Maori - Warrior spirit from New Zealand

The Maori warriors of New Zealand Ancient warrior tribes still exist today

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Coming back from New Zealand few weeks ago made a strong impression of me how the strength and spirit of the Maori Warriors still resonates in my mind. There are few countries that I have been maintain and preserve their ancestral cultures and ways even in modern times. Unfortunately my journey didn't take me to the Northern Island of NZ which from what I was told is where the Maori descendants & culture are mostly concentrated.

However as I mentioned even though I wasnt fully there to fully experiencing the ancient culture at least I brought some meaningful souvenirs back home with me. 

1) The "Ta Moko"

Maori Markings (courtesy of Wikipedia)

Contemporary days people are taking inspiration from the Maori face markings and is often used as templates for many line based designs. During ancient times its used as a form of intimidation and some say the designs are embedded with spirits to give strength to the warriors. Due to its symbolism of strength, power and honor, modern day warriors and athletes tends to have these markings tattooed on them. (top of my head is the ROCK from WWE).

In case you all wonder if i tattoo myself with one .... sorry to disappoint, im too sensitive on my skin. so instad i buy T-shirts with those markings on it for me to wear when I train. Makes me feel like an honorable warrior! gaaarr!

2) Maori Weapon of choice - Mere

The Mere hold by the chieftain of the tribe

A short range weapon used for clubbing and bashing. Its blunt surfaces and small size makes it easier to carry around. The weapon is often made by hard material such as hardwood and sometimes whale bones but it is most prized for it being made by Jade, (Hard valuable stone, comes with various colors) My sources may be incorrect but for high-ranking chieftains often holds the jade Mere as a symbol of status and wisdom.

Unfortunately it is a weapon is a weapon so I decided not to risk going through custom with it. (very unfortunate, since I would love to collect one at home)

3) The Hakka

The Hakka is a ritualistic dance/War-cry for warriors to prepare themselves mentally and physically to go into combat. It is also used as a war-cry to intimidate their foes by forming in groups doing a ritualistic formation dance intimidating their foes with big bulging eyes, wide mouth  and long tongue telling them "I'm going to eat you!"

The War Cry Hakka is so affective it is even practiced today by the Local Rugby Team, All Blacks, from what I was told the first time the team performed the Hakka before the match to opposing team, it scared the living day light out of them and the All Blacks won the Championship. Here's an excerpt below...

After watching that video it gave an empowering feeling within me and so why the Hakka by far is one of the things that resonates me the most of my trip to New Zealand. 

Believe it or not? I actually used the Hakka before i do one of the most craziest things ever in my entire life....What was it you ask? Just remember not to look down.....

No thats not me...

One day shall upload my own photo of that jump in the near future :D 

Kamate Kamate!!

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Cute Photoshop Fighters - Street Fighter 25th Birthday

Yet another Tribute of Street Fighter Fans.

In celebration of Street Fighter's 25th Anniversary, BBQ for Honor promises continue to bring fellow readers back to its original intention of posting more information about anything in terms to Martial Arts. (in addition to memes of Fighting Video Games). In the meantime, why not refresh yourself with information about other martial arts, or learn about civilian weapons such as the Kubotan for self defense purposes? Or even look at people misuse these self defense weapons? Learn that to be a Master of "Something" is also considered as Kung Fu?

More variety of post to come...

For those who have missed out wishing you all a Happy Chinese New Year of 2012.

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Like Martial Arts? check out WingChunBear official Website. It's a page for Martial Arts Enthusiast to view, learn & share ideas in regards to Anything Martial Arts. Feel free to drop by from time to time and "Like" the fan page to support its growth to gather more Enthusiast :) they are websites for YOU. Click the links below and Subscirbe in the "contact" page to receive future goodies :D

http://wingchunbear.com/

http://www.facebook.com/WingChunBear

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Martial Food? - tenderize your meat with your fist!

Courtesy of Gizmodo website -

Should you feel the need to punch someone in the face but still need to prepare for your marriage anniversary dinner with your wife later tonight?
 Now you can cut the time and do both!

Kubotan - A self defense tool....or an aggressor Weapon?

Reach for the sky kitty Cat!

We live in a dangerous society, a society where people can just jump out of some shrubbery and just attacked and/or rape you regardless of gender, so you decided to go to pay tons of money for self defense courses, or even buy some DVDs for some self defense tips from MMA Legend, Bas Rutten. Only to find yourself not funny enough like Bas to protect yourself. 

So you decided to arm yourself with Self Defense Weaponry such as the Taser, Pepper Spray, even retractable baton. etc etc. 

One thing that caught my attention is a Self defense tool call Kubotan.

Its an ugly oversize keychain that may save your life

It's kinda cool coz it has a bit of that Ninja sneakyness to it, holding a hidden yet deadly weapon and can easily be accessible by anyone who wish to protect themselves. 

Haters may say, "It's only a piece of metal that hardly fits in your pocket! Its not tazed and it doesn't shoot out Pepper Spray, how could a piece of metal so small protect anyone from thugs?" 

Well look at this demonstration video and judge for yourself. 

It's small but sturdy steel, have a small ounce of weight for extra power, by hitting sensitive area as demonstrated in the video, it can temporarily stun the aggressor to release their grip on you. For those nicpickers may find it ugly can choose from the wide range of other Kubotans from the colorful to the extremely deadly!

From the Hidden 

The Deadly

 The Variety 

The Practical

And Totally Illegal !!!

So for the Martial Philosophers/Martial Skeptics who loves to start philosophical arguments may revel in this great question i'd like to ask. 

You don't want make your girlfriend/wife angry when she pack one of these!

"After looking through that video, is the street any safer for anyone anymore?"

Martin Yan - Iron Chef? try master of kitchen knife!

Much like Monkey Magic (Journey to the West), Martin Yan used to appear everyday on TV when I was just beginning to learn my ABC in Saseme Street. Right after the evening rerun comes a cooking host by the name of Martin Yan. Apart from looking like my uncle, this man have this really harsh foreign Cantonese accent barely be able to put proper grammar in any single sentences he ever said.

Like any great humble Martial Arts Master, they are master at hiding and deceiving certain things. After 20 long years I just found out that this man is actually an American born Chinese! I've been deceived by his accent for 20 friggin years!

However that is not the point. The point of me even talking about him is my memory of him. Yes he never appear in the popular Iron chef (not that i know of) but what makes him standsout in my memory in comparison with the rest is that, after learning to speak English in Saseme Streets, his cooking show taught me how to speak broken English!

Jokes aside, apart from his bubbly personality and many award winning shows, there is one other thing that he stood out. Martin Yan's Weapon of Choice....

Martin Yan's Signature Chinese Cooking Knife

Also known as a chinese cooking cleaver, or Chopping Knife. He uses such knife to do pretty much everything you can think of when it comes to cutting for food. Chopping, Skinning, Dicing, Cutting, Slicing, Bashing, uses as a mini-tray, Julianning.....pretty much everything. (I have yet to see him whisk an egg using that)

Martial Arts master understands the anatomy of a human. Martin Yan? He understands the anatomy of vegetables and meats. Aside from being such fast cutter and a fast stumbling speaker, his skills with his Knife and understanding the anatomy of food he can do incredible things. Like.....Cutting a piece of Chicken in 18 Seconds.

One day i'd like to find myself a weapon of choice
Martin Yan can do it so can you!