Our Philosophy
At Guild of the Silent Sword, we research traditional African fighting arts with the goal of recovering these lost arts as well continuing the evolution of these arts into the modern times. This allows us to share Africa’s rich history and culture of the past.
The Moorish Chieftan by Eduard Charlemont
Austin Warrior Arts is home to several disciplines, all in the Historical African Martial Arts traditions.
Guild of the Silent Sword owes its name to the hero of the Soninke epic poem, Dausi. “The Dausi “was a poem of the history of the Soninke people and the rise and fall of their eternal city. Wagadu, according to historians, corresponds with the ancient West African empire of Ghana (850 C.E. - 1250 C.E.) in the area of Mali and Mauretania. Legend says, the city was protected by a great serpent named Bida. Every year Bida rained down gold on the city of Wagadu in exchange he required sacrifice of a young woman chosen by lottery. This agreement was how the kings of Ghana attained their wealth and power. This custom continued for many generations until one day fate had chosen the beautiful Sai Tu Bara to become a wife and sacrifice to Bida. Her fiancé Mamadi, a warrior whose praise name was Sefe Dekote (the 'silent sword') due to his taciturn nature and relentlessness towards his goals discovered that Sia was chosen to be sacrificed. Determined to save her life, Mamadi killed the serpent thus making him an outcast. Soon after the death of the serpent Bida, the city of Wagadu was destroyed and the Soninke people scattered.
The Dausi and the story of Mamadi was one of the first Heroic epics from West Africa that I was exposed to. Mamadi's iconoclastic actions in saving his Sia is reflected in our guild's work to research Africa's past and shatter the myths concerning the Continent and its wealthy history.
African Martial Arts
Africa is the cradle of humanity and home to the earliest recorded martial arts. In the Nile Valley, on the tombs at Beni Hassan, the iconography depicts Egyptian and Nubian warriors engaged in a number of martial activities such as wrestling, boxing, stick fencing, and archery. Although the empires of Egypt and Kush have faded into time, the legacy of their martial culture survives to this day in the form of stick dances, ritualized stick fighting and community wrestling events. In southern Egypt a stick fight called Tahtib is still practiced by the Sa’idi of southern Egypt. In Sudan, the arts of wrestling and stick fighting flourish among the Nuba.
In the Middle ages the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt used Tahtib for sword training. Additionally, the Nubian kingdoms of Makuria, Nobatae and Alwo successfully defeated numerous Arab invasions, insuring that the Nubian kingdoms would remain a Christian state. According to Arab accounts it was the prowess of the Nubian archers, nicknamed “pupil smiter’s" for their uncanny ability to target their enemy’s eyes, that allowed them to carry the day.
At Guild of the Silent Sword, we research traditional African fighting arts with the goal of recovering these lost arts as well continuing the evolution of these arts into the modern times. This allows us to share Africa’s rich history and culture of the past.
Our Discipline
Our scholarship covers three periods of time:
Research
How does one revive a fighting form that has been lost to the ages with no written manuals to base your research?
The African arts pose a serious dilemma in regards to reconstruction. As far as we know, there are no surviving manuals on weapons training or warfare. Although this does not exist we do have other references from the past that we correlate with the knowledge we have today.
Living Traditions
Fortunately for us Africa’s Heroic period did not cease until the 19th century. This benefits our research in a number of ways:
Contributing Influences
Sword Dances of the Middle East
Al Hakam (Syria)
Saif oo Terse (Levant)
Stick Fighting of North and East Africa
Tahtib (Egypt)
Al Matrag (Algeria)
Historical context
Arab - Many West African states had adopted the Islamic style of warfare and deployment.
Berber- Berber’s at war may provide more and older sources and Berbers in turn were in close contact with the people of the Sahel
Mamluk- Mamluk training may have filtered into West Africa via the courts of Mansa Musa and Askia Muhammad. Both men made spