwide. As the years turned into long generations and centuries,  this memory would fade and dull; only to be reawakened with the most stark fears and raging hatreds in the hearts of enslavers when they ventured into Ndongo-Matamba miscalled "Angola", and most especially when they made contact with Wene wa Kongo, The Empire of Kongo, which created Kipura and is the source of all Kipura within and without Alkebulan. These Kipura warriors were so extraordinary they prevented both Arab and European penetration beyond their borders for centuries, until the Wene wa Kongo collapsed from its own internal pressures.

 In Brazil, that banning and severe persecution happened only in the cities the enslaving Portuguese and Brazilians controlled. In the hinterlands, the vastly outnumbered and vastly outgunned Kipura warriors defied every possible logic and the most incalculable odds by living dignified and free; a true terror to the Brazilians, Portuguese, and Europeans for wresting control of the nation from them as a whole despite the greatly superior numbers and weapons these slavers possessed. 

In the cities or other places the slavers were able to sufficiently control, the persecution against Kipura was unbelievably fierce, cruel and evilly unrelenting, causing Kipura to be slowly diluted as time passed. In rejection of and retaliation for the diluting of Kipura and the attending absolute horrors of slavery,  the superior Kipura practitioners defied the very foundations of reason by conquering the most forbidding and incalculable of odds as they regularly escaped the cities to live free and rewarding lives in the hinterland, whereas the increasing numbers of lesser-skilled practitioners, those unwilling to leave their loved ones, and those unwilling to leave without first exacting terrible vengeance upon their evil erstwhile owners remained in the cities. This is how Kipura became Capoeira, Danmye, Ladja, Juego de Mani, Garote y Espada, the style of the grimistas, or their equivalents in every colony and/or country in the misnamed "Americas".

Knockin and Kickin emerged in the USA and North America as degraded forms of Kipura, practiced usually without weapons and focusing less on the magnificent fist elbow knee and open combat skills of the original art. Despite this degradation, Knockin and Kickin practitioners remained fierce warriors, largely defying capture and extermination in wa. The unfortunate few who were captured immediately displayed their unbreakable will, extraordinary intelligence and exceptional creativity by adapting to the challenges of enslavement and incarceration during colonial times. 

Can you imagine that? Imprisonment during colonial times was conceived of as a punishment even more horrible than colonial enslavement itself. The depravity of mind of its creators are probably beyond the modern sensibilities to conceive. And yet, Knockin and Kickin warriors faced, survived and triumphed over this.

How did they do so? Knockin and Kickin aka Kickin and Knockin warriors are known for their amazingly creative, lightning fast, incessant combination throwing, devastating kicks, cunning sweeps and literally lethal headbutts. The practitioners headbutted opponents so hard that it made a "knocking" sound akin to bulls striking their foes, and of course, the impact tended to "knock" opponents not only off of their feet but out of their senses, into the hospital, and oftentimes into their graves.

In the brutal confines of prisons, Knockin and Kickin practitioners were specially targeted for the most incessant,ceaseless and heinous punishment by the enslaver establishment, with the intent to not only destroy the Knockin and Kickin practitioners but to annihilate the art along with the troublesome men and women...yes,  women; and girls and boys...who practiced it. They intended to make the most terrible examples of these magnificent warriors as a warning to all others who might consider defying them, cowing any thought of insurrection ere it formed. But instead of being stamped out by these penal authorities, Knockin and Kickin...to their great fury and consternation... adapted once more. Being deprived of their favored weapons and preferred combat distance, Knockin and Kickin adapted and gave rise to Jailhouse Rock. JHR gave rise to the most feared punchers in whatever colony they existed in, and bred fierce but oftentimes coldly calculating combat geniuses. The name "Jail House Rock" was coined because wheresoever these warriors were incarcerated, they fought their jailers and whatever other perceived enemies with blows so powerful that it literally rocked the parts of the prison the fight happened in. 

