Stick fighting

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Stick fighting is a generic term for martial arts which utilize simple long slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden 'sticks' for fighting such as a staff, cane, walking stick, baton or similar. Some of its techniques can be also be used with a sturdy umbrella or a sword in its scabbard, but thicker and/or heavier weapons such as clubs or the mace are outside the scope of 'stick fighting' (since they cannot be wielded with such precision, so sheer force of impact is more important) as are more formed weapons such as the taiaha.

Many systems are defensive combat techniques, intended for use if attacked whilst lightly armed, but others such kendo were developed as safe training methods or re-creation for dangerous weapons - but whatever their history, many lend themselves to being treated as sports.

In addition to martial arts specifically devoted to stick fighting, certain other disciplines include it, either in its own right, as in kung fu (various variations are part of the traditional Chinese weapons, or merely as part of a polyvalent training including other weapons and/or bare hand fighting, e.g. using the Kettukari (staff), Cheruvadi or Muchan (a shorter, also straight stick) and otta (curved stick) in Kerala's Kalarippayattu tradition, where these wooden weapons serve as preliminary training before practice of the more dangerous metal weapons.

[edit] Stick fighting systems and styles

Stick fights between individuals or large gatherings between sub-tribes where men fight duels are an important part of the anthropological heritage of various cultures, especially tribes such as the Nilotic Ethiopian Surma people (where 'donga' is a general obsession and the best means of showing off to look for a bride, often naked or nearly) and their more warlike neighbors the Nyangotam (who fight duels bare-chested, the aim being to inflict visible stripes on the back of the adversary, using not plain staffs but sticks with a flexible, whipping tail-end).

Traditional European systems of stick fighting included a wide variety of methods of quarterstaff combat, which were detailed in numerous manuscripts written by masters-at-arms. Many of these methods became extinct but others adapted and survived as folk-sports and self defence systems. Examples include Portugal's Jogo do Pau, France's bâton français and Italy's scherma di bastone. Giuseppe Cerri's 1854 manual Trattato teorico e pratico della scherma di bastone is influenced by masters of the Italian school of swordsmanship, Achille Marozzo and perhaps Francesco Alfieri.

The French system of la canne is still practised as a competitive sport. A self-defense adaptation of la canne developed by Swiss master-at-arms Pierre Vigny in the early 1900s has been revived as part of the curriculum of Bartitsu.

British stick fighting, known as single stick or cudgels, was a popular pastime in the UK from the 18th to the early 20th century, when it was included in the Olympic Games. Although interest in the art declined, a few fencing coaches continued to train with the stick and competitions in this style of stick fighting was re-introduced into the Royal Navy in the 1980s by commander Locker Madden. The art continues to gain a small following amongst the martial art community in the UK, Australia, Canada and the US.

Some of the most advanced stick fighting systems of come from the Philippines. Filipino martial arts are known worldwide for their combat stick fighting systems. Practitioners of these arts are noted for their ability to fight with impact weapons, empty hands and edged weapons interchangeably. Filipino martial arts include tactics for a wide variety of combative situations. The weapons vary in design, size, weight, materials and methodology. Baston or olisi, eskrima sticks, are traditionally crafted from rattan or kamagong.