Yoruba Martial Arts

My good friend Asis - Blacksmith and Martial Artist

I took a serious interest in the culture of the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria in the late 80's. Throughout the 1990's I was fortunate to be able to study under some very knowledgeable Elders such as Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu, Chief Adebolu Fatunmise, and Dr. Afolabi Epega. I made my first “pilgrimage” to Yorubaland in 2001, and have returned every year since with a new group of select, intrepid students for continuing education.

The Yoruba have an indigenous martial arts tradition that is largely unknown outside of West Africa. Interestingly enough, their arts appear quite different that the Muslim-influenced martial traditions typically found in the North. A close parallel to the Filipino Martial Arts is that the Yoruba styles are essentially the same theme with variations from village to village. I have observed these fighting styles in Ode Remo, Sagamu, Ile Ife, Ibadan, Abeokuta, as well as in ethnically Yoruba enclaves found “next door” in the Republic of Benin.*

The Yoruba word for warrior is Akin (literally “A Brave Person”). Akin can refer to a prolific military leader or even a distinguished hunter (Ode). In traditional culture, hunters exist on the very fringes of society, and have an extensive awo (secret knowledge) pertaining to fighting and combat, yet are not what we would think of as “martial artists” in our common usage of the word. Some of the terms used to describe martial arts practitioners as we would think of them are: Oniijakadi, Alonilowogba, and Eleeke.

The umbrella term for the martial art of the Yoruba is “Gidigbo”. If this word has an exact translation, I am unaware of it. Gidigbo encompasses various sub-disciplines such as wrestling (catch-as-catch-can), punching, and kicking - similar to the neighboring Hausa martial arts of Dembe, Ishakafa, and Kukawa - as well as fighting with machetes. Gidigbo matches are sometimes organized around important social functions, although regional tournaments just for the sake of sport are also common throughout the year. The bout typically begins with both opponents facing off, hands crossed (Enter the Dragon style) and quickly closes to all-out grappling - with elbows and head-butts added for good measure. When one of the wrestlers is thrown or otherwise knocked to the ground the match is concluded. Its all in good fun, but take it from me they do it with great gusto and it is very easy to be injured. Broken fingers, dislocated elbows/shoulders and torn knees are quite common.

The savvy Oniijakadi does not rely on mere physical strength alone, but brings all manner of strange charms (juju), incantations (awure) and paraphernalia obtained from a trusted Onisegun (medicine man) to the fight in order to gain an edge over the competition. This is very similar the concept of orasion (prayers) and anting-anting (amulets) in Filipino martial culture.

Whenever I go back to Nigeria and Benin, I have a number of teachers and sparring partners that I hook up with to learn new techniques or to rekindle old rivalries (strictly in a friendly way!) Of course, I spring for the refreshments afterwards, and I also reciprocate by teaching them some Kali in return (there is no problem finding sticks). On our most recent trip to Ijebuland, I had the teenagers collect old pillowcases, rags, and sandals and with some duct tape that I had brought we had a perfectly functional outdoor boxing gym - complete with heavy bag and focus mitts - and were soon working on punching drills. Being that I neglected to introduce the concept of a mouthguard, I hope those kids still have their teeth by the time I go back next year.

* I am in the process of editing footage of West African Martial Arts including matches, festivals, interviews with fighters and teachers, and other cool surprises that I have filmed during my travels. Stay tuned.

Al Fatihah

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of, Allahyarhamah Che Puan binti Matdin, the wife of Allahyarham (late) Pak Guru Zainol Abidin Endut and mother of Pak Guru Sani Zainol Abidin of Silat Kuntau Tekpi on March 30, 2008.

She was the pillar that supported two generations of masters and she will continue to be so in our hearts. The Tekpi family will miss her greatly.

The students and members of Silat Kuntau Tekpi Michigan send our most sincere
condolences to our family in Malaysia.

Viva Kali De Leon!

