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WABUKAN Arsenal · Staffs and sticks · Europe

Makila

The Basque walking stick of medlar wood, 1 to 1.4 m, with a metal ferrule. The top pulls off to reveal a hidden spike; it is also a sign of honour and authority.

Also known as

makhila; Basque walking stick

Origin and history

The makila is the traditional Basque walking stick, used for walking in the mountains and for defence. Today it is often given as a mark of honour, and the craft is kept by a few family workshops in the Basque Country.

Martial arts that use it

Used in traditional practice and demonstrations; no art page on WABUKAN yet.

Construction

Made from medlar wood, carved while the tree is alive and then cured; it has a metal ferrule, a weighted lower end, and a top that comes off to reveal a steel point.

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?

Each makila is personalised, often engraved with the owner’s name and a motto in Basque.

More weapons

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Sources

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

  1. Wikipedia — Makila