hapak (hah-POCK)
Hapak is an ancient form of martial arts that originated in the mountains of southern Vancorra. It emphasizes strategy, anatomy knowledge, reading an opponent's body language, and an understanding of balance and applied force. Someone skilled in hapak may defeat an opponent who is larger and stronger by turning momentum against them.
Historically, only men participated, and even in modern times only a few women have been allowed to train.
Male Vincaran children are encouraged to enroll in a hapak academy as a way to connect to their fragmented postcolonial heritage. Most attain only rank two or three before finding other hobbies. Those who continue into adulthood dream of the prestige of reaching the top, rank five, but only a small percentage ever reach the pinnacle.
Practitioners of hapak traditionally wear only a loincloth when sparring, along with a belt indicating their rank.
- Rank Zero: Plain linen belt with no adornments
- Rank One: One vertical yellow line added to the right of the belt's center
- Rank Two: One vertical yellow line added to the left of the belt's center
- Rank Three: One vertical orange line added between the yellow line on the right and the belt's center
- Rank Four: One vertical orange line added between the yellow line on the left and the belt's center
- Rank Five: A red, circular emblem is added in the center of the belt
Related Ethnicities
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