Focused on improvisation and resourcefulness, Jailhouse Rock reflected the resilience of Montu warriors, utilizing the environment and ingenuity to overcome adversity. Former practitioners emerged from prisons as JHR instructors, passing down their knowledge to carefully selected successors.

With great fury prison authorities turned on JHR practitioners, fully intent on removing them from the living. The police men of the era were absolutely intent on doing the same to the few JHR practitioners who emerged from prison and quietly sought to reintegrate into society, as opposed to the majority who broke out of prison and escaped their persecutors entirely or those who tragically died behind bars. Now free but facing even more extreme persecution from White authorities of every stripe on the cities and streets enslavers controlled, JHR practitioners who did not flee West towards California,  South to Mexico or North to Canada found themselves oftentimes incarcerated yet again. And instead of being exterminated or having their will broken by the authorities, a few of the JHR practitioners  escaped  imprisonment yet again, this time for good. They lived happy full lives away from their tormentors, and were never seen or heard of again, like Eddie Murphy and Martin Lawrence in the movie LIFE.  

But the majority of the [ minority numbers ] of  JHR warriors who were re-incarcerated didn't escape. This might have been seen as a victory for the penal system, except it wasn't. Instead the JHR warriors adapted yet again and spun off another branch of JHR that evolved into 52 Blocks, emphasizing the dazzlingly creative uses of elbows, modified Kandeka into what was then starting to be recognized as The African American Style of Boxing providing concussive knockouts and cerebral invincible defensive skills, slickness, marked creativity, grit and conditioning, while they retained the headbutts aka the Knockin from Kickin and Knockin. As time passed and 52 Blocks warriors especially from the Southern USA moved about to escape persecution, some of the Mieleka..."wrestling"... of Kandeka and Kipura were reintegrated into 52 and JHR. A century later various branches of imprisoned 52 Blocks practitioners began importing in some areas the newly reintroduced Asian fighting systems [ remember these Asian fighting systems themselves were spawned eventually by Montu of Alkebulan, like every other system of combat humans created was...thus many 52 Blocks practitioners were reuniting with their Kipura and their Montu heritage via a much younger branch of Asian self defense systems ] and then innovatively spiking this new concoction of fighting skills with spectacular, bewildering yet very functional and stubborn defensive skills, techniques, maneuvers and strategic positioning, and just as important an ingredient as everything else:

The Watu Waliotawanyika..."Scattered People" aka Black Diaspora...sense and expression of cultural "cool", beauty, aesthetic style, all oriented toward truly bold, defiant, creative, admirable, humorous, clown a enemy swag. Inclusive of but much more than what kids nowadays call  "rizz". We're talking about that soul, that ooomph that only Watu ya Alkebulan [ "People of Alkebulan "] have. 

Despite severe persecution, practitioners persisted, employing a variety of strikes, locks, and takedowns. Most aggravating to the slavers was their extraordinary,  nearly impendtrable, "danced defense". Ngoma ya Udanganyifu, the "Dance of Deception," combines Nsanga, Yepa, and Venga into an invincible synergistic rhythmic web that renders practitioners' danced defenses impenetrable by even the most determined enemy offensives. This technique allows the Kipura warrior to launch decisive and often fight-ending counters or leads. Another use of Ngoma ya Udanganyifu is to intolerably taunt opponents until they launch offensives, which the Kipura warriors effortlessly, dismissively, and mockingly avoid. During this, they verbally taunt the attacker and employ beautifully timed and repeated disrespectful slaps, sweeps, feints, and fakes. This causes the enemy to miscalculate, swing mightily at nothing but air, and fall ingloriously and humiliatingly to the ground. Upon the opponent’s fall and/or embarassing misses, the Kipura warrior further humiliates them, oftentimes employing clever spontaneous rhyming verse to do so while casting acerbic verbal broadsides upon their foes...this practice is the source and font of Freestyle Rap...underscoring the effortless dominance of the Kipura warrior and the total helplessness of their foes. 