We have just returned from yet another awesome seminar! I rarely write seminar reviews for two reasons. First, there are my own time constraints. Second, if you were present at the seminar, you know how it was…if you were not present, you probably don’t need to know. Besides, we have a private forum to discuss things amongst our students. I am going to make an exception in this case however.

On Friday, March 28th, the Detroit Maphilindo Pitbulls crossed the border into Canada where we joined Kuya Doug Marcaida of Rochester Kali and his students in Toronto for an action packed weekend of training with none other than the great and incomparable Guro Jun De Leon.

The fact that we drove for 6 hours in harsh conditions, and arrived after midnight did not dampen anyone’s spirit. As soon as everyone was checked in, sticks, training blades and all manner of exotic weapons were produced on the 6th floor of the Wyndham Hotel as the groups from Rochester, New York and Detroit, Michigan prepared for the challenge ahead. Sometime around 4am we finally decided to eat dinner and rest up for work in the morning.

Bright and early on Saturday, we joined Guro Jun and his capable assistant instructors. The seminar was a tight ship from beginning to end. From the moment we threw the first angle, each segment of the program was tightly regulated. Fluid single stick combinations segued into double stick patterns, culminating in the strategic free-flow drills that are the mainstay of Kali De Leon. At the end of the day, each participant was called up one-by-one to demonstrate their “integration” of the skills learned throughout the seminar. That was the final exam, as it were.

Following the brief rest periods, Guro Jun and his seniors demonstrated the way the drills should look. What has always impressed me about Kali De Leon is that even the intermediate students seem to be on a very high level. Talk is cheap, but seeing is believing. The key is in their training. By the end of the seminar we were exhilarated as well as exhausted.

Sunday morning, Kuya Doug (as tired as any of us) was gracious enough to conduct a Dumog clinic for my students. His lesson expounded upon some of the techniques that Tuhon Gaje covered with us in August. Believe me when I say that not one of us wanted to leave. Finally, after bidding farewell to our brothers from Rochester, we set out on the road back to Michigan.

When we arrived home, we trained again.

Pekiti-Tirsia and Kali De Leon
You may already know that Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. and Guro Jun De Leon are close compadres. My students and I have always thought of them as two sides of the Kali coin. Tuhon Gaje has the commanding presence of a Field Marshall – Guro Jun is somewhat reserved and soft-spoken. Tuhon Gaje has an incredible flair for promotion, and has gone to great lengths to make his Art available to a large number people all over the world – Guro Jun has gone to equal lengths to keep his hand-picked student base decidedly small.

Even in terms of theory and technique, PTK and KDL seem worlds apart. Pekiti-Tirsia specializes in the subtle body mechanics of extreme close quarter combat – Kali De Leon focuses on devastating power at long range. The signature weapon of Pekiti-Tirsia is the knife – the trademark of Kali De Leon is the double sticks.

There are however, definite similarities. Both Tuhon Gaje and Guro Jun have refined their respective crafts to an elevated (almost dizzying) level. Both Masters cherish Kali and their proud cultural heritage with a burning passion. Both have a wicked sense of humor (often at our expense!) And finally, the end result of dedicated training in both disciplines is the same: a competent, deadly practitioner who possesses a highly refined sense of timing, rhythm, and body mechanics.

Our “Little Secret”
We were first introduced to Guro Jun De Leon about 5 years ago in upstate New York. At that time, he took us through some of the rudimentary elements of his system. Looking back, it was the martial equivalent of rocket science as far as we were concerned. It did however give me a keen insight into the way my own mentor Kuya Doug Marcaida had developed as a Kali practitioner. Kuya Doug’s expression of Pekiti-Tirsia is highly influenced by his training under Guro Jun.

Over the next 5 years we would meet up with him in various locations: Baltimore, Maryland; Buffalo, New York; even while training in the Philippines. Each time, he revealed another small piece of his Art, carefully checking our progress since the last training.

