Two attacks

From: Paul May <kax_at_...>
Date: Mon, 05 Jul 2004 21:20:49 +1000


At 05:21 PM 5/07/04, you wrote:
>I checked with my local Martial arts sensei - Other than very light
>Chinese swords, he couldn't think of another style with two swords (there
>is a new filipino matial art that uses 30-inch sticks, but it's been
>invented within the last 20 years or so, from what I can gather).

  Kali/Escrima (both names are used), and it's a lot older than that - about a century and a half, from memory. It also has a sword form, with two shortswords, that usually uses the Kali name; the Escrima name is usually used for the stick form.
  It was *publicised* about 20 years ago in a movie; I think it was one of the Rambo ones. But it came out of the disenfranchised and de-weaponed Philippinos during Dutch (IIRC) rule in the 19th century or earlier - the same way several arts came out of occupied Okinawa, especially the stereotypical ninja weapons.

  Also, there is a variant Chinese scholar's sword (the 'Tai Chi' sword) style that was formalised to the extent that you can get twin swords in one scabbard, both new and historical.

  The general thing, though, is that either the swords are short or shortish, or they are thrusting swords (even if you can cut with them). Wouldn't want to get in the way of a Taraltaran - twin scimitars, and good at it...

Paul May
0409544095

Any opinion expressed is mine, no matter where I got it from, and I retain all rights to it, should it prove to be of any value.


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