The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON

Tribune Features Writer

jgibson@tribunemedia.net

BAHAMIAN Muay Thai fighter DC Pratt left home open-minded about his three-month trip to Thailand in April. While on the other side of the world, he participated in an intense training session and experienced much of the country’s culture.

DC underwent a three-month session in Thailand, training under renowned Muay Thai fighter and coach Lamnamoon Sor Sumalee. During the little time off he had from his five-hour-a-day, six-days-a-week training, DC managed to work in some extra activities.

“The part of Thailand that I went to had very little western exposure. They spoke no English and there is nothing really for foreigners to do. No one knew what the Bahamas was. When I first arrived in Thailand I had issues at the immigration checkpoint because they did not know what the Bahamas was or whether or not I was allowed in the country. I was the first Bahamian that a lot of the people came into contact with,” he told Tribune Arts and Entertainment.

“I went to Thailand during the year of Songkran, which was a very interesting time because it celebrates the New Year. There is a water festival and people will drive around and just splash water on each other. I went into my coach’s village, which was more even more secluded. I participated in a parade with monks and native Thai people, and just dancing and having fun.”

Apart from the training in Thailand, one of the most memorable experiences for DC was when he got a Sak Yant tattoo.

Sak Yant designs are normally tattooed by Ruesi wicha (magic) practitioners and Buddhist monks, traditionally with a long bamboo stick sharpened to a point (called a Mai Sak) or alternatively with a long metal spike (called a Khem Sak).

“Thailand has a big tattoo culture and they believe the Sak Yant holds mystical powers, so there is a ritual involved with the tattoo. Mostly it is done by monks and sometimes they are done by a witch doctor. There is ritual where they pray and after the tattoo is completed you cannot touch the money. There are hundreds of Sak Yants, but my tattoo is a tattoo for fighters,” DC said.

“What is so amazing about this tattoo is that I wanted the tattoo on my hand, but they believe that the tattoo holds so much power and that it was too strong for them to put it on my hand. I am already a tattoo lover and this was a big cultural experience.”

DC said left all of his prejudices from the west behind and adamant about having a one-of-a-kind experience in Thailand.

“I went to the temple of the monks. I ate things like fried cricket, I ate ant larvae and I ate silk worm larvae. I ate raw pork that I did not find out was raw until after I ate it, and I had raw beef. I do these things for the experience. There are a lot of things that we are scared to do over here. But when you go to different cultures you see they do these things with no problems and that they are still alive and they are still healthy; it makes you want to just try it,” he said.

“I just wanted to take advantage of my whole experience there. I did not want to offend anyone over there, especially given that food is a big part of their culture. They find if very offensive if you are invited to their house and you say, ‘No, I do not want any food’.”

Being afforded the opportunity to travel the world and meet people from different walks of life has been beneficial for the Bahamian fighter. He encourages others to take the time and experience other cultures whenever the opportunity presents itself.

“I think everyone, even though I know everyone will not be able to do so because of finances, to see life from a different perspective. Certain ignorance and prejudices you kind of know how to deal with first-hand, you learn to tolerate more and be more open-minded. Bahamians can be very close-minded at times. Experiences such as these have helped me to grow,” he said.