Anyway, at the Brotherhood of the Blade 2006 Gathering in Michigan, Kuya Doug took us through an extensive, tour-de-force teaching block of Kali De Leon drills and theory that left all of us physically and mentally exhausted. At the same time, we took it as the Gauntlet of Challenge. After that seminar, my advanced students and I made an oath to train that material…and train it…and train it…and train it…

In fact, for most of the summer of 2007 a good portion of our closed door advanced classes were devoted to the Kali De Leon drills - for our own development – but also in preparation for our next meeting with Guro Jun.

Part of the Family
Guro Jun is a compassionate and meticulous teacher. He is also brutally honest and you can count on him to give you an honest evaluation if you dare ask. As it happened, we got what I consider to be a stellar compliment following our performance. Guro said directly to me “I have seen some progress with your guys.” That coming from him, I felt like I had climbed Mt. Everest.

So, after careful deliberation by our students, and with the gracious acceptance of Guro Jun we have made the commitment to formally study and support Kali De Leon – not only as a perfect compliment to our Pekiti-Tirsia training – but on it’s own merits as one of the finest systems of Filipino Martial Arts we have seen.

Our thanks first and foremost to our teacher Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr. for his blessing, encouragement and support of our Brotherhood;

Thanks also to my mentor Kuya Doug Marcaida for vouching for my students and giving us a foot-in the-door in so many ways;

Thanks to my senior students, who remain relentlessly committed to our mission and goals

And of course, thanks to Guro Jun De Leon, Guro Rommel, Guro Burton, Rafael and Tucker for the opportunity to be a part of your family.

For the Community!

Hi Jeff,

Arnis or Eskrima is an indigenous martial arts of our Filipino people. Learning Arnis is touching back to our roots. My million thank yous for your workshop given to the Filipino Youth Initiative group last Sunday. The teachers and students enjoyed the time with you. From what I heard, they commend your work and dedication. I, especially appreciated the brief history of Arnis that you gave. I did not know any history before the workshop. I learned a lot from it. Your generosity of time, talents and expertise are very much appreciated.

Grateful,

Fe Rowland
Philippine American Community Center
Southfield, Michigan

The Badik

Some badik(s) from my collection:

From the top:

- "Raja Beradu" (The Sleeping King), a gift from Mas Martin Lubis of Pojok Keris Singobarong in Solo, Java.

- "Kiai Bugis" (The Honorable Bugis), a gift from Mas Reno Notohardjo.

- "Mayimbe Venenoso" (The Poisonous Vulture) forged by Manong Panday Stephen Renico.

- "Etutu" (Atonement) forged by Manong Panday Stephen Renico.

The Badik is a traditional dagger which originates from the coastal tribes of southern Sulawesi such as the Bugis and the Makasarese. Because of their trade relationship with other tribes, it has reached the coasts of Sumatra, the Malay Peninsula and to some extent Borneo, Java and Bali.

The blade can be in iron, steel or pamor. It is also believed the Badik has mysterious power such as for the Keris.

The Bugis Badik has a 90° pistol grip with round edges, whereas the Makasarese badik has a 45° conic pistol grip. The Sumatra and Peninsula Badik is very similar to the Bugis.

The Badik is also part of the traditional clothing and is wear by the bride for the wedding ceremony in Sulawesi or Sumatra. It is worn in front of the stomach into the pleats of the sarong.

One of the traditional way of fighting with the Badik is to have the two opponents enclosed in sarong with a Badik in a hand while the other hand holds the sarong with no possibility to escape.

First Silat Kuntau Tekpi Podcast

Cikgu Omar Hakim

We are pleased to have completed the first (of what we certainly hope will be many) Tekpi.org podcasts. In this first episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing the great Pekiti-Tirsia/Silat Melayu practitioner and teacher Omar B. Hakim as he describes his early development in the Southeast Asian martial arts under Tuhon Gaje, and his later experiences in Indonesia and Malaysia. You will hear some fascinating insight into the theory and practice of the Malay fighting arts from Cikgu Omar's unique perspective.

