BY JOY FANG

EVERY Sunday, private tutor and freelance writer Kenneth Quek puts on a mediaeval- style tunic and chain mail, and plays with a sword.

No, the 34-year-old is not lost in his own fantasy world - he is actually learning a new martial art, one that is growing popular with Singaporeans who are looking for a unique hobby.

Mr Quek is a junior instructor at the Pan-Historical European Martial Arts Society (Phemas), which was registered here as a society in July 2005.

It practises an art that originated from northern Italy in 1409.

Its 30 to 40 registered members train in the Eurasian Community House in Ceylon Road.Most of them share a childhood fascination with sword fighting.

"In any culture with a martial tradition, the sword is always a symbol of power and higher purpose. It's a noble weapon," says Mr Quek.

Civil servant Greg Galistan, 42, is the co-founder of Phemas. He had set up the society with Australian TV producer Christopher Blakely, 36, as they wanted their style of sword fighting to be formally recognised as a martial art.

Mr Galistan grew up reading Arthurian legends and, since then, he has never lost his interest in swords, even after he took up taekwon-do and boxing.

None of those martial arts allows him to dress up and look cool, he says.

He adds that the martial art has something for everyone, be it for keeping fit or learning about history.

Student Joshua Yong, 22, agrees. "I have been inspired by stories of knights since I was a young boy, and this sport is the first of its kind here," he says. He is now a student in the advanced class.

Ms Lin Zhi An, 26, a secondary school teacher, is one of only two women in the society. She says it was tough initially "hanging out with the boys".

But now they are very close friends, and are very much like a "brotherhood".

"There's camaraderie. Swords are not just for the guys," she says with a laugh.

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