What Moldovan wrestling and Internet have in common

{Info-Prim Neo interview with Doctor of Sciences Serghei Busuioc, dean of Faculty of Pedagogy at the State University of Physical Education and Sport} [–I met you in circumstances quite unusual for a man of your profession: MoldData was offering you the certificate for its 10000th client after you had registered, as a natural person, your site www.tranta.md. How do you link the passion for such an old custom as tranta (wrestling) and the Internet, a hypermodern domain?] - One needs to keep his past and his nation’s past if he wants to be safe in future. Otherwise, you’re like a leaf in the wind and you’ll end up like it. Our Moldovan wrestling, as an old sport, represents us. It shows who we are and who we should be. I thought to use Internet, one of the most important means of globalization, as a tool to promote our traditional wrestling and our nation as a whole. My site will focus on both sportive and spiritual aspects of our people. They are interlaced and it can’t be otherwise. Yes, I decided to use a globalization tool to keep and promote our identity. [ - Why does tranta represent us? Where does it come from and where do we come from?] - I think that Moldovan wrestling, as well as our hora (traditional dance) has its roots in ancient Egypt. That means its history begins 10.000 years B.C. I’ve reached this conclusion after long and profound studies on which my doctorate work is based. My thesis was the tranta. I could have chosen any other subject, but I found more useful to see where do we come from and where are we going, including sport. Well, old Egyptians’ main god at that time was Horus the Sun. According to the contemporaneous laws, people settled disputes by standing in circle similar to the sun and to our hora. Meanwhile, our wrestling mattress is round as well, with a red center and yellow borders, imitating the sun. Then, just like now, people observed how confusing situations were cleared. However, some of tranta’s roots lie within Christianity. The fight begins with a hand-crossing. We respect Biblical postulates. You can’t beat the fallen one. If he fell, you’re not allowed to continue the fight. In other types of fighting you can break one’s arm or even head. However, we are a small nation and need to keep each over. “I’ve beaten you, but we must go on living together”. In China, for example, the fighter does his utmost to kill or injure his opponent, but our wrestling is peaceful indeed. We fight 3 days and 3 nights, meaning 3 rounds. We also have 3 referees. Why? Because the Bible says any decision is taken “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. But the decision is only one. We gird on a belt. Why? Because the man is a whole world and the belt is its equator. For example, Japan’s traditional wrestling is Sumo, where big people fight. Japan is an insular country and if you push you enemy into the water, he dies. That’s why in Sumo you only have to push you rival out of the circle. However, in tranta the fighter is not punished for stepping out of the mattress. We are a continental country, surrounded by neighbors, so you’d better win the fight home… These are some of the arguments that prove tranta is an important part of our culture, expressing our people’s mentality and history with influences from Christianity, ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman cultures. At least Koreans have already recognized the Moldovan national specific of tranta. [ - How did Koreans get to know about Moldovan wrestling, since, as far as I know, they never competed with us?] - We didn’t participate in a competition, but we did participate in a Festival. We have participated for years in the Martial Arts Festival in Korea, which involves fighters from 35 countries. Moldova twice had players among the best four. Moreover, alongside Korea and Japan, Moldova participates in the administration of the World Martial Arts Association, registered by UNESCO. It is among the aforementioned 35 countries. Anatol Moldovan, former mayor of Ialoveni, is organization’s vice president. Is Moldova better or higher represented in any other European or world sport association? The biggest challenge for me at the Festival in Korea was the question “How are you different from others?”. Not similar, but different. I told you that the 35 countries with great traditions in martial arts have ranked us, Moldovans and our tranta, among the best. The reason? They don’t consider only the way you fight, but your behavior and words as well. Your way of being. We show it through typical sketches: how shepherds meet on a hill, how they dance a hora and other traditions. We imitate annoyance and then start a tranta. But it always ends up with reconciliation and even a glass of wine. They tell us: “It’s one of the most peaceful sports” and they appreciate it. Besides, we’re very communicative. We speak Russian with Russians, French with Frenchmen and English with Englishmen. We find a common language with Czechs, Bulgarians, Italians, Germans… with anyone. Especially if we bring some of our fine wine… Small nations have to be good diplomats. [ - Why is the ram the biggest prize in tranta?] - It’s also based on national, perhaps even general human traditions. The ram is a leader and a symbol of well-being, as he has meat and wool. In England and other countries, nobles sit on a cushion of sheep wool. As our culture was heavily influenced by the Greeks, we must remember one of Hercules’ great deeds, when he went for the Golden Fleece. A ram one. It made invincible its bearer. One of our tranta rules is also inspired by Hercules’ deeds. He defeated Antaeus, son of Gaia, by holding him aloft. A fighter would receive many points for such a move in tranta. I repeat: absolutely everything is based on traditions and legends. How did Fat-Frumos fight the dragon? Three days, three nights and he cut off three heads. The tranta stops at a difference of 12 points. Why not at 10? Because the zodiac has 12 months, so if we won in January, February, March and December, why repeat the years? 12 hours a day, 12 apostles of Jesus. I want to publish all this on my site, for people to understand why tranta is Moldovan’s national sport. I’ll also post the rules and other useful information. Yakuts’ national fight is called Hapsagai. If you touch the ground with your hand, you lose a point. If you fall on your knees, you lose the fight. It all depends on three factors: the place where you fight, your clothes or equipment, and the rules. Yakuts fight in the Polar area. If you touch the ice, you’re frozen. However, we fight for points and can win through the number of points, slowly, like working the land. Japanese and Chinese prefer quality to quantity. The winner is the one who boasts a better technique. You can earn 1.000 yuka scores, but should one execute one wazari-level attack and he’ll win. They really focus on quality and you can see what great things they make. [ - How many people in Moldova understand tranta like you do and are ready to support you?] - I found people who realize the true value of tranta. For example, MoldData offered me the domain for three years free of charge. I hope to do more to popularize this sport. It’s true and somewhat puzzling that authorities neglect tranta, while other sports receive more financial support. However, tranta teaches us the right behavior in such situations: insist, work, gather, be fair and you will win, “knock and the door will be opened to you”. [ - How did you get such an understanding of sport and of our nation in general?] - At home, from my parents and grandparents, from my coach Ivan Dodrovolschi, and especially from my father, pedagogue and journalist Leonid Busuioc. At 81 years, he’s still working and practicing sport. He intends to reach the age of 100, because, he says, it’s easier to live 19 years than 81. My special interest for our people’s culture dates since I refused to go study for a doctor. When my father learned that I intended to become a coach, he agreed, but with one condition: “OK. But you’ll have to go to a faculty with teaching in Moldovan language”, that’s how it was called then. My mother was from Moscow and those were Soviet times, so I started to learn Romanian seriously during university. For sure, my paternal grandmother played a role. She used to tell me: “You’re lucky to be born with such a name. Basil (Busuioc) at birth, Basil at death…” (traditional song). [Valeriu Vasilica, Info-Prim Neo]