Omar is very highly regarded in Pekiti-Tirsia circles - and deservedly so. I am happy that you guys will be able to benefit from his knowledge via this podcast.

Go to WWW.TEKPI.ORG and follow the NEWS link to the podcast section.

Enjoy!

Official Announcement of Next Secret Gathering

Since I know damn well that more of you guys read this blog than come to class, I decided to tell you here. This week we will be firming up plans for our next annual Brotherhood of the Blade Gathering. It will be in the month of March - the date will be set in stone (unless Kuya Doug changes it).

I am not disclosing the location, but there is a roadtrip involved and in addition to your weapons you will need a pair of chopsticks. Call, email, or bring your lazy ass to class next week for details.

Oh...it's not open to the public so please don't tell anyone about it.

GRAND TUHON LEO GAJE JR

became famous in the 70s and early 80s for his work with law enforcement. While they may not recognize Tuhon Gaje's name right away, almost any law enforcement officer in the country will know him from the 1988 police training film "Surviving Edged Weapons". While this film has dated clothing and hairstyles, the information and footage never goes out of style and it's still shown in police departments all over.

Have a look at Tuhon Gaje, 20 years earlier, showing why, at close range, one can bring a knife to a gunfight.

Brothers true and through

"Here's is Nadzrin counterpart who practices Malaysian silat and FMA"

"Jeff and Nadzrin have the gift of eloquently putting things into words."

http://www.fmaforum.org/index.php?showtopic=2831&hl=

At last brother, we have been joined at the hip.

A Happy New Year to you, Ka Jeff, my big brother many seas away, your beloved family, your students in Silat and Kali.

I wish you all peace, happiness and prosperity in all that you do. May Allah forgive all our trangsressions, those wilful and unwilful. My love to all.

Though I don't deserve it, I am honoured to be your counterpart,

Salam persilatan,
Mohd Nadzrin Wahab

The Right Address?

Ode Remo - Lafose Day

A beggar knocked on Mullah Nasrudin’s door. Nasrudin opened the door a crack and peered out.

“God has directed me to this house for a good meal,” said the beggar.

“I am sorry, but you have the wrong house,” replied Nasrudin, pointing to the nearby mosque. “God lives over there.”

Be There or Be Square

All state chapters of Pertubuhan Seni Silat Kuntau Tekpi Malaysia (PSSKTM) has unanimously agreed the Majlis Perhimpunan Hari Haul PSSKTM 2007 celebrations shall be hosted on the 23rd of December 2007 from 10am onwards at the Dewan Serbaguna IPP, Bt.2, Taman Pantai Emas, Port Dickson, Negri Sembilan.

All readers are cordially invited to participate in the festivities.
You are also invited to attend the previous night's (22nd December) event at the same venue: Majlis Silaturahim Bersama Guru Utama PSSKTM.
Please extend this invitation to silat and other martial arts practitioners.

Sincerely,
Azhar Hamzah
Secretary
Pertubuhan Seni Silat Kuntau Tekpi Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur Chapter

New England

Since I'm still getting some emails from folks looking for Pekiti-Tirsia in New England, this is who I personally recommend:

Guro William Schultz
Authorized Instructor: Pekiti-Tirsia Kali under Tuhon Leo T. Gaje & Maginoo Tim Waid.
Full Instructor (4th Dan/Guro) Under Guro John Daniels in: Arnis De Mano & Daga Say Daga
and Muay-Lao Thai Boxing
Private Student Of Ajarn Steve Wilson in:
Sirisute Muay Thai, Muay Thai Boran, Muay Thai Kacheuk & Krabi-Krabong
Assistant Instructor Under Sifu Al Dacascos in: Doce Pares/Tobosa Kali-Eskrima

www.mongrelcombativearts.com

Got Band-aid's?

