Though similar stick fighting techniques are present in the Iberian peninsula (e.g. Portuguese and Galician ), the origins of may be traced back to the
Guanches, the
indigenous people of the
Canary Islands in pre-colonial times during the early 15th century.
Gaspar Frutuoso records its use in an anecdote when the portuguese were turned on by the local king Ossinisso, the locals fending the portuguese off with their
paos tostados (heat-treated sticks).'''''' Another account comes from Spanish engineer named
Leonardo Torriani wrote a history of the Canary Islands in 1590 and included a record of early , accompanied by an illustration of two Guanche warriors performing a type of ritual combat with short staves in a small arena. Torriani wrote; "When two Canarians went to duel, they met at a special place established for this purpose. It was a small enclosure with a level, raised stone platform at each end. To begin, they each stood upon a platform, armed with three of the smooth throwing stones they call , and also with the stick called or . Then they dodged the stones as they were thrown, skillfully twisting their bodies without moving their feet. Next, they stepped down and fenced with the staves, each one trying to gain advantage over the other, as is our custom also." The art has been maintained through to the present day, undergoing a particular renaissance during the 1970s as part of a general effort to maintain native Canarian folk traditions. It bears resemblance to the Portuguese martial art and the Venezuelan form . is now a popular sports activity in the Canaries and has been the subject of considerable academic interest as well, with a number of professional conferences having been held at local universities to investigate the history, culture, and technique of the art. == Description ==