Wēku
| Wēku | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Club |
| Designations: | Weku, Eku, Eiku, Kai. Sunakake-bo |
| Use: | weapon |
| Region of origin / author: |
Okinawa , Okinawa fisherman |
| Distribution: | Okinawa, Japan |
| Overall length: | about 135 cm to about 160 cm |
| Blade length: | about 60 cm |
| Handle: | Wood, approx. 1 m |
| Lists on the subject | |
A Wēku ( Japanese ウ ェ ー ク Wēku , エ ー ク Ēku or Eiku , all also 櫂 , Sino-Japanese Kai , German “paddle”; or called Sunakake-bo ) is a rather rare striking weapon of the Okinawa Kobudo these days .
description
The Wēku is a wooden striking weapon that resembles a paddle. The head is wide and flattened, the shaft round or oval. The side edges of the hammer head are thin and sharp. You can use the edges to hit. Oak or red maple are mostly used for production, and the weapons are still cared for with vegetable oil or animal fat. The oils prevent the wood from drying out.
history
The eiku has been around since the 16th century. It was developed by Okinawan fishermen who used it every day for their work. Especially those who already trained their skills in Kobudo recognized that it is a suitable weapon for self-defense. Since the fishermen were well trained through their hard work, it was not difficult for them to practice handling the relatively heavy eiku. The handle of the paddle was used like a stick, and the flat part was used like a club.
Kata
The most important kata still known today with the eiku are:
- Matsumura no Eiku (Ryukyu Kingdom)
- Akahachi no Eiku (Ryukyu Kingdom)
- Tsuken Sunakake no Eiku (Ryukyu Kingdom)
- Sunakake no Eiku (Taiso period)
- Nakazato no Eiku (Showa period)
literature
- Werner Lind : The dictionary of martial arts. China, Japan, Okinawa, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, India, Mongolia, Philippines, Taiwan, etc. Sportverlag, Berlin 1999, ISBN 3-328-00838-1 .