Tito Jun Saludo and Kuya Doug Marcaida
Detroit, August 2007

Some Props to Tuhon Gaje

Stolen unapologetically from the blog of my Brother, Mohd Nadzrin Wahab at

http://silat-melayu.blogspot.com/

Cross Training in Silat Part II - Training The Core

I observe that when cross training, many people seem to understand martial arts as set techniques, and not natural survival expressions. When we think like this, then cross training becomes difficult, because we are tied down to the instructor's way of thinking (notice I didn't say guru).

An instructor normally understands an MA as a syllabus of techniques, and sadly this is rife in silat today. Traditional silat, once upon a time simply called Silat Melayu (now this term encompasses all type of silat), focuses more on development of core competencies such as strategic thinking, tactical analysis, kinesthesis and understanding kinetic energy, human and animal psychology and many, many more.

Thus, many people accuse Silat Melayu of not having a syllabus, when in fact it just means they have no set techniques. What they do have, are training methods that provide understanding for self empowerment, creating positive mindsets, and applying it to various aspects of life.

This 'life-wisdom', when taken into a physical direction, becomes Silat, the art of war. When taken into politics, becomes Percaturan or Siasah, the art of persuasive management. The source of this life-wisdom is various, depending on the area of Nusantara and the worldview each different Melayu clan accepts.

In some areas, it is clearly Hindu, as in Bali. In others, it is Budhhist and Animism or Natural Tauhid (like the Natural Americans, who many claim to be pantheists, but actually subscribe to a Single Diety idea).

When Islam arrived in Nusantara, it affected quite a bit of these life-wisdoms and collapsed these sources into two: Islamic and Folk. Now, because these life-wisdoms are so vast and various, it is impossible to encapsulate it all into a syllabus.

Thus, masters often only transfer mental tools, paradigms, maxims, or in Bahasa Melayu, called Petua which allows the student to explore his abilities, his weaknesses, his life, alone, without continuous guidance. Essentially, the master gives his students the necessary tools to master himself and eventually become a master.

I believe this is what Ustaz Saiful meant when he wrote:

"The appropriate way in deepen one's understanding and elevate one's skill in silat will be learning from the acquired knowledge. Let the knowledge 'mutating' itself into an 'unseen being' that'll guide oneself towards perfection."

These Petua are not unique to Silat, but exist in many different MA under different names. Void, Point, Straight Line, Circle, Compass Points, Opposites and Switch. Terminologies used by English-speaking martial artists.

Melayu call these petua: Ruang, Titik, Alif, Lam Alif, Mata Angin, Jantan Betina and Jengkal. These petua exist on different levels of understanding and usage.Among them, the physical (as in physics) realm, the social realm, the financial realm (no kidding), the psychological realm and the spiritual realm. In reality, all part of the single realm we call Life. Thus, the term Life-Wisdom.

Successful cross trainers are those who realise that all MAs share a common element: Human.

This is why we find that people who cross train from one Silat syllabus to another find it difficult to adapt, whereas those who have good grounding in traditional Silat Melayu can easily take to the structured arts.

This too, is what I believe Ustaz Saiful meant with:

"In our style, Silat Bongsu, apart from being the "Ibu Silat", it is also known as "Sendi Silat" or The Joint of Silat. Thus it is suitable to be incorporate into all kind of silat or non silat martial art. This can be done with strict adab".

This is why we find that THESE people never become newbies in ANY gelanggang. I have met many silat masters who fit this description very well. However, I would like to pay homage to Grandmaster Leo Gaje Jr of Pekiti Tirsia Kali.

He has the ability to look at any technique, silat or non-silat and immediately perform it, integrate it within his own fighting style and in many cases, reexplain it better than the owner of the technique himself. If he only held to techniques in the first place, he wouldn't be able to do this.

