Various Traditional Weapon

BALISONG

The Bali song is presented as a Filipino knife in literature on the subject. Bali song belongs to the practise of Filipino Martial Arts. The word and the culture of Bali song have origins in Batangas, Philippine islands. Many legends exist about the fabulous use of Bali song by Filipino warriors. One of them would have killed 29 opponents with his Bali song, this legend is sometimes told to justify the Bali song nickname "veintinueve" (twenty nine). But it is not sure that the concept of the Bali song (a blade and two mobile half-handles) comes from the Philippines.

The oldest "Bali song concept" knife found is the Pied-Du-Roy, which has been dated before 1791. This knife is French, and can be seen in the Musée de la Coutellerie, in Thiers (centre of France, Laguiole, the most famous French "city of knives").

Knife Collectors have managed to find "Bali song concept" knives from European countries estimated to be made during the 14th century.
The Bali song itself is a specialised weapon requiring careful practise in order to master its use. Techniques based on the Bali song are taught at the society, and a complete history can be found in the member’s section.

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BANG

As the short staff is easy to make and use, and is practical, it has become a very popular weapon. The short staff emphasis is on a sweeping action due to its shorter length. Some movements used for other weapons (such as spear and sabre) can also be used in staff forms. There are many methods of using the short staff like chopping, swinging, jabbing, hanging, jumping, leaping, smashing, pointing, blocking, sheltering, holding, piercing, floating, carrying, poking, and lifting. The different Chinese Traditional Kung Fu schools have different emphasis on different moves. The Japanese staff is commonly called roku shaku Bo, simply because its usual length is 6 feet. However, the staffs used by warriors at Shuri Castle were 5 feet 8 inches. These staffs were shortened to fit inside the house to avoid any disadvantage in case of a fight indoors. Besides the 6 feet staff, there are 3 feet, 4 feet staff as well as long ones ranging from 8 feet to 9 feet to 13 feet staffs used like a lance against cavalry. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member's section.

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BATAK KAPAK

When a fighter unsheathed a battlefield Batak Kapak in ancient times, the cutting edge was almost always smeared with some type of deadly poison, which acted almost instantly upon entry into the bloodstream via laceration of the flesh. Even the smallest cut was enough to usher the poison into the bloodstream. Knowledge and use of poisons derived from various species of poisonous frogs, snakes, scorpions and spiders were considered an essential element of a warrior's arsenal of close-quarter combative skills. These poisons rapidly accelerated death and were mostly feared for their nearly instantaneous killing power. This is another reason why Penjcak Silat techniques and systems such as Sabetan and Rhikasan focus on the immobilization of the hands at close quarters, this traditional weapon looks like a small hand axe but all its metal edges were razor sharp.

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BATAK RAUT

The kings of the ancient Sudanese kingdom were considered very powerful. When a king died, his subjects believed that his spirit filtered into the jungles and became part of the spirit of a tiger. There are two terms for the tiger that rules the jungles of West Java. One is Harimau, which is the generic Bahasay Indonesian word for tiger, and the other is Pak Macan (pronounced "Pah-mah-chahn - sometimes anglicized and spelled Pamacan), which loosely translates to "great tiger." Thus, the great tiger is very much revered by the Sudanese. So awed were the ancient Sunda peoples by the power and ferocity of the Pamacan, that the common blade of the people was patterned after the shape of the claw of Pamacan. This very large blade was known as Batak Raut, or "claw of Pamacan." Literally translated as "tiger claw," the Batak Raut was revered symbolically as well as practically employed as a large cutting weapon.

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CHANG BANG

The long-staff is called the "father of all weapons" meaning all other weapons were developed from it. The long staff is described as "for carrying loads or for martial arts". The staffs were one of the necessities of life for townsmen and fishermen. This art was studied and practiced for self-defense, and excellent techniques have been handed down. It is presumed that Sapposhi (high-ranking Chinese missions) from Fuzhou province brought staff techniques to other parts of Asia. Also, Okinawans went to Southern China or Shanghai and learned long-staff. These Okinawans studied and developed staff techniques after they came home. The staff techniques described in the Chinese war tactics book called "Bubishi" and "Kikoshinsho" are very similar to ones we are practiced today. Both books say that staffs is the essence and foundation of all martial arts weapons. After researching various documents in the Shaolin temple, it seems the staff was combined with Chinese martial theory and evolved to fit the physical features of the Chinese people and the political situation of the islands. In ancient times, the Kuba (Chinese Palm tree) was used as material for staffs. The grain of this hard tree is wavy-like, the same as oak (but white instead of red). Kuba was an ideal material for staffs. It is not easily broken or bent in actual fighting and, in case it is broken, it's still an effective weapon as the broken point is quite sharp. However, in recent years, red oak has been used as a staff material. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member's section.

