ronh

Heard about the Egyptian system it was called Sebekah and it was recorded during the time of the various pharaohs (cant place it exactly) but it's definitely BC. And like Trev said I know that Chinese Kung-fu and Shaolin especially was derived from Bodi Dharma coming from India and teaching the monks there various Indian martial arts and meditation derived from Yoga.

I cross train in Escrima, which is filipino stick/knife fighting art (but also open hand, and joint locking). On a side note it's interesting how imperialism and colonization has taken a lot of influence from the occupying cultures (Spanish and American) with the Filipino martial arts. Before Spanish colonization Filipino arts centered around a lot of knife and blade fighting involved with a lot of tribal warfare. Spanish influence brought ideas of fencing and fencing stances into the picture but on a negative note the Spanish eventually outlawed Filipino martial arts as it was a possible threat, by outlawing blades for use with fighting and the formal training of Filipino martial arts. This is what started the focus on rattan or sticks for fighting as they were not outlawed as blades were. With the American occupation various elements of western boxing were implemented into the art as well. It really is an interesting system that highlights Filipino fighting mentality, there is little in the way of blocks and it is very aggressive with attacks. Block and checks usually come in only when performing an attack. It's really very brutal.

It's a similar situation in Samoa, American Samoa is an American territory and the native population receives reimbursement from the United States government for having a former naval base there. They have local laws that almost puts them at the sate level but they have no representation in congress, senate, etc. One thing that you will notice as well in Samoa is a dependence on the american income causing people to become for all words and purposes lazy. Even though they don't like white people or (Pelangi's) they would never want to lose there American territory status. So there is no real independence's movement in American Samoa. There is a noticeable difference between an island that is only 50 miles away which is Western Samoa (my mom's birthplace) which is it's own independent nation much more poor but a noticeable difference in mentality from American Samoans. Anyways I used to live in Hawaii with my family and Hawaiians hated us. Although Samoans and native Hawaiians are very much involved with crime in Hawaii it has to do with the social and cultural circumstances rather then anything about blood and race.