The Mysterious Martial Arts from The Canary Islands

[Alfonso Acosta]

The game of the canary wood is art used by the shepherds of the Canary Islands. An art with purely Spanish roots with but of four hundred years of history. If you like the arts of fight with arms, she visits our pagina, www.palocanario.com you have to your disposition small a video clips very interesting. if you like the arts of fight with woods, the fencing of the shepherds of the Canary Islands surprise to you.

Alfonso Acosta.
www.palocanario.com

[Crucible]

A Good read, Thank you. I wonder if this bears any similarity to Larense Garrote, Venezuelan stickfighting? Anybody know?

[Alfonso Acosta]

Dear friend
Venezuela it was the main destiny of the Canary emigration. And it exists I tie cultrural between Venezuela and the Canary Islands. Several versions exist on the origin of the Tocuyano Stick, or Larense Stick. Some aim that the handling of this wood has his origenes in the short Wood of the Canary Islands. Denominated Tolete, Small Wood, or Cuban Canary wood. I have in my possession some videotapes of the Tocuyano stick and personal my opinion is that some does not exist evidence that this art comes from old Small Wood of the Canary Islands the reasons to believe this, I see that the Tocuyano stick is handled thinking about that it is a cutting weapon. The contenders try to take advantage of the vacios in the movements the opposite to execute his contrataque. No exists the contact between the arms. Nevertheless in the wood systems of the canary islands the total defense of the attacks of your opposite is very common. Osea which vulgarly we denominated blockades or defenses. I believe that the origin of the Venezuelan Wood is different and good looking but because this weapon has root and adjacent influences of others diferens countryes where the zones abound with forest like, for example Brazil. Capoeira also contains exercises with woods. I see that quizas the wood ed Venezuela can have influence of the arts used by the black slaves coming from Africa. opinion is my. Attached Aqui one fotografia that accidentally encontre by Internet. It is an organized Canary Wood course in the Military school of Venezuela. That demonstrates I tie cultural that for many years has been maintaining Venezuela with the canary Islands.

[Crucible]

Interesting....wonderful post, thank you. I've spoken with many copeiristas regarding maculele, the copeira stick dance, and most(i'd say all but one I've spoken to) are of the opinion its simply for enjoyment and asthetics and holds no combat application. One could probably distill combat applications from its movements, but apparently the bulk of copeiristas consider only an enjoyable dance.

Regarding the distinctions between Venezuelan Larense and Canary Island stick fighting, quite interesting. If I understand you correctly your stating that a main diffrence is that larense seems to treat the stick as a blade and you, in the Canary methods, treat it as wood. Is that so? Are there also diffrences in the size of the weapons that the regions use?

I had a friend do some work with the peace corp somewhere in South America, I'll have to ask him to remember where, and he mentitioned that the country he was stationed in it was quite common for the men to have machete fights. It was just something that happened, everybody carried them, and if a fight broke out it was probably with machetes. He stated that there weren't schools or techniques per say but there were local champions who every one new you don't mess with. I wonder if Larense emerged from a similar culture? I'll check with my friend to find out what country he was stationed in.

[chalambok]

Thanks very much to both of you. It is always great to put some historical perspectives to martial arts, weapon-oriented or not. I like the thought about there being intrinsic differences between a weapon art based on blades and a weapon art based on wood. I think many practitioners of blade arts who practice too much with wood end up changing their art from a cutting, slashing, thrusting style to a smashing style. Any thoughts about this?

[Alfonso Acosta]

Dear friend Chalambok
I feel It, I do not speak Ingles and is my computer that translates asi that not if I understand well your question. The movements with a wood can seem similar to the one of a cutting weapon. The difference is in which if we handled a wood thinking about that it is a cutting weapon, jamas contemplariamos the possibility of taking hold the weapon by the part of the metal. This allows you to make a type of movements diferentes.El wood gives the possibility you of executing with both same ends tecnicas.Y to take hold by where you want. Although a wood is a wood as much in Spain, as in japon or China different styles exist remarkable differences between lso. One of the differences that resaltaria I of the wood of the Canary Islands are their sorprente mobility and the fact that they do not exist tecnicas superficial. The players learn fighting, fighting and but fighting. For that reason the teachers reach as much ability. Because the unico that does is to fight with the wood. there are katas nor no tecnicas artisticas. It is simple but effective and at the same time it has a ludico character. all type of people can practice.

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[Alfonso Acosta]

One videoclips
http://www.ctv.es/USERS/kali.jkd/TomasDeniz.wmv

[Crucible]

Alfonso,
Do you have an experiance with Basque stickfighting methods? My understanding is like the Canary island method it also evolved from shepherds.

[Tant01]

Dear Mr. Alfonso Acosta. Thank you very much for your contributions to this forum. If I may ask you a question please about your name? Sir, is ACOSTA a style name of fighting with the stick(s)? For how many years has ALFONSO ACOSTA been a master of this style? Thank you!


Respectfully, Raymond G.

[Tant01]

Visit the website! I have had the great pleasure of knowing one student of Acosta style stickfighting! What a small world! When you see the game for yourself you may notice many similarities to several other "blade" arts. Silat, kali, eskrima ? (Do not let the words "game" or "play" mislead you at all, it's deadly serious.)