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Dan Gong

The Chinese bow itself is quite light, backed with sinew but without horn. They were decorated with snakeskin and often had tips carved in the shape of a monkey's head. The most extraordinary part of the bow, however, is the string. It is made up partly from silk bowstring and partly from rigid bamboo straps. A small cup of carved bamboo covered with sharkskin holds the baked clay pellet. The bow is drawn with the bow-hand grasping the grip below centre, imparting and outward torque to prevent the pellet from hitting the grip when the string is released. The draw-hand thumb and forefinger grip around the cup, holding the pellet in against it. This is easy because the draw-weight does not exceed 25lbs. The pellet or arrow cup is drawn back to the archer's eye, and the shot is made aiming at the target past the top of the grip (which is aligned level with the pellet-cup.) This sort of bow was popular for shooting at small birds. The shot is supposed to be non-lethal: the idea was to catch birds live: not to kill them.

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GOLOK

A Heavy, cleaver-like knife with a curved blade ranging in length from 10" to 20". It is used in some systems of Indonesian silat. The blade is slightly weighted toward the tip, moving the accurate spot for heavy cutting to a section of blade well forward - but not so much forward that the blade becomes difficult to control. You can handily make heavy cuts, using a section about half way down the blade. You can sweep through smaller or softer targets by using portions of the blade closer to the tip. If you imagine your arm and blade making an arc as you swing it, then clearly the part of the blade toward the tip covers more distance and so is going much faster. Blades such as the parang are optimized for this, and so will readily out-chop the golok. The thing to remember is that having a wide heavy section of blade far from your grip makes them far more difficult to control if the blade meets a knot in the wood and deflects slightly. If the golok blade were more pointy, then with less weight at the tip to counterbalance, the sweet spot for heavy cutting would move much closer to the grip. Without going into great detail, the blade on the golok is about as optimal in shape as it can get for general use in cutting for survival or to replace the inferior Machete.

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GONG JIAN

Because the Mongols lived in an environment where survival skills were always of the utmost importance, it was a matter of course that they should develop excellent tools, both civilian and military. One piece of equipment that was of great significance in war as well as in the daily life of the Mongols was their composite bow. Perhaps this bow is not quite as well known in the West as the English longbow, which was the best bow ever to emerge in Europe. Yet the Old Mongolian bow was incomparably superior to everything seen in the West. Not until the advent of breach-loading firearms in the 1800's was the Mongolian bow decisively surpassed as a long-range shooting tool. Still the original Mongolian bow remains a formidable tool for targeting, war or hunting, and the people around the Bajkal Sea regularly used these bows for hunting at least up to the twentieth century. When we are talking about Mongolian bows, the first thoughts go the their military use, although hunting and target practice certainly were more prominent activities. Every day was not filled with war, but hunting and the training of skills were part of the daily routine. In the military, each soldier carried two bows on horseback. One bow was for long-range shooting, another for shooting at close distances. Also, each soldier had two quivers with arrows for different purposes. To mention but a few of these, there were armour-piercing arrows with a particularly heavy arrowhead of tempered steel, there were incendiary arrows for setting buildings afire and spreading fear in the enemy ranks, as well as whistling arrows for signalling. Of course, the most arrows they carried were ordinary arrows where the arrowhead and length of the shaft were adjusted to the normal range at which the particular type arrow was to be used. The standard was that each soldier should have at least sixty arrows with him or her. Yes; it merits mention once more that the strongest and most courageous Mongolian females rode along with the men and fought bravely. Also, the women who did not ordinarily participate in military activity nevertheless had to learn how to wield the bow, a necessary skill for self-defence as well as hunting. The Mongolian bow was the best bow in the world, and probably still is. Even though the modern high-tech compound bows are in some ways more convenient to use and can be made equally powerful, the sheer simplicity of the Mongol composite bow with its complete independence of foreign equipment and complicated parts that the archer cannot easily repair or replace makes the Mongol bow on balance a superior solution. More about the Mongol empire can be found in the biography section as well as the Equestrian taichi area.

