The wooden fighting sword-sticks of Crete

[Marc]

Originally Posted by fearn

Hi Marc,

Thanks for the references!

To clarify my side, the Guanches ( Wikipedia link) had a long sword/club they called a magado or magido (it's listed as a mace on Wikipedia, but other references say it was long, wooden and sword-like). That's what I was wondering about. Supposedly, the magido was a chief's weapon, and they actually beat the Spaniards with this and other indigenous weapons, which makes for a good story (and might be true. A 15th Century British sailor with a quarterstaff took on a number of Spanish swordsman in duels, and beat them all).

I can easily believe that the guanches got the idea and the name "magido" from Basque whalers, but I was wondering what the Canary Island version looked like. And yes, I've read everything I can get my hands on regarding Juego del palo. I'm unclear on how much that sport is a descendent of the guanche martial traditions, and how much came over with the Europeans.

Best,

F

Hi, Fearn.

You're welcome

It's my turn to clarify a bit... the magado was a Guanche club, made of hardwood and with a protusion at one end (think knobkerry or that Victorian cane kronckew posted above), and seemingly used one-handed. They also had what they called a mejido, apparently some kind of wooden sword, with hilt and guard and also fairly sharp and pointy. The "modern" palo canario is longer, with a more or less of regular width and used with one and two-handed techniques. They have no morphological relationship, and I haven't seen anyone claiming any, beyond the fact that the palo canario practitioners say their Art goes back to the Guanches, with all the ethnological complications when trying to prove it.
The etymology of the name, as far as I know, goes back to the Guanche language, no relationship whatsoever with the Basque makila.

And regarding the English sailor... well, yes I heard that one. Many times. His name was Richard Peek, a 17th c. sailor. He claims to have done the deed in Xeres, and afterward having been brought to Madrid to meet the King, offered goods and fortune, that he refused for love to his Country and King. Funny how the only description (notice I haven’t even mentioned evidences) of the events that happened to Peek are to be found in the book written by Peek. But who am I to question such a beautiful story...