PK United focuses on both the physical and mental discipline that Parkour provides as well as the altruistic philosophies set in place by Parkour founder, David Belle. PK United works with children across the globe who are deemed 'high risk' and dealing with many obstacles in their young lives. Caleb's Hope has partnered with PKCali to launch our pilot program in Northern Uganda, an area where the children and youth have been deeply impacted by conflict with rebels in the region. Parkour will not only help them heal, but give them the discipline to overcome any obstacle, keeping themselves safe, and believing in their abilities as individuals and a community to be great. We are proud to have the support and partnership of PKCali. Members of PKCali are introducing Parkour to Attiak, Northern Uganda December 2011 and will be helping the community form PKAtiak. PKAtiak will be the first Parkour group to exist in East Africa.
What is Parkour:
"Le Parkour, c'est une methode d'entrainement physique qui permet de franchir les obstacles dans le milieu urbain ou dans le milieu naturelle." – David Belle, Founder of Parkour
Translation: "Parkour is a method of physical training which allows us to overcome obstacles, in the urban environment or in the natural environment."
Parkour is the discipline of overcoming obstacles in one's path using only the human body. - PKCali
Simply put "Parkour" is an art developed to help you navigate your environment from one point to another, using the capabilities of the human body. Furthermore it is not an expression, a method, or religion; it is simply a way to train the body to overcome obstacles. - NYPK
Philosophy of Parkour:
Parkour is a non-competitive discipline. A true Traceur/Traceuse learns to not only overcome obstacles physically, mentally, and emotionally; but adopts a benevolent mindset and - simply put - helps others. The importance of non-competitiveness can't be stressed enough. Parkour encourages people to problem solve and work together. "Those who truly practice Parkour have the same mind aspect of each other, therefore, it allows them to be united internationally and forget the social and economical problems which separated them globally, ultimately leading one giant community working and growing together."*
It can be the art of flight, of the chase, of helping someone with a problem, something ordinary. [It's about] knowing yourself. Setting goals and attaining them. Because if we don't have goals, we're just floating in the wind and we don't know why we're moving. And when we have found a reason for what we are doing even if we move into other areas that are not Parkour – artistic areas or in life – well, we will already be in the habit of finding meaning.
I'm under the impression that fear is passed on. We can teach courage, but we also teach a lot of fear. And we're in a society today where everyone is afraid. There is no stronger or weaker. What is actually important: you're strong in the moment when you go right to the end for the cause you are defending. Even if you physically lost. The guy physically beats you down and broke your legs, you say, "yeah, you physically beat me down, but I will always have what's in my head. You can't get into my head and change what's in my head." It's really similar to Martial Arts. I think it's really the same philosophy, the same way of learning things. - David Belle
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Many people take the principles they learn through Parkour and apply them to their lives. By challenging themselves in Parkour both mentally and physically, it becomes easier to deal with problems and obstacles in everyday life. When a difficult situation comes up in daily life, a Parkour practitioner can see this as any other obstacle which they've learned to overcome quickly, efficiently, and without disruption to their intended path. Another part of the overall Parkour philosophy is to be useful in a variety of situations. Parkour itself does not strive to be a "complete" discipline. - American Parkour
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Competition pushes people to fight against others for the satisfaction of a crowd and/or the benefits of a few business people by changing its mindset. Parkour is unique and cannot be a competitive sport unless it ignores its altruistic core of self development. If Parkour becomes a sport, it will be hard to seriously teach and spread Parkour as a non-competitive activity. And a new sport will be spread that may be called Parkour, but that won't hold its philosophical essence anymore. - Erwan LeCorre*
Where We Work:
United Attiak is a mentorship and therapy-based program targeting youth based in Northern Uganda who are war and AIDS orphans, former child soldiers and sex slaves, and girls who are victim to gender-based violence. This one-of-a-kind traditional martial arts, Parkour, and arts therapy program will aid in the rehabilitation of these children and youth that have been directly impacted by war, poverty and the AIDS crisis in the region. The martial arts program is open to women of all ages as it aids in the empowerment of women and provides good defence for gender-based violence. Gender-based violence is the number one killer of women globally and has been recognized by the United Nations as a health crisis for women.
Project Objectives:
- To help alleviate and cure symptoms of PTSD in persons living in Atiak Sub-County region through physical and arts based therapies.
- To help women and girls who are victims of gender-based violence and to teach both males and females in the community the importance of ending gender-based violence.
- Provide education and awareness of both mental and physical health and wellness: to help the community to see the direct link between mental and physical health.
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