The world championships of traditional Wushu held from 5 to 11 November in Huangshan, China. Dominique Saatenang it takes a delegation of 17 French fighters to report the gold. Back to the unusual career of the Cameroonian origin become “Chinese heart”.
Dominique Saatenang in Paris in October. Florent Bouteiller
Join the action to the word. If Dominique Saatenang caught teaching his Master of Management (all this was before he became a monk), it is the rule. In a small room of the house associations eighteenth arrondissement of Paris, the master receives us. Purpose of visit: to speak, between promoting his “DVD” (Discipline, commitment, determination) and tales of his personal achievements, the World Championships of Traditional Wushu taking place in Huangshan (China) from November 5 to 11. A competition in which he participates as “judge and global arbiter, Wushu expert” and he takes a delegation of 17 French soldiers. “I really wanted that my country is represented. This will improve the relations between France and China, “says Mr. Saatenang which claims to have obtained the permission of the French Wushu Federation to participate in the event. “Beware, however warns Julien Granjoux, communications officer at the French Federation of Wushu (sport) which hinders their heels. Mr. Saatenang part in the competition on its own initiative. It can represent the club (AFA Wushu) or its country of origin, but not in France itself. “Never mind, Dominique Saatenang participate for the second time in the competition after the 2010 where his team had collected three silver and six bronze. “This time, we want gold,” he said, hands clasped, staring at the ceiling, remembering the good memories of the time when he was athlete, too.
Telling the life of Dominique Saatenang is not easy. At 37, the Cameroonian origin, naturalized French in 2009, has as many “business” as nicknames. For the Chinese, it is “The Black Eagle” for Africans “The African Bruce Lee” and Europeans “Black Chinese” … Just that. CV side, the master of patter. A pluralist to rival the most stocked policies. Comedian, actor, stuntman, choreographer of the fight scenes, judge and arbiter of international Wushu … Dominique Saatenang prestige derives mainly from its status as Shaolin monk (member of the 34th generation under the name Shi Yan Maipar higher Abbot Shi Yong xin). And because it remains to this day the only African to be admitted in the prestigious monastery. Presto pronto, Cameroon is therefore included in the National Pantheon for the glory of sport. The distinction worth a line in the gold of his homeland and a decoration from Unesco book. Lately, he has managed to Shaolin Temple 10 young African scholars to study them for five years medicine, martial arts, Chinese culture and language graciously admit-.
DR
Born in Bafou, a village in western Cameroon, Dominique Martin Saatenang was more for football than Wushu. From a royal lineage (his grandfather was king of the village), the kid was difficult challenge desiderata of his family who saw him as a bis Roger Milla. “Around the age of 10, I was sent to Douala for an internship detection in a football team. There, I attended a screening of the Dragon Bruce Lee says he. When I returned home, I had only one idea in mind: to make Wushu. “To the chagrin of his family, the teenager persevered in his practice of martial arts by enrolling in the school of” Black Tigers “. “Looking back, I realize that it was not prepared Wushu at most an initiation, he recalls. But I was determined to become a good fighter to go to China. “After his master management Cameroon sells all his possessions to go to the Middle Kingdom.
Once past the Wall, he faces two challenges: the language barrier and the aftershocks of the Shaolin Temple, which abound everywhere in China as wushu schools. “My goal was to integrate the holy of holies. But I was told that it was inaccessible to foreigners. “Despite warnings, he went to the famous temple where the spiritual leader is holding a conference in the middle of a crowd of converts. “I watched this master beckoned me to come and see. I do not know why he named myself, that day, in the midst of all this world, “Dominique support Saatenang who believes” the hard fate “as iron. He will leave his interview with a card signed by the Chief of integrating the famous monastery.
Photo: Florent BouteillerCommence then a long and difficult learning. Sunrise 4: 30 pm daily, first meditation at 5 am, breakfast at 6 am 30 and drive all day in the mountains. “It was hard. Every day, rain where it snows in summer and winter, we did our exercises shirt, he says. In the evening we were so tired we did not take the time to eat or take a shower. There, there was no hot water. Frankly, sometimes I thought I would stop. But whenever I would crack, I thought about my family. I was disappointed by stopping the football, I had to persevere not to disappoint them. “
Devoted member of the Shaolin Temple and Ambassador of the Chinese Wushu in 2007, Dominique Saatenang has since expanded its fields of competence. At 37, this polyglot (he speaks Chinese, French, English and Bamileke) was trained as an actor to realize his dream of making films. “Talented stuntman, actor, choreographer recognized action scenes in the film world,” according to the press release, Mr. Saatenang has not found under the door close Luc Besson. “I asked to meet him, but he has not answered me,” says Dominique Saatenang which ensures also have “tracks” with Jackie Chan, whom he met recently.
Remains in its acclaimed show “Got Talent” on M6 in December 2011. “I have an incredible talent, that’s why I was invited on the show,” he says modestly. It shows the Shaolin monk performing a Wushu demonstration against four opponents who break him turn pieces of wood on the body. But in vain, his performance has not attracted the attention of the jury. “Not exciting enough, a little boring. It is in the final anyway … “commented one of the judges. As for Dave, also a member of the jury, the singer did not go there in mortmain: “We’re not in it,” was he exclaimed. Las Dominique Saatenang at least successful communication. In extremis, after a few words in Chinese, he is promoting his “DVD”. It is not every day that passes on M6.
Florent Bouteiller
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Source:
http://mycomputermax.com/a-shaolin-monk-like-no-other/