The martial art you have never heard of!
Hello fellow Steemians!
I thought I'd write a blog post about a type of martial art you have probably never heard of! It originates from Portugal and I believe it is the only traditional martial art of Portugal.
It is called "O Jogo do Pau" which literally translates as "The Game of Stick", it's also less commonly known as "Esgrima Lusitana" (Lusitania fencing). This martial art was traditionally learnt by shepherds to help them fend off any bad company they may have faced throughout their work day (bandits and people looking to steel their flock). It eventually became common practice among the lower classes of society and to master it was seen as a coming of age ritual among young boys.
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The principal weapon of choice for the practitioners of the art was the "Cajado" (a 1.5m - 2m long wooden stick), it was cheap to make and was seen as part of the attire of the lower classes. When used proficiently the "Cajado" became a formidable weapon. Other branches of the martial art used a vast array of alternative weapons, varying from walking sticks to musical instruments!
Skirmishes usually broke out after Sunday mass between groups of boys from rival villages. These "skirmishes" were traditionally known to break out for the most futile of reasons (wolf whistling at girls from other villages or jealousy related to courting). The art was also used to settle disputes, rivalries and matters of honor. These disputes could be between individuals or even entire villages! Although it may sound as if it was total chaos back then, there was a strict ethical code that everyone adhered to. The "code" decreed that no man would be struck if he did not carry a "cajado" among other rules.
Eventually "O Jogo do Pau" evolved into a sport practiced by highly skilled masters who would do "battle" during markets and fairs to the amusement of the crowds. Some "masters" of the art were so proficient with the "Cajado" that they could take on many opponents at once and became stuff of folk lore and legend!
The art is still practiced today and is considered a full contact sport. The style of fighting is reminiscent of the Japanese martial art of Kendo (the modern regalia used is very similar) or the Ethiopian stick fighting.
And that is all I have for you for now 😄. I hope you enjoyed it and found it an interesting read! See you all next time!
I hope you all have a wonderful day and a prosperous life!
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Befoysummer set in I was going to Krav Maga lessons. I really enjoyed them. I'll be going back for more lessons after the summer's over!
I have never really done any martial art... I have had two karate lessons though, watch out! 😆
Bruce Lee, watch out!!!! 😂
@originalworks @minnowpond @minnowsupport
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One hit in the head and you are done!!! Awesome post @domcrypto didn't know about this.
Thanks! And thanks for reading! 😃
Im always reading posts and commenting, if you didn't know you make money by commenting and replying. Your post in particular is very interesting because not too many people know about O Jogo do Pau.
Thanks for the info! I'll keep that in mind! 😃
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STOPI did enjoy and found it an interesting read :)
Was pretty cool seeing the old guys go at it! Scary stuff and I suspect is the cause of many, many, many bloody knuckles.
Good! I'm glad it was appreciated! 😃
It does look a bit dodgy for the hands... I wonder how many fingers ended up broken in practice.
So many broken fingers! I bet there is a song in that somewhere.
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Heh that was a nice show to watch. Too bad is not that famous now; but not to mention that the martial arts overall are fading away unfortunately. Posting about such things, is a great way to bring them back, and make us more aware about the good value of the past. Thanks