Burmese Dha/ Thai Daab...why Guardless????

Nathaniel · 11th September 2009, 05:15 AM

Thanks for your comments guys....any others want to weight in???

How about the Dha Fathers...Ian...Andrew...Mark???

Nathaniel · 11th September 2009, 05:36 AM

Nice video's Shawn,

Here are some Burmese ones to toss in too...one of my favorite:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anz3r...eature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlpamOnORoI

Burmese line dancing... :P
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...oID=2029653955

Nathaniel · 14th September 2009, 05:03 AM

Any other thoughts anyone why the lack of guard with thai/ Burmese swords?

Chris Evans · 14th September 2009, 11:22 AM

Hi,

I don't know how relevant this is in the context of Thai/Burmese sword play, but Egerton Castle argued that European swords were originally thought of as weapons of offense and only during the renaissance did this attitude change. It follows that the complexity of the hilt was a good indicator of the degree of defence expected from the blade and furthermore the coverage afforded by the hilt also offered a clue to the "tightness" of the prevailing swordplay. According to this thesis, as fencing evolved, so did hilts.

I have seen Thai fencing and swords, but am totally unsure as to how the modern forms would compare against their classical era. I was told in Thailand by a professor of antiquities that their now traditional swords were modelled on the Japanese blade, but were furnished in accord with local tastes. My guess is, and that is all, that most of their old swordplay would have been in single time, relying on bodily evasion or armour for defence and the sword was used primarily for attacking.

Cheers
Chris

Mark · 18th September 2009, 03:33 PM

A very interesting question. One thought I had was that it could be an historical accident, a consequence of the evolution of the dha from a mixed utility tool to a pure weapon. As some have pointed out, a guard might get in the way on a blade that is primarily a tool (like a machete). The dha is not alone in being a sword evolved from a mixed-use tool, and lacking a guard (some parangs come to mind).

No one has mentioned the other protective function of a guard - to keep your hand from slipping down the blade in a thrust. In that context, the lack of a guard is not so surprising because a dha is/was used almost exclusively as a slashing weapon, like a shashka (which also lacks a real guard).

PUFF · 15th February 2010, 12:54 PM

I do agree with Mark in many points.
The sword and fighting style might be co-evolved from machete origin. And, somehow, using of guard was discarded.
You may notice from many fighting demonstrations that Thai daabs are mainly for slashing. And they use more parrying techniques than just blocking.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkpz5jPLfe0

Nathaniel · 24th February 2010, 02:09 AM

In the one BBC documentary, Mind, Body, Kickass moves, they have an episode on Krabi Krabong. In the part on Krabi (sword) part they talk about the thai style using the sharp edge of the blade to attack and block...see the video below at 2.19min

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSpfAg0vajY

11th September 2009, 05:15 AM	#1
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Thanks for your comments guys....any others want to weight in??? How about the Dha Fathers...Ian...Andrew...Mark???

11th September 2009, 05:36 AM	#2
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Nice video's Shawn, Here are some Burmese ones to toss in too...one of my favorite: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Anz3r...eature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlpamOnORoI Burmese line dancing... :P http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fu...oID=2029653955

14th September 2009, 05:03 AM	#3
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	Any other thoughts anyone why the lack of guard with thai/ Burmese swords?

14th September 2009, 11:22 AM	#4
Chris Evans Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Australia Posts: 685	Hi, I don't know how relevant this is in the context of Thai/Burmese sword play, but Egerton Castle argued that European swords were originally thought of as weapons of offense and only during the renaissance did this attitude change. It follows that the complexity of the hilt was a good indicator of the degree of defence expected from the blade and furthermore the coverage afforded by the hilt also offered a clue to the "tightness" of the prevailing swordplay. According to this thesis, as fencing evolved, so did hilts. I have seen Thai fencing and swords, but am totally unsure as to how the modern forms would compare against their classical era. I was told in Thailand by a professor of antiquities that their now traditional swords were modelled on the Japanese blade, but were furnished in accord with local tastes. My guess is, and that is all, that most of their old swordplay would have been in single time, relying on bodily evasion or armour for defence and the sword was used primarily for attacking. Cheers Chris

18th September 2009, 03:33 PM	#5
Mark Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 987	A very interesting question. One thought I had was that it could be an historical accident, a consequence of the evolution of the dha from a mixed utility tool to a pure weapon. As some have pointed out, a guard might get in the way on a blade that is primarily a tool (like a machete). The dha is not alone in being a sword evolved from a mixed-use tool, and lacking a guard (some parangs come to mind). No one has mentioned the other protective function of a guard - to keep your hand from slipping down the blade in a thrust. In that context, the lack of a guard is not so surprising because a dha is/was used almost exclusively as a slashing weapon, like a shashka (which also lacks a real guard).

15th February 2010, 12:54 PM	#6
PUFF Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: 30 miles north of Bangkok, 20 miles south of Ayuthaya, Thailand Posts: 224	I do agree with Mark in many points. The sword and fighting style might be co-evolved from machete origin. And, somehow, using of guard was discarded. You may notice from many fighting demonstrations that Thai daabs are mainly for slashing. And they use more parrying techniques than just blocking. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkpz5jPLfe0

24th February 2010, 02:09 AM	#7
Nathaniel Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 865	In the one BBC documentary, Mind, Body, Kickass moves, they have an episode on Krabi Krabong. In the part on Krabi (sword) part they talk about the thai style using the sharp edge of the blade to attack and block...see the video below at 2.19min http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSpfAg0vajY