In the shade of the dense eucalyptus forest perched above the capital city of Ethiopia, Brazilian jiu jitsu began to take root in the late 2010s. Geographically isolated from the international martial arts community, and born into a region plagued by political instability, the odds did not favor the immediate development of the sport.

Despite the challenges, the students were ready. In 2021, a coach arrived.

These are the stories of how Ethiopian youth found meaning on the mats amidst civil war, extreme poverty, global pandemic, chronic under-employment, mental health misconceptions, and the preventable deaths of their teammates. Like Ethiopia, the stories are “becoming.

” Unfinished, largely unedited, and written in foreign script by young men and women who are becoming the next version of themselves. Brazilian jiu jitsu, for better and for worse, provides the vessel.

The stories are firsthand accounts, as seen through an array of diverse lenses. As such, the memories are unique to the individuals, complete with inconsistency, delusion, and personal flair.

In their home country, the athletes still face a deep cultural bias against combat sports. The martial arts scene in Ethiopia has long reflected the traditional values that dominate the local landscape.

Certain disciplines have been ordained, while most new sports are viewed with skepticism. The government-funded federations established to spread sport in Ethiopia view jiu jitsu with the same suspicion as the invasive eucalyptus, a foreign species looking to choke out the incumbent.

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They are correct. Proceeds from this book will be used to support the individuals who are tirelessly working to spread Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in Africa.

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