Native American martial arts

[HtTKar]

I'm sorry if this was asked before, and I dont really know where to begin. Does anyone know of any traditional Native American martial arts, and where I could learn more about them? I'm sure not all of them have been lost, have they?

[Uber_Tap]

Found this link. It looks more like they have combined a lot of techniques from different tribes into one. I have no idea if the art is worth anything or not, but here's the link:

http://www.ten-no-kishi.com/aifaa.htm

[HtTKar]

Thank you very much.
You hear all these stories about how fierce of fighters many indian tribes were, but its hard to find information on any of their styles. Thanks.

[HtTKar]

Found this too, though it doesnt show any techniques.

http://www.fact-index.com/n/na/native_american_fighting_styles.html

[HtTKar]

Ok, I realize I might be the only one interested in this. But here you go.
This site is by Blaise Loonge, and he teaches apache martial arts. Loonge is and instructor of JKD and Jun Fan arts under Sifu Dan Inosanto, as well as Inosantos' mentors (grandmaster Leo Giron, grandmaster Edgar Sulie, and Cikgu Sulaiman Sharif). According to another forum, Inosanto is quoted as saying "If you want to see how Bruce (Lee) did it, watch Blaise"

Go to Yashai Warcraft link on left, and then down to number 3 which is Nagondzog - traditional apache methods of hunting, survival, and guerrilla warfare.

His whole site is pretty good though. Blaise's history is amazing.

http://www.blayshalla.com/Blaise/MainFrame/MainFrame.htm

[EmptyneSs]

are these indian arts just the same old oriental martial arts, just taught by natives? kinda like how kajukenbo is a mix of other oriental arts, but they call it an American Martial art ?

or are these native american arts actually original arts that natives developed themselves ?

[Combat Cherokee]

no such thing

There is no such thing as a native american martial art. Yes the NA did know how to fight, but in the sense that they had a style/form of combat is a lie. Native combatives were taught similar to what would be called scenerio training today. They learned by doing not by being taught. There are many instructors today teaching other arts with feathers in their hair and passing it off as "real." This is similar to Christophe Clugston selling his gladiator fighting style, that has a gealic name for "death fighting" There was never a set way the gladiators fought, simply because they all came from different areas of the world, with different combat and weapons backgrounds. The way my people(cherokee...not just a name ) used a tomahawk, may be totally different that that of the apache, navajo, or any other tribe. Hunting tactics, warfare, and tracking are mucg different then combatives, and they are also well recorded in history books, H2H combatives are not. If they were, the asian martial arts would have never taken the world by storm the way they did less then a hundred years ago. This is a very good question, and am glad you asked, simply because I am personally offended by people using a great culture as a selling tool to fill their pocket books. Oh yeah, and many of the combatives died with the people who used them in battle. and since there hasnt been a native american war in a while, most have them have been forgotten as well.

Just a thought
-c

[Uber_Tap]

I'm kind of suprised that there isn't some type of Native American fighting system, specifically some type of advanced grappling knowledge. My great-grandfather was full blooded Cherokee, and even 2 generations removed you can still see the similarities in bone structure and height. Most of my family is shorter than what you would consider the average for a "full-blooded" caucasion. My younger brother is the tallest on that side of the family, about 5'10, and I'm only about 5'6, but all of us, including my uncles/cousions are massive as far as bone structure goes. It just seems that with that type of large build and low center of gravity there would have been an instinctive nature of forcing someone to the ground and beating the crap out of them.

I don't want to hear anyone getting offended because I am generalizing Cherokee's to be short and big boned, I understand that there are tall and slim Cherokees as well. You need only to visit one of the Cherokee reservations to see that as a people they are generally shorter, powerfully built folks.

[EmptyneSs]

the native american way of life was awesome.

[HtTKar]

Thank you Combat Cherokee.

After researching for a couple days, I am coming to the same conclusions. Most of the "arts" that were taught seemed to be more about keeping honor while fighting, than the actual fighting itself, and the tribes that had arts passed down through families most likely lost those due to assimilation.

But I still have a feeling that something has to be out there to learn.
Thanks.

[47MartialMan]

And why can't there be a Native Amercian Art?

[Jeremy Lobdell]

Native American fighting

the native american way of life was awesome.

Was, what do you mean was? It still is. And as for you, Combat Cherokee, there are arts that are strickly Native American. These aren't popularized or put into strip malls for kids to learn, and most Native Americans don't want the billagauna's ( white people) to take this over just like they do to everything else. Aren't there enough arts out there already. Something should remain sacred, and untouched by the rest of the world. Most choose it to be this. And just because it's passed down verbally doesn't mean it's lost, it just means that people who don't need to know can't find out about it.
I really don't want this to sound to much like a pissed off post, I've just seen way too much ignorance as far as Native American culture goes in general. If you are truely interested, HtTKar, from my experience it can be best described as hard core FMA with knife or hatchet and a heavy emphasis on close in clinch work and ground fighting. The first time I learned the butterfly guard was in Native American art, not bjj. If you are seen as a outsider, it will be very hard, if not imposible for you to learn it.

[Tom Yum]

Hey Jeremy, just thought I'd say your posts are well cultured, informative and easy going

Must be all of that wonderful weather! Last time I visited Hawaii, I remember getting off the plane and smelling sweet flowers; is it still the same?

[Jeremy Lobdell]

Absolutely, Tom Yum. Any time you want to come and visit, just let me know. I've got a couch available and an awesome school to train at. All you need to do is get here! I edited my post to take some of the negativity out of it. I'm just speaking from personal experience. While I'm as white as you can get, my wife ( and kids) are Navajo, twaha-gline and ueshi clan. I lived on the reservation in Shiprock, NM for over 3 years and was treated much better ( being the only white face around ) than the rest of my family was in most areas on the mainland.

[Ironpalm]

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