We all know that HEMA/WMA is flourishing … and for the greater part is dominated by Italian rapier play or German long sword – with significant amounts of English and Viking sword and shield work added when available.
But what is just as impressive is the reappearance of ‘niche’ swordplay forms … Spanish dagger/scissors combat; halberd work and … getting a group of your best buddies together to run pellmell at a bunch of other guys coming the opposite way … and you all have eight-to-eleven-foot pointed sticks … pointed forward.
In a time when most heavy swordplay or pole arm work is heavily controlled when it comes to use of points, it must be extremely frustrating for our peers trying to recreate the martial art of renaissance pike work. So far, the protective gear that we have does not allow the full contact, massed group, “push-of-pike” to be explored in a way that would be actually useful to understanding the requirements and demands of that unique form of combat.
The Ox destroyed My Homework!
DER WESTEN (Germany) 18 May 14 Krieger mit stumpfen Klingen (Elena Zay)
For six years, Markus Czesla and Clemens Mayer have been putting 30 students (10 of which are women) through their 14th C longsword drills between classes and in the evening at Heine-University.
Most of the practitioners are ‘hobbyists’, but a select few get to a level – usually after three years of work, that let them make a creditable show at the Swordfish Tournament in Sweden.
Taking a Jet Plane Back to the Future of HEMA
BIEN PUBLIC (Dijon, France) 09 May 14 Rencontres internationales d’arts martiaux : l’art (et la manière) de l’épée (Édouard Roussel)
Swordplay group ‘De Taille et d’Estoc’ hosted this years’ International Conference of European historical martial arts (HEMAC) in Dijon, France.
Cyril Perrier, one of the organizers of this the 13th edition, declared the events’ intent was: “… to maintain a cultural richness that had almost disappeared with the invention of gunpowder. This event, with 250 stakeholders from mainly Germany, Austria and England, is an opportunity to rediscover the different fighting techniques used since the Middle Ages … based on the literature of the time.”
Devon Boorman of Academie Duello instructed at this years HEMAC, so We should be getting his ‘first impressions’ shortly.
White Eagles on the Field of Crows
NOVE DA FIRENZE (Florence, Italy) 23 April 14 Alle Cascine i Giochi di Carnasciale, torna il Rinascimento a Firenze
The HEMA/WMA group ‘Compagnia dell'Aquila Bianca’ is participating in Florences’ Prato delle Cornacchie re-enactment … and will feature a demonstration of medieval and renaissance swordplay. Sharing the field will be members of Company Giovanni delle Bande Nere (We might not have this exactly correct, We can’t seem to find them elsewhere in the scrolls … err, search engine} demonstrating 15/16th ‘pike work’.
It’s not clear if the pike group is facing any opposition, but you can see one version of pike-related melee here.
Take a look … here
Jousting 101
ABC (Perth, Australia) 15 May 14 Keeping a Medieval Sport Alive (Brad McCahon)
An Australian radio bit on James Joppe and the efforts of the American Jousting Alliance to keep the ‘sport’ alive .
Snippets
- Why Is Swordfighting In So Many Video Games Terrible?
Maybe it’s because so few swordsmen (/women) design games?
- Elements of the Mixed Martial Arts community are beginning to turn their eyes to our efforts.