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Hystory Of The Canarian Stick Fighting.

By: Alfonso Acosta Gil.

The Canarian stick fighting (Juego del Palo Canario) is a combat with sticks between two players who indicate, (marcan) and defend retained strikes avoiding hurting each other.

According to the history books, the sources of this game are the games and combats practiced by the pre-hispanic inhabitants of the Canary Islands (Guanches). Maybe this practice was the best way these natives had to prepare themselves for war. As a matter of fact there are many chronicles from the times of the conquer of the Islands that show the hard and difficult combats that the Spaniards had to fight against the “Guanches”, showing clearly the mastery of the sticks by the Canarian. The use of the stick was hidden after the conquer of the Islands due to the laws that forbid the carry and use of sticks, because of that, the art was only practice illegally, in rural areas and by members of the some families. These families of the mountains have maintained the

use of the stick during centuries. There are still some old masters that remember stories of their grandparents fighting with sticks to defend their lands, , their animals, or simply to show their abilities. Some years ago, it was very common to see fights with sticks between members of different families in the parties of the countryside. There could be a fight anywhere, but one of the favorite places was the parties. Someone challenging any other caused these fights, and sometimes the reason was fighting for a woman. Many people thought that if there wasn’t a fight it was not a true party.

With the beginning of the Spanish Civil War and the dictatorship, this popular art was forbidden again, and forgotten by many. Again, only some families maintained the knowledge of the art. Every family clan developed a personal and particular style of using the stick. Some were specialized in long distance range, some used it in the short distance, and others used it as a defense against edged weapons. Nowadays there are different styles, Deniz, Verga, Garafiano, Morales, Vidal, Conejero, Quintero, and Acosta style. Every one of thesestyles show different techniques that can be identified very easily. This diversity of styles and technical richness is part of the greatness of the martial culture of the Canary Islands.

Many of you could think that “stick play” is just a game or a sport and that the name is because the two fighters just indicate (marcan) their strikes. To indicate the strike does not mean going slowly or without strength. A master of “Juego del palo” has great ability and precision and can knockout many fighters specialized in a Bo. This is a gentlemen art in which the players look for physical control to avoid hurting each other.

Sticks are hardened by fire and a strike to a vital point could be extremely dangerous. That is why they just intend their attacks and look for a continuous work. During the game there is one person that acts as a referee, this person is called “Hombre bueno”, (good man), he usually is the older master and is respected by all. The name “Juego”, (game, or play), is just a name, and is not a description of the art. For example Judo is a martial art although its name means something like the “smoothness way”, and nobody doubts about the efficiency of karate as a martial art for self defense although the fighters also stop their strikes a few inches from the target.

In “Juego del palo” you can use various types of sticks defined by length. The “Palo corto”, or short stick, also known as palo chico, macana, bastón, palo camellero, o boyero, etc. It was used as a working tool to control the camels. Nowadays its techniques and use are not very known. Other stick is “la Vara”, with an approximately length from the level of the chest to the floor. It is widely known and the most extended along the Islands. It is characterized by its plasticity and mobility. The other stick is the Garrote o Lata, it is a more heavy stick, longer than a person’s height, and its origins comes from the islands of Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura.

“Not all the sticks are the same, not every one is used the same way, not every student become master, and there are not so many masters as you could think”.

It is surprising how in every continent there has been a development of different fighting arts, each one with its own characteristics, but all of them with some common ethic, moral or philosophical aspect. In this way, the “Juego del Palo” is similar to other arts, with the presence of a Master, a family tradition, its own names, traditional costumes, and a philosophy of respect and occultism. Said this, it is not strange that still at present, the masters select only a group of students to transmit their knowledge.

It is said that some masters went to Cuba to work in the sugar cane plantations. Many Cubans wanted to learn the Canarian art of the stick, but they were not taught because the stick was the only way to defend against the Cuban machete. That is way the Cubans respected very much the Canarian stick fighters.

The masters only taught family members, and in a few occasions they taught other people, because they knew that a man that could handle the stick could fight against three or four people or to the master itself. If there was someone very smart, he simply was not taught because it was said that he came in search of knowledge. These techniques in the hands of a student that did not show enough respect could be used without spirituality or justification. For some of them “strength without spirituality was just brutal strength”.

The “Juego del Palo” is something more than a show, it is an art, a form of expression, where the values of the Canarian people are perfectly reflected. Respect, humility, and perseverance are things that only with the course of the years can be perfected.

“To practice and maintaining the tradition of “Juego del Palo”, not only allows us to be better Canarians but also better persons”