Haiti and other countries that value the Machete

[AllKickboxing]

I recently came across a trailer for a documentary about the dying art of Haiti's martial art which involves the use of the machete. https://vimeo.com/112665822 The link contains that trailer and I Have since been on the search for the whole movie. I believe that it will be very interesting. After watching the trailer, if course I spent the rest of my evening looking at other societies that have the machete valued in their weapon based martial arts. The result I found was that basically every tropical/agricultural Society at one point has weapons based martial art involving the machete. For example there art of eskrima involves the use of the bolo knife. There are many historical events where the Filipinos have used the knives successfully in large scale attacks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg0LLrsRW64 I can go on about different examples the use of the machete but I would like to add that it is important to also have an understanding of weapons based martial arts even today. Many of us are all too familiar with the occasional street fist fight but in other places issues can be settled differently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbJ2YZv1yGY
What are your thoughts
Ricardo from AllKickboxing

 

[Which Doctor]

Pretty cool, but not distinctly Haitian. Most agricultural islands in the Caribbean have a couple bush farmers who still rock the old school stuff. It's actually kind of cool, the culture that remains(Beating a guy with the flat side of a machete is like the bitch slapping, etc.)

I have a buddy who is a farmer; when he was a kid and rebelled against his dad, his Dad used to put two machetes on a table and tell him to pick one up if he thought he was ready to become the man of the house.

 

[Jeffplsgo]

Pretty cool, but not distinctly Haitian. Most agricultural islands in the Caribbean have a couple bush farmers who still rock the old school stuff. It's actually kind of cool, the culture that remains(Beating a guy with the flat side of a machete is like the bitch slapping, etc.)

I have a buddy who is a farmer; when he was a kid and rebelled against his dad, his Dad used to put two machetes on a table and tell him to pick one up if he thought he was ready to become the man of the house.

Lol really? Where are you from?

 

[Magic Swag]

Pretty cool, but not distinctly Haitian. Most agricultural islands in the Caribbean have a couple bush farmers who still rock the old school stuff. It's actually kind of cool, the culture that remains(Beating a guy with the flat side of a machete is like the bitch slapping, etc.)

I have a buddy who is a farmer; when he was a kid and rebelled against his dad, his Dad used to put two machetes on a table and tell him to pick one up if he thought he was ready to become the man of the house.

Good God!

 

[Which Doctor]

Lol really? Where are you from?

I can get the jelly water in 2 chops. :icon_chee:icon_chee

Spoiler

 

[Which Doctor]

Good God!

Sounds fucked-up but they produce mega-rugged individuals. Another friends dad used to leave him with the grazing animals, 10+ miles (across desert-like beach and scrubland hills) away from nearest civilization, when he was 7-8. His dad would come back with foodstuffs (rice, onions, garlic, ground provisions) every weekend; if the dad wasn't satisfied with my buddys driving/shepherding, he take off without leaving the food. Today that kid ISN'T AN ASSHOLE, has his own rasta food shop, lives completely off the land and off the grid, and can survive anywhere, and gets endless tourist pussy. He got shot in the leg and foot and was doing 20 mile jogs 2 weeks later. Gritty motherfuckers these farmer made lads are.

 

[Jeffplsgo]

Sounds fucked-up but they produce mega-rugged individuals. Another friends dad used to leave him with the grazing animals, 10+ miles (across desert-like beach and scrubland hills) away from nearest civilization, when he was 7-8. His dad would come back with foodstuffs (rice, onions, garlic, ground provisions) every weekend; if the dad wasn't satisfied with my buddys driving/shepherding, he take off without leaving the food. Today that kid ISN'T AN ASSHOLE, has his own rasta food shop, lives completely off the land and off the grid, and can survive anywhere, and gets endless tourist pussy. He got shot in the leg and foot and was doing 20 mile jogs 2 weeks later. Gritty motherfuckers these farmer made lads are.

Damn. Sounds like some of these boys should get into MMA.

 

[Which Doctor]

Damn. Sounds like some of these boys should get into MMA.

I'd like to see it too. There is one guy who fights regionally I believe, but I've yet to see a bout so I'd guess it's probably on par with Miami backyards. There used to be a big fighting/boxing culture here but it sort of died out. They'd do bareknuckle matches on Boxing Day; completly ad hoc, lots of betting, greivances hashed out, moonshine and beers. Certain regulars would play up fights to spike gambling profits. FUn stuff. Sort of died out when crack and guns and the 80's came along, but there are a couple people who are trying to bring it back. Combat sports, culture, and especially MMA, are definitely spreading internationally. Slowly but surely.

I'm psyched on this machete movie though. I know a lot of people who would be interested in watching this. A lot. If this thing ends up free to watch online it'll spread like wildfire.

Spoiler

P.S. - Nice dubs.:icon_chee

 

[Jeffplsgo]

I'd like to see it too. There is one guy who fights regionally I believe, but I've yet to see a bout so I'd guess it's probably on par with Miami backyards. There used to be a big fighting/boxing culture here but it sort of died out. They'd do bareknuckle matches on Boxing Day; completly ad hoc, lots of betting, greivances hashed out, moonshine and beers. Certain regulars would play up fights to spike gambling profits. FUn stuff. Sort of died out when crack and guns and the 80's came along, but there are a couple people who are trying to bring it back. Combat sports, culture, and especially MMA, are definitely spreading internationally. Slowly but surely.

I'm psyched on this machete movie though. I know a lot of people who would be interested in watching this. A lot. If this thing ends up free to watch online it'll spread like wildfire.

Spoiler

P.S. - Nice dubs.:icon_chee

Commented on Vanzant, that's apparently a no no.

But yeah, I knew a farm kid back in the day, dude has retard strength and balance just from working on the farm, he had no wrestling experience, but it was impossible to get him down. Matt Hughes type motherfucker - Perfect strength base for MMA and such, much better than lifting weights.

 

[Soul Rebel 2]

I can get the jelly water in 2 chops. :icon_chee:icon_chee

Spoiler

2 chop? Come nah.

 

[Doughbelly]

I think common usage of a given tool as a tool, a martial art based on that tool and actually fighting with said tool are three very different things. Very rarely do the three intersect with any meaning.

While machetes are used everyday in agricultural societies and rural peoples are skilled in their everyday uses, this doesn't necessarily translate into effective use as a weapon.

Let me give you an example of the difference between what you see in these videos versus reality. Machetes are sharpest at the beginning of the day (or sometimes after lunch.) Machete violence generally takes place in the evenings when people are drunk and socializing. One of the striking things about machete wounds that you see in assaults are how dull the blades must be to cause the types of lacerations and bone fractures that they do. It is very rare to see machete violence caused by sharp blades capable of making those clean cuts that you see in these videos. (Unless you're the guy who runs the fruit stand or the village butcher shop.)

More later.