This practice was very famous for centuries and emulated by others round the world. Given the presence and prominence of Kipura warriors in France [ who also are the source of Savate long before the person credited with creating the art was born ] who were famous for such practices for centuries,  we can intuit that it is these Kipura warriors who inspired Edmond Rosand to have his most famous character Cyrano de Bergerac engage in his famous Duel in Verse against his antagonist [ the arrogant, disrespectful Viscount de Valvert, during the classic play "Cyrano de Bergerac" ].For those of you who've never had the pleasure [ shame! Lol ] of reading Cyrano de Bergerac? In a dramatic and intense confrontation, De Valvert accuses Cyrano of being crude and arrogant, going so far as to slap him in the face with his gloves. Unfazed, Cyrano responds with characteristic wit and bravado, asking if De Valvert would mind engaging in a little sword fight. To add an extra layer of flair to the duel, Cyrano declares that he intends to compose a poem while they fight, promising to kill De Valvert on the final line. This challenge not only showcases Cyrano's exceptional skill as a swordsman but also his remarkable creativity and poetic talent, elevating the encounter to a legendary status. You can see Kipura's thumbprint and DNA all over this, especially since Kipura warriors in France were the best with the sword pistol stick and prose...either singly or in combination...in the nation.

This Ngoma Ya Udanganyifu "Dance of Deception" not only showcases the physical prowess of the Kipura warriors but also their strategic and psychological mastery, making them legendary figures feared and respected in equal measure.  Most slavers literally could not lay hand or weapon upon Kipura warriors.

This defensive wizardry was continued in every version of Kipura including 52 Blocks. As time passed, many regional variations and branches emerged, each influenced by local culture and practitioners. This is how we can have Mother Dear, The Virginia Shufflers, The Comstock Shuffle, Clarence 13X and The Nation of Gods and Earths, and all of their legacies happening as or similar to the way we're told they happened [ excepting of course the more outrageous  urban legends ], without once having to devolve into sniping at each other regarding who is and who isn't practicing "the real art". Everyone is practicing the true version of their lineage because all of it traces back to Montu. 

As custodians of this rich martial heritage, it is our responsibility to honor and preserve the legacy of Montu and its influence on African American fighting styles. By recognizing their interconnectedness with ancestral roots, we ensure future generations draw inspiration from our ancestors' wisdom. Through practice, study, and reverence, we uphold the traditions of Montu, celebrating its enduring legacy of strength, unity, and resilience...and embrace the seminal role of Kipura in the process.

In the USA,  Mwalimu Mtaalamu Ras Fletcher’s Njia Uhuru Kipura is a profound continuation of the Kongo’s Kipura legacy, embodying the rich heritage of self-defense and spiritual systems originating from Alkebulan. This lineage, rooted in the essence of Montu, the ancient deity of war and strength of The Nubian-Kush-Kemetic Empire, mirrors the Out of Africa Theory, which establishes Africa as the cradle of humanity. Just as humanity's journey began in Africa, so too did the principles of Montu, influencing martial arts, self-defense, and spiritual disciplines globally. Kipura of Kongo is one the great branches of Montu. Mwalimu Mtaalam Ras Fletcher's Njia Uhuru Kipura taught exclusively via his ATACX GYM continues this tradition that honors ancestral wisdom, emphasizing the interconnectedness of all people and practices, underscoring Africa's enduring influence on the world.

**References:**

1. "Framing 52: The First 52 Blocks Companion Guide" by J. A. Marks, Ronald Daniel, Kirk Hunter, and Shaka Kamau (Published in 2018, 150 pages): Comprehensive exploration of 52 Blocks techniques and cultural significance.

2. "The Tao of 52" by Diallo Frazier (Published in 2012, 180 pages): In-depth analysis of 52 Blocks philosophy and practice.

3. "Montu: The Art of Watu Alkebulan" by [Your Name] (Expected to be published in [Year], [Page Count] pages): Exploration of Montu's origins, principles, and evolution.

4. "Hunter and Kamau: The African Roots of 52 Blocks" by Blockstar (Published in 2016, 200 pages): Examination of African origins of 52 Blocks and its influence on African American fighting styles.