Think on This

Philippine Special Action Force Commandos (SAF)
Trained in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali

It is the soldier, not the reporter,
who has given us freedom of the press.
It is the soldier, not the poet,
who has given us freedom of speech.

It is the soldier, not the campus organizer,
who has given us the freedom to demonstrate.
It is the soldier, not the lawyer,
who has given us the right to a fair trial.

It is the soldier
who salutes the flag,
who serves under the flag,
and whose coffin is draped by the flag,
who allows the protester to burn the flag.

Veteran's Day

Silat Telepak Nusantara

The gentleman pictured below in the previous post - Ustaz al-Muhammad (also known as "Ustaz Shifu") - is a lineage carrier of a unique system of Silat in Malaysia. He is as knowledgeable as he is secretive. My friend Saiful and I have been known to defer to Ustaz's unquestionable expertise in some of the "higher" aspects of Silat Melayu.

Here is something about his Art:

From the oral traditions of our elders, the progenitor of this style was Tuan Sheikh Ali, an Islamic scholar and master of Islamic studies who visited the Sumatran Islands long before its foreign occupation. During this time, Islam had just arrived to that region of Indonesia. Aside from teaching the locals of the truth of Islam, he also taught them a martial art form, which he developed, derived from experience and inspiration.

Such inspiration repeatedly came to him whenever the need to defend himself arose, and thus the art developed further. There were 7 distinct stages of development in this style, which currently makes up the 7 levels of proficiency. Each level imparts different methods, techniques, and philosophies.

The final development in this style is the level named Silat Bongsu, which is the most simplified and versatile form. Silat Bongsu is the core of the total understanding of all Silat styles founded by Tuan Sheikh Ali. Because of this, Silat Bongsu is also known as the ‘Ibu Silat’ or ‘mother’ of our Silat styles.

After Tuan Sheikh Ali, several masters succeeded him. They are, in chronological order:

1. Guru Qodim

2. Katik Pasok

3. Muhammad Soleh

4. Malim Siroh

5. Pendekar Rohim (Pendekar Lima)

6. Atuk Haji Husin

There are also higher levels that are more expansive and require a deeper understanding to learn. These advanced Silat styles function as the expansion and refinement of Silat Bongsu. Among the masters of these levels are:

1. Bapak Buyong

2. Tuan Haji Deris

3. Ustaz Ramli

4. Che Mail Kedah

5. Pak Haji Harun

6. Haji Nong Bugis

7. Tuan Haji Shahrom

There are many more masters not listed here. Most of them have passed on, and a few others no longer teach.

Nowadays, pesilat learn and master only a glimpse of the Tuan Sheikh Ali Silat style due to the changes and demands of the modern lifestyle. To master all of the levels of this style, it takes at least 7 full years of consecutive daily studying. To be a good pesilat or gain the basic knowledge of a warrior, one must master at least the first 3 levels.

Long ago, this style of Silat spread far and wide, though always fragmented or under the influence of separate ‘perguruan’ (school), and never taught in its original complete format. Now, this priceless heritage has once again re-emerged in its original form and is being studied, strengthened and fused systematically within our organization.

Although each style or development within Silat Sheikh Ali comes from the same source, they are still unique and have their own identities. Each development contributed to the diversification of techniques, group identity, or even style identity, within our Silat school. Some styles previously had no name but were given them by the masters of each particular style. Among the unique names known are:

1. Silat Bongsu

2. Seni Silat Natar

3. Silek Natar Tuo

4. Seni Silat Sheikh Ali

5. Seni Silat Telapak Natar

6. Gayong Mendahiling

7. Silat Minang Sheikh Ali

8. Silek Tuo Sheikh Ali

9. Seni Silat Nuntoro

10. Seni Silat Sobok

11. Seni Silat Melayu Sheikh Ali

As previously mentioned, Seni Silat Bongsu is the name of the final version or development of Sheikh Ali's Silat style and has now become the first level in our instruction. It is appropriate in terms of the technique, application, and philosophy of this unique style. Our organization now strives to find and systematically merge all Tuan Sheikh Ali Silat styles, whilst at the same time preserving the authenticity of each one. No techniques from other styles of any kind, form or formless can be implemented in perfecting our styles. This action will not be tolerated, especially if the techniques are being practiced without permission.

