Ermiyas Ashagre, hailing from Ethiopia, is a dedicated practitioner of Taekwon-Do with a remarkable journey in the world of martial arts. He shares his story and insights into the state of Taekwon-Do in his homeland.
Can you tell us a little about your background in Taekwon-Do and how you got involved in this martial art?
Well, I remember 20 years ago on my birthday, I asked my father to take me to the circus club (I saw it on TV). At that time, we were on vacation after school, so my father enrolled me to study for two months. I thought I was engaged with the circus but it was Taekwon-Do. I didn’t know the difference and I just continued my training. I was 7 years old at the time. Although I signed up for two months of training, we had a good teacher so I continued to work and here I am today
How would you describe the current state of Taekwon-Do in Ethiopia and its development over the years?
Martial arts, especially ITF Taekwon-Do, is a very popular sport in Ethiopia. On this side, the tireless effort of Ethiopian Taekwon-Do father Master Kiros’s effort is beyond the level and even unimaginable. it has now become a sport that is more popular throughout the country than any other sport because of Master Kiros dedication.
What would you say are the biggest challenges facing the Taekwon-Do community in Ethiopia?
Although Taekwon-Do is popular in Ethiopia, we have not been able to spread the sport as much as we would like because the people (Government side) leading the sport are not professionals but amateurs. Another big problem is if you want to teach martial arts especially Taekwon-Do, training you can’t find a place to teach. There is a shortage of halls in addition to that we couldn’t afford to organize competitions regularly like other countries.
Ethiopia is mainly known for its athletics tradition, what is the Taekwon-Do community like in the country?
As I mentioned above, Taekwon-Do is a wonderful sport that many love to practice throughout Ethiopia. As you mentioned, our country is mainly best known for the athletics industry, and through our association, we are trying to make our country famous for Taekwon-Do by participating in many competitions.
How would you describe the Taekwon-Do in Ethiopia? Is it a popular sport in the country?
Of course, Taekwon-Do is a popular sport in Ethiopia and is practiced by thousands of people.
Have you had the opportunity to compete at a national or international level? Can you share some of your experiences in this regard?
I am 8× national champion in pattern and the 2013 Invitational championship in Bangalore, India I won two golds both in pattern and sparring also I was able to participate in the 1st ITF World games by leading the national team and I believe that I will win many medals by representing my country as a coach and competitor in future competitions.
Can you tell us about your personal achievements in Taekwon-Do?
As I mentioned above, I have won many tournaments and am a student of Master Kiros. I have 4th Dan (Preparing to 5th) in ITF and have traveled across the country giving seminars.
I teach this beautiful art for free to citizens of my country who need special support (People with disabilities and autism) I gave self-defense training to high school girls, embassy stuffs and I have also contributed by translating the Encyclopedia of Taekwondo (15 Volume) into Amharic (Ethiopia’s national language and our country is the only country in Africa that has its alphabet) and currently my master moves to Canada, I take the responsibility to lead Ethiopian Taekwon-Do with so many challenges.
