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In lugnet.castle, Eric Joslin writes:
> In lugnet.castle, John Robert-Blaze Kanehl writes:
>
> No, those asian polearms are Naginata.
>
> As an aside, Naginata are often disparaginly referred to as a "woman's • weapon",
> because apparently they were often used by unskilled warriors, like wives, who
> were left behind to defend the homes and land. At least, that's what I've
> heard.
Prior to the Edo period, the Naginata was a weapon used on the battlefields by
samurai. The Edo period was relatively peaceful, and women of samurai families
were trained with the Naginata. This is where the tradition of women using
the Naginata came from.
I personally wouldn't be disparaging when referring to the Naginata. With the
length of a bo (staff) and a wide, cutting blade like a sword... it is not a
weapon to be taken lightly. It is very effective at cutting down charging
cavalry and it could probably help you deal with that proverbial "guy with the
claymore" everyone keeps discussing.
Tony
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In lugnet.castle, Tony A. Rowe writes:
> In lugnet.castle, Eric Joslin writes:
> > As an aside, Naginata are often disparaginly referred to as a "woman's
> weapon",
>
> Prior to the Edo period, the Naginata was a weapon used on the battlefields by
> samurai. The Edo period was relatively peaceful, and women of samurai • families
> were trained with the Naginata. This is where the tradition of women using
> the Naginata came from.
I've done some research and found some more information. I quote the
following:
Women, usually of high-rank, were allowed an education and training in martial
arts. It was not considered unusual for clan princesses to be taught sword
fighting alongside their brothers.
One Japanese legend concerns Princess Tsuru, the daughter of the Ii clan lord
during the Edo period, which roughly coincided with the Renaissance in Europe.
Princess Tsuru was a skilled martial artist, specializing in a weapon called
the naginata, a long spear-like weapon that ended in an blade similar to an
axe. Tsuru publically called for the training of women in martial arts, and was
said to have taught these skills. The legend says that eventually Tsuru married
the Shogun of Japan, Tokugawa Yoshimune, but only after initially refusing to
do so because she didn’t want to be a token in a political alliance between her
family and the Shogun.
I got this from a great page on Echo Station dealing with Japanese influences
on George Lucas in the making of the Star Wars films. If you want to check it
out, go to:
http://www.yavin.net/features/japanese.htm
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In lugnet.castle, Tony A. Rowe writes:
> I personally wouldn't be disparaging when referring to the Naginata. With the
> length of a bo (staff) and a wide, cutting blade like a sword... it is not a
> weapon to be taken lightly.
To be clear, I didn't say *I* referred to the Naginata disparagingly as a
"woman's weapon". I am quite aware of the damage one of these things can do in
the wrong hands. For more information, play Kyoshiro in Samurai Showdown III
on the Sony Playstation. I know I did. A lot.
Besides, to be honest, I would never scoff at the rage of a woman, or her
ability to viciously and systematically destroy anything she set her mind to.
eric
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