Nguni stick fighting
Encyclopedia
Nguni stick fighting is a martial art
traditionally practiced by teenage Nguni
herdboys in South Africa
. Each combatant is armed with two long sticks, one of which is used for defense and the other for offense. Little armor is used.
Although Nguni/ Xhosa styles of fighting may use only two sticks, variations of Bantu /Nguni stick fighting throughout Southern Africa incorporate shields as part of the stick fighting weaponry. Zulu stick fighting uses an "Isiquili" or attacking stick, an "Uboko" or defending stick and an "izoliHauw" or defending shield.
The object is for two opposing warriors to fight each other to establish which of them is the strongest or the "Bull" (Inkunzi). In modern times this usually occurs as part of the wedding ceremony where warriors from the bridegroom's household and area welcome warriors from the bride's household and area to meet to "get to know each other", other groups of warriors may also be welcome to join in. Warriors do this by engaging in combat with one another. An "induna" or War Captain / Referee from each group of warriors keeps his crew in check and keeps order between fighters.
This tradition is one which arguably developed in societies, cultures and civilisations that used herding as part of their systems of survival, where there are cows, there are stick fighters. The old regimental structures of the great uShaka KaSenzangakhona KaJama dominate current modern zulu stickfighting.
Film maker SiyaBonga Makhathini has directed the film "We Still are Wariors" which captures the essence of the Modern day Zulu Stick fighter, descendant of the kings of old.
Nelson Mandela
practiced Nguni stick fighting as a child, and it was featured on the Discovery
and BBC
reality TV show Last Man Standing
.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
traditionally practiced by teenage Nguni
Nguni people
-History:The ancient history of the Nguni people is wrapped up in their oral history. According to legend they were a people who migrated from Egypt to the Great Lakes region of sub-equatorial Central/East Africa...
herdboys in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Each combatant is armed with two long sticks, one of which is used for defense and the other for offense. Little armor is used.
Although Nguni/ Xhosa styles of fighting may use only two sticks, variations of Bantu /Nguni stick fighting throughout Southern Africa incorporate shields as part of the stick fighting weaponry. Zulu stick fighting uses an "Isiquili" or attacking stick, an "Uboko" or defending stick and an "izoliHauw" or defending shield.
The object is for two opposing warriors to fight each other to establish which of them is the strongest or the "Bull" (Inkunzi). In modern times this usually occurs as part of the wedding ceremony where warriors from the bridegroom's household and area welcome warriors from the bride's household and area to meet to "get to know each other", other groups of warriors may also be welcome to join in. Warriors do this by engaging in combat with one another. An "induna" or War Captain / Referee from each group of warriors keeps his crew in check and keeps order between fighters.
This tradition is one which arguably developed in societies, cultures and civilisations that used herding as part of their systems of survival, where there are cows, there are stick fighters. The old regimental structures of the great uShaka KaSenzangakhona KaJama dominate current modern zulu stickfighting.
Film maker SiyaBonga Makhathini has directed the film "We Still are Wariors" which captures the essence of the Modern day Zulu Stick fighter, descendant of the kings of old.
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela served as President of South Africa from 1994 to 1999, and was the first South African president to be elected in a fully representative democratic election. Before his presidency, Mandela was an anti-apartheid activist, and the leader of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed wing...
practiced Nguni stick fighting as a child, and it was featured on the Discovery
Discovery Channel
Discovery Channel is an American satellite and cable specialty channel , founded by John Hendricks and distributed by Discovery Communications. It is a publicly traded company run by CEO David Zaslav...
and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
reality TV show Last Man Standing
Last Man Standing (UK TV series)
Last Man Standing and latterly Last Woman Standing is a BBC reality TV show that was first aired on 26 June 2007...
.
Further reading
- Coetzee, Marié-Heleen. (2002) "Zulu Stick Fighting: A Socio-Historical Overview," http://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_Coetzee_0902.htm