Western martial arts
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Western Martial Arts (WMA) refers to formalised fighting techniques and skills of European or generally Western origin, as distinct from those originating in Asia.
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[edit] Scope of the term
The term "Western Martial Arts" was originally coined by Pete Kautz of Alliance Martial Arts (see the discussion page for this article), referring to the study, recreation and preservation of combat skills developed in Europe or European colonies during the 14th through turn of the 20th centuries. These are often distinguished by the term Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA). WMA usually refers to both historical martial arts that have fallen out of use and to extent traditional European martial arts and combat sports such as boxing, savate, Jogo do Pau and catch-as-catch-can wrestling, but may be used more narrowly (as a synonym for HEMA), or more broadly to include other non-Asian arts like World War II combatives and even Capoeira.
[edit] History
Traditional Western martial arts often possess no formal, written histories, being transmitted from one generation to the next largely via oral tradition. This is especially the case with traditional forms of wrestling, stick fighting and knife combat associated with rural areas and/or with criminal subcultures. On the other hand, there is an extensive literature on wrestling, boxing, and fencing, and historical texts providing information about or instruction in old martial arts no longer extant also exist, many of which have come to light only since the 1980s.
[edit] Instruction
Western martial arts with active traditions of instruction, such as boxing, are normally taught to students by qualified instructors. Enthusiasts and scholars of historical styles which are considered to have no living masters from unbroken lineages attempt to recreate the art primarily using historical documents, supplemented by experience in existing living traditions, and practical experimentation, a process equivalent to that of other forms of experimental archaeology; many students then learn from instructors who have gone through this process of reconstruction. Students are often encouraged to consult the original sources themselves, and instructors typically continue to revise their interpretations of historical styles through further study and practice.
[edit] Martial arts
Earlier period arts include the use of the longsword, arming sword, falchion, dagger, shield, spear, halberd, and many other weapons, together with unarmed combat and wrestling. Later arts may teach fighting with the rapier, smallsword, backsword, quarterstaff, pike, or bayonet. See Historical European Martial Arts for more information.
Nineteenth and twentieth century methods included the use of the cane, Bowie knife, tomahawk, sabre, cutlass, duelling sword, bayonet and other weapons, as well as various forms of boxing and wrestling and the early mixed martial art Bartitsu. Modern fencing with foil, épée, and sabre is based on traditional fencing with the duelling sword and sabre. Many of these modern arts are sports, and so considered by some to not strictly qualify as martial arts.
[edit] Traditional styles
Some forms of European stick fighting and wrestling can trace direct teacher-student lineages back into the Nineteenth century.
Bataireacht (also known as "Batadóireacht"), a mode of combat better known as Bata which employs the Irish walking stick or shillelagh, was long practiced in Ireland, especially during the 1800s, when the faction fights were widespread. (Something like a faction fight, transported with the Irish emigrants to America, can be seen in the film Gangs of New York.) "Rince an Bhata Uisce Bheatha", a form of Batraireacht, was invented by the Doyle clan of Ireland, eventually moving to Newfoundland. Many other forms of Irish martial arts were practiced in Ireland throughout the ages.
[edit] Modern sports
Wrestling, javelin, fencing, archery, and boxing continue some of the martial arts of Europe in modified sport form.
[edit] Reconstruction
Many individuals and groups in various parts of the world are engaged in attempting to reconstruct Historical European Martial Arts using various training methods.
Nineteenth and early twentieth century teachers whose martial arts are presently being reconstructed include Edward William Barton-Wright, the founder of Bartitsu; combat savate and stick fighting master Pierre Vigny; London-based boxer and fencer Rowland George Allanson-Winn; French journalist and self defence enthusiast Jean Joseph-Renaud; and British quarterstaff expert Thomas McCarthy.
The Society for Creative Anachronism has made its own reconstruction of medieval armored foot combat designed as a re-enactment friendly system,[citation needed] using real (modern-made) armor and weapons made largely of rattan, and regulated by a series of strict safety rules.[1]. Members of some other reenactment groups may also pursue martial arts reconstruction, though the methods used in reenacted battles are generally designed for safety and showmanship rather than historical accuracy.
[edit] Combatives
Martial arts also developed among military and police forces