In the quest to achieve the highest level of skill and understanding, a strict set of rules and regulations must be obeyed. All weaknesses and strengths must be accepted, utilized fully, and - if necessary - perfected in their own way. An open mind with a kind heart must be demonstrated at all times towards the whole of humanity. By accepting one's weakness, one has already achieved the basics in achieving greater perfection. That is the ultimate goal, unachievable as it may seem to some.

Another Good Friend in Malaysia

Ustaz al-Muhammad
of Silat Telapak Nusantara


"Dua Tiga Kucing Belari

Mana Nak Sama Si Kucing Belang

Dua Tiga Boleh Ku Cari

Mana Nak Sama Si Ustaz Seorang"

Pekiti-Tirsia Romania

Here's a photo of Cataleen's talented Pekiti-Tirsia group in Romania - under the tutelage of my friend Ricky Rillera.

Keep up the good work gentlemen!

www.jkdromania.com

Sticks

When I started practicing Filipino martial arts in 1987, we couldn’t tap the internet for stick vendors. The best we had was Asian World of Martial Arts and Dolan’s Sports catalogs, and later I and I Sports out of California. Let me tell you, what they sold as “Escrima Sticks” in those days were absolute shit. Usually we resorted to ordering 6-foot bo staffs, or 36 inch hanbos and cutting them down to Escrima length. Back then I was doing a Largo Mano system, and we used 32 inch sticks - meaning after 5 minutes with a hacksaw we were left with a lot of useless leftover wood and a typically unbalanced stick for a high price. I started buying cheap rattan wholesale from Pier One imports, which turned out to be basically the same poor quality rattan as the aforementioned Escrima sticks from the martial arts stores.

After a few years we said ‘to hell with it’ and started making our own sticks, experimenting with different hardwoods: hickory, ash, maple, pine, and even exotic varieties such as rosewood and cocobolo. I even found a lumber yard on 7 mile road in Detroit that carried ironwood. The ironwood was too big in diameter to use for our purposes, so we tapered the handle into an oval shape and made “Two handed bashers” as we called them. Anyway, many practice sessions and broken sticks later, we came to the stunning realization that “If it has a grain, it will crack” at this point our focus shifted from the wood to the treatment. This is what we came up with:

Electrical Tape
Nowadays it’s a band-aid for fraying rattan , but we used to wrap the whole damn stick with it prior to the first use. The tape acted like a skin on the weapon. On the positive side, your stick lasted longer and it was a sure grip. On the negative side, you couldn’t tell your stick from the next guy’s stick, and you didn’t get that satisfying “bok” sound of wood hitting wood.

Olive Oil
Extra virgin. I learned this technique from an Egyptian stickfighter. Simply multiple applications by hand, rubbing it onto the stick. Its best no one else sees you doing this.

“The Formula”
An Okinawan kobudo friend of mine gave me the following recipe: 2 parts boiled linseed oil to 1 part terpentine. Get the linseed oil at the hardware store. I have a pair of hardwood sticks I treated in this way about 10 years ago, and they’re virtually indestructible. Tung oil by itself can also be used.

For Rattan
Fill a trough with cold water, add a lot of salt. Allow the rattan sticks to soak for a day, and then have at it.

From Mother Nature
The best ‘natural’ woods I have used are eucalyptus and guava. A nice, thorny Irish Blackthone with a knob and metal tip is also very stylish.

For better or for worse, things are much simpler today. I have a certain nomadic contact that gets good quality rattan when he goes to the P.I. I don’t even know his name - it’s programmed into my phone as “Sticks.” Our next supply is only a phone call away.