Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN
It was a monumental day for the Brazilian Jiu Jitsu community in the country when Khalifa Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) hosted the first female Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Seminar conducted by one of Australia’s most decorated BJJ practitioners, Jess Fraser, last week.
Founder and organiser, Fraser is the woman behind Australian Girls in Gi (AGIG), the world’s largest community of women and girls dedicated to empowering women to participate in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
BruSports News spoke to the founder of the empowering female movement and got to know more about it.
Q: Hi Jess please briefly introduce yourself and why are you here in Brunei?
A: My name is Jess Fraser and I am a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Blackbelt, training out of Melbourne, Australia under Vanguard Brazilian Jiu Jitsu.
I am here to conduct a seminar on BJJ and I believe that I am the first BJJ Blackbelt to come here to do that. So it is an honour and it is amazing.
Picture: Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
Q: How did you know about Khalifa and how did you come in contact with Eazy (Ahmad Faez Anuar, the co-founder of Khalifa MMA with the others being Dk Nor Faziah Pg Hj Abas and Adi Helmi Sharbini)?
A: I came in contact with Eazy because of the seminar that I attended in Kuala Lumpur recently. I met a lady that has lots of friend in the community and she is also pretty connected here in Southeast Asia.
She wants me to conduct more seminars in this region and I am really interested with the connection between Australia and Southeast Asia.
Q: Have you heard of Brunei BJJ before coming here?
A: I know that these guys went out representing Brunei in a couple of tournaments regionally and internationally and in the IBJJF (International Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Federation) Worlds Masters in Vegas recently. It was their first trip there and they did quite well.
We are aware of that, and also there are a couple of Bruneians in Australia training the sport too.
Picture: Ak Fauzi Pg Salleh
Q: You are the founder of the Australian Girls in Gi, a female BJJ community group in Australia, which is the biggest in the world. what are your thoughts on gender issues in BJJ and female empowerment?
A: Initially BJJ during the earliest Gracies (the Brazilian family who founded the art), they weren't as inclusive of women than as they are now and I think women in terms of time are about 15 years behind the guys in number.
But we are here now, we have a lot of female black belts. The changes are really coming now and part of what I do with Australian Girls in Gi is to educate people that this is the sport that men and women can do equally well.
With a focus on women’s personal and physical development, AGIG comprises an inclusive and vibrant online community and runs events and activities for women at all stages of their BJJ journey.
