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WABUKAN Arsenal · Staffs and sticks · India

Gatka soti and farri

The stick (soti) and small shield (farri) used in gatka practice and competition, the Sikh martial art of Punjab.

Also known as

ਸੋਟੀ · soti; gatka stick; farri (shield)

Origin and history

In gatka, the Sikh martial art of Punjab, practice and competition use a padded or leather-covered stick (soti) together with a small round shield (farri). This form became a sport in the 20th century, while Nihang tradition keeps the wider use of real weapons.

Martial arts that use it

Gatka

Construction

A stick of about 90–100 cm, traditionally of cane, often covered with leather at the striking end; the farri is a small shield of leather or wood.

Basic techniques

Training

Stick and staff training starts with grips, stances and basic strikes and blocks practised in the air or on a target, then two-person drills at controlled speed. Many schools use rattan or padded sticks for sparring, with a helmet and gloves.

Safety

Wear a helmet with a face grille and padded gloves for any contact work; hands and fingers are the most common injuries. Check sticks for cracks and splinters and retire damaged ones.

Legality (general information)

Sticks, staffs and other impact or flexible weapons are ordinary objects in some countries and restricted weapons in others (several European countries, for example, regulate nunchaku, batons or weighted chains). Carrying one in public without a good reason can be an offence even where owning it is legal. Transport it in a bag and use it in the training hall. This is general information, not legal advice: check local law.

Did you know?

Gatka footwork, the pentra, is practised to drums and is considered the base of all gatka technique.

More weapons

Quarterstaff Varapau Combat cane (canne) Cajado Shillelagh Makila

Sources

Original WABUKAN text, written from these cross-checked sources (facts, not sentences).

  1. Wikipedia — Gatka