nunchaku

For other meanings of this and similar words, see Nunchaku (disambiguation). Various types of nunchaku

Nunchaku (ヌンチャク, Nunchaku^?) is a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope

Etymology

The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff.

In the English language nunchaku are often referred to as Nunchucks or Nunchuks.^[2] This expression is so common it is also attached to the Wii console's Wii Nunchuk controller.

Origins

The popular belief is that nunchaku were originally a short Southeast Asian flail used to thresh rice or soybeans (that is, separate the grain from the husk). It is possible that it was developed in response to the moratorium on edged weaponry under the Satsuma daimyo after invading Okinawa in the 17th century, and that the weapon was most likely conceived and used exclusively for that end, as the configuration of actual flails and bits are unwieldy for use as a weapon. Also, peasant farmers were forbidden conventional weaponry such as arrows or blades so they improvised using only what they had available say, farm tools such as the sickle.

However, it seems that mythology surrounding the origins of nunchaku has little historical accuracy. Unlike Okinawan rice flail (utzu), original nunchaku had curved arms, resembling an Okinawan horse bit (muge), which gave rise to the theory that nunchaku were originally a horse bridle. Yet another theory asserts that it was adapted from an instrument carried by the village night watch, made of two blocks of wood joined by cord. The night watch would hit the blocks of wood together to attract people's attention and then warn them about fires and other dangers. According to Chinese folklore, nunchaku are a variation of the two section staff.

Associating nunchaku and other Okinawan weapons with rebellious peasants is probably a part of romantic imagery. Martial arts on Okinawa were practiced exclusively by aristocracy (kazoku) and "serving nobles" (shizoku) but were prohibited among commoners (heimin). Furthermore, Okinawan disarmament was never total; nobles were still allowed to carry their swords and members of the royal family and princes were even allowed to have firearms for hunting.Whatever its origins were, the nunchaku were not a popular weapon, evidenced by the fact that no known traditional nunchaku kata exists. This was possibly a result of its lack of efficiency against weapons such as the sword.

==Parts of the nunchaku==^[8]

• Himo, the rope which connects the two handles of some nunchachu.
• Ana, the hole on the kontoh of each handle for the himo to pass through, only nunchaku that are connected by himo have an ana.
• Kusari, the chain which connects the two handles of some nunchaku.
• Kontoh, the top of each handle is called the kontoh and if there is a hole for rope to go through that is called the ana.
• Jukon-bu, the upper area of the handle.
• Chukon-bu, the center part of the handle.
• Kikon-bu, the lower part of the handle.
• Kontei, the bottom of the handles.