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GUAI

Guai are the ancestor of the billy club used by modern police forces, and are meant to be used in pairs .Guai go by more names and/or spellings than any other martial weapon, as they are also known as tonfa, tunfa, toifua, tonkua, tunkua, taofua, tonfua, and tuiha. Tunfa or tonfa in Japanese (and American) version,Guai, tonkua or tunkua are Chinese terms, and tuifa (and probably similar spellings) is an Okinawan name. This weapon develops grip strength and the muscles of the forearms, and teaches dexterity and awareness of arm and hand positioning. This weapon originated from an ordinary household utensil, a handle for a mortar (or a hand mill), it has a tapered hardwood billet between 15 inches and 20 inches in length, with a short projecting side handle set about 6" from the thicker end. Its main purpose is defense. Attacking with Guai can also be powerful with the proper use of the wrist. This weapon is taught in its traditional form at the society and a complete history can be found in the member's section.

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Javanese Keris

In the old days, tribes would collect the skulls of the enemies they had beheaded to prove their prowess. For the same purpose, agrarian communities would collect the horns of buffaloes they had slaughtered and the Javanese would only feel contented if, apart from owning a big house and a horse, they could own a keris (Javanese dagger). The legend of Mpu Gandring, the master blacksmith murdered with the kris he forged himself by King Ken Arok, who had ordered the dagger from him, dates back about five centuries. Though he was not the first kris-maker, this story has persisted for centuries. Its mystery is intriguing and has prompted widespread speculation over the years. No records and convincing evidence have yet indicated when krises were first wrought. While the Rukam inscription (829 Caka/907 AD) makes some reference to the word kris, this Javanese weapon is likely to have been recognized even earlier. The contents of Rukam and several other inscriptions mention the symbolic role of krises in ritual offerings to the gods, while the legend of Mpu Gandring's tragic death affirms the function of the kris as a weapon as well as a sanctified heirloom with magical powers. Krises became intimate in the daily life of the Javanese (as governor general Raffles once put it, "Javanese males without krises are like nude men") and assumed a variety of different functions. There are no less than 20 functions, for display, as a piece of auxiliary equipment for court soldiers, an accessory for ceremonial dress, an indicator of ranks/social status, a symbol of heroism, of philosophy, of spiritual communication, talismans etc. Krises once even acted as personal representatives of their owners. Formerly, when a Javanese groom failed to show up beside his bride on their wedding day, he could send his private kris to represent him. So plentiful and important were krises in the past that they also served as one of the symbols of a successful life for males. Javanese men could consider their life complete only after possessing a wisma (house), a turangga (horse), a wanita (woman), a kukila (bird) and a curiga (kris). Besides curiga, a kris is also called kadga, dhuwung, wangkingan or tosan-aji. Many people are interested in krises because they are claimed to possess magical powers. Some krises are said to be capable of warding off disasters (floods, fires, storms, wild animals etc.), or to enhance somebody's authority, good fortune, affection and so forth. Conversely, other krises are believed to cause mishaps, bad luck and other negative things.

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KARAMBIT

Prior to 1280 AD, most of West Java was part of the indigenous Pajajaran kingdom. The Badui tribe of West Java, the aboriginal people of Sunda, considered to be the ethnic group of the Pajajaran, lived relatively peacefully until the coming of the Majapahit empire (circa 1351 AD). At that time the Badui tribe quickly migrated to the rugged mountainous regions of the west, brought their weapons with them and remained self-governed. . The Karambit is also referred to as the Kuku Bima (literally "the claw of Bima"). Pre-12th century influence as a result of Hindus settling in Indonesian archipelago, brought the Mahabharata ("great epic of the Bharata Dynasty") and the Ramayana, (two major epics of India, valued for both high literary merit and religious inspiration), to Java. Contained within the Mahabharata is the Bagavadgita ("the Lord's song"), which is the single most important religious text of Hinduism. Bima is one of the most revered characters from the Mahabrapta . This curved knife allows the forefinger to be inserted in a hole at the head of the hilt.

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KHUKURI

Some of the great and famous knives of the world: Bowie Knife, Stiletto, Scimitar, Roman Sword, Samurai, and Machete etc. All have played great historical roles because of their cutting edge. Khukuri is the most famous of them all. It is partly because of the romance and myths behind them are utterly believable. This because of the decisive slashing edge of the Khukuri, which became well known to those who had to face it in the well-documented battlefields since 1814 when the British in India first experienced its effectiveness when they faced the Ghurkhas in Western Nepal. Thus was born the legends and romance. The history is something else. Khukuri is the national knife of Nepal, originating in ancient times. It is an all-purpose knife of the hill peoples of Nepal, especially the Magars and Gurungs in the west, and the Rais and Limbus in the east. These peoples are called the Ghurkhas who form the former Brigades of Ghurkhas both in the British and Indian Armies, not to mention the Royal Nepal Army itself. It is a medium-length curved knife each Ghurkha soldier carries with him in uniform and in battle. In his grip, it is a formidable razor-shape weapon and a cutting tool. In fact, it is an extension of his arm. When his rifle misfires, or when his bullets have run out, a Ghurkha unsheathes his Khukuri and makes his final run on the enemy in a fury to finish the business. The Khukuri is carried in a wooden (often leather covered) stealth. There are two tiny knives tucked behind it. Karda: A small knife tucked behind the scabbard, its main purpose is to cut small things and also work as a skinning knife. Chakmak: A sharpener tucked behind the scabbard. It can be used as a flint maker also Notch: The notch near the handle on the edge of the blade is a Hindu fertility symbol. It is also the footprint of a cow (cow is a sacred animal in Hindu religion) So the notch forbids slaughtering sacred animals with it. The Ghurkhas also kept promises with it that they will never use this weapon on women and children. Nevertheless, the knife being a lethal weapon, the notch on it is also for the blood to drip and not to soil the holder's hand, so the user can maintain his grip for further demonstration Khukuri also pronounced Kukri A Nepali boy is likely to have his own kukri at the age of five or so and becomes skilful in its use long before his manhood. By the time a Ghurkha joins the army, the kukri has become a chopping extension of his dominant arm. This is important, because it is not the weight but the edge of the weapon that makes it so terrible at close quarters so much as the skilled technique of the stroke. It is important to remember that the kukri is a tool of work, at home in the hills and on active service it will be used for cutting wood, hunting and skinning, opening tins, clearing undergrowth and any other chore. From this fact it is plain to see there can be no truth in the belief that a Ghurkha must draw blood every time before he may return the kukri to its sheath. The oldest known Kukri appears to be one in the arsenal museum in Kathmandu, which belonged to Raja Drabya Shah, King of Gorkha, in 1627. It is interesting to note that it is a broad, heavy blade. However it is certain that the origins of the kukri go further back. There is one tenable story that Alexander's horsemen carried the "Machaira", the cavalry sword of the ancient Macedonians, in the fourth century BC on his invasion of northwest India. Its relationship with the kukri is plain to see. A third century sculpture, of which only a much later Greek copy exists, shows what is probably a Scythian prisoner of war lying down his arms. The weapon looks amazingly like a modern kukri. The actual origins are lost to time, but it is pretty certain that it is of Indian origin and before that a similar blade was carried by the early Egyptians called a kopesh. The Greeks copied that design and called it a kopis and then the Macedonians continued using the unique forward curved blade shape and referred to it as a machiara or later as the Roman falcatta. Later it could have found its way to India with Alexander the Great or via the extensive trade routes from the Arabian peninsula into the sub-continent.

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kris

A Double-edged Malaysian dagger with blades ranging from 5 inches to 30 inches. It is a standard weapon of all classical Indonesian pentjak-silat styles and can be said to be the national weapon of Java. Primarily designed for thrusting, this weapon is known also as creese, cries, cris, crise, crisi, dawang, keris, and querix. All kris possess hantu (spirit), and many are said to be capable of tuju, "sorcery by pointing." These qualities are imparted by the secret and mystical forging process of the pande (expert), as the smith is called, but can only be activated by the owner. Purportedly lethal even when stabbed into the victim's shadow or footprints, legends tell of the kris rattling in the owner's sheath to warn him of approaching danger or leaping from its sheath to fight for its owner. Size, shape, and workmanship of the weapon vary. The kris is unique among weapons in two ways: its blade widen suddenly, just below the base, which is set almost perpendicular to it; and, in all but the earliest, one-piece (blade-handle) models, the blade is not set firmly to the handle. All early kris were straight bladed; undulating blades are said to be adopted from Indian weapons. The deadliness of a kris in combat increases with the number of waves it possesses. A wavy blade causes a larger wound and penetrates more readily between bones.

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LIU-DAN-BANGUN

The dragon pole or six and a half pole was originally used by boat-men in the paddy fields and rivers of china to steer and direct a boat. It was adapted into the wing chun system, according to legend, after her marriage Wing-Chun taught martial arts to her husband Leung Bok-Lao. He in turn passed these techniques on to Leung Lan-Kwai. Leung Lan-Kwai then passed them on to Wong Wah-Bo. Wong Wah-Bo was a member of an opera troupe on board a Red Junk. Wong worked on the Red Junk with Leung Yee-Tai. It so happened that Jee Shim, who fled from Shaolin, had disguised himself as a cook and was then working on the Red Junk. Jee Shim taught the Six-and-a-Half-Point Pole techniques to Leung Yee-Tai. Wong Wah-Bo was close to Leung Yee Tei and they shared what they knew about martial arts. Together they shared and improved their techniques, and thus the Six-and-a-Half-Point Pole was incorporated into the Wing Chun style. The weapon varies in length but is usually around 7ft long. Projection of sensitivity and valuable conditioning training can be gained from its use. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member's section

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lun

The origin of Kung-fu Wheel blades is shrouded in the mysteries of Chinas past. While the weapon has an illustrious history in oral legend, it is not specifically mentioned in the ancient literature of kung fu. Weapons in the class of Wheel blades are, however, encountered in literature from the latter part of the Ching dynasty (1644-1892) authored first by Yang Lu Chang (1799-1872) and then by Yang Ban-Hou (1837-1892). Even there, however, the literature is as sparse as we would expect given that the skill required could not have been common. From a metallurgical point of view, the Wind-Fire Wheels share much of the same history as the Jian which is a decidedly more common weapon dating back hundreds of years. This common history may be traced to the fact that production of swords and other cutting weapons from steel alloys reached high levels of craftsmanship during the Ching Dynasty. While several localities achieved renown in such weapons, three are held in especially high regard. Two of these esteemed areas, Lung Chuan and Wu Kan, are in eastern China in the Zurgian Province. As students of Tai Chi might guess, the third location was at the Shaolin Temple-Chin Ying in Henan Province. The significance of Wheel blades extends further to its compatibility with traditional barehanded kung-fu. Forms for working with some measured weapons such as the staff encourage adaptations to capture the weapon's physical length and flexibility. Movements and forms with Wheel blades, on the other hand, are easily anchored on the same principles of barehanded martial arts. Save for minor adaptations to protect the practitioner from self injury.

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RANTE

This chain weapon is used in the tridharma style of pentjak-silat. Affixed to one end is a saw-toothed gear like metal weight. The rante is whirled at different lengths while held in one hand. By changing hands, the swing may be lengthened to its full extension, approximately one yard. This weapon is said to be inherited from the Chinese by practitioners of delima, another form of pentjak-silat.

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SABIT

A good Javanese sabre sword or pedang sabit (sabit i.e. crescent or sickle) with. A Thick and very sturdy blade has an arcing profile (sabit). Pamor patterns are arranged in the mlumah technique, and are of the wos utah, or scattered rice variations. It is said to provide frequent small opportunities for the owner, or indirectly, enhancement of his material well being. It is also the same term for side kick in some Indonesian styles.

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XIAO

As an inextricable part of Chinese culture, Chinese flute has a long history covering over 7000 years. Experts have identified that the bone flute discovered in Hemmed, Hennang Province, and dates back to more than 7000 years ago. The finding disproved the introduction of flute by Zhang Ian, a famous messenger, in Western Han Dynasty (206BC-25AD). Flutes in Jin Dynasty (265-420AD) and Han Dynasty (206BC-220AD) appeared in various sizes and pitches. From Su Dynasty(581-618AD), flutes which can play halftone came into existence. In Tang Dynasty(618-907AD), Liu Xi invented "Seven Star flute", which was the first flute in the world with film on one hole. This was a great evolvement in the history of the development of flute. When it came to Song Dynasty(960-1279AD),another kind of flute appeared with its mouthpiece in the middle and player crossed his hands when playing the flute. Flutes in Yuan Dynasty(1271-1368AD) were exactly the same as todays . A popular weapon in Chinese kung-fu. The practitioner of this art could, it is said, transmit the power of chi through the music of his/her flute and drive an opponent mad. The flute is also the Emblem of Han-Hosing- Tsu of the eight immortals. In martial practise the flute is used much like a short stick to strike, parry, pierce and bludgeon. Some flutes even had blades hidden in them. This weapon is taught at the society and a complete history can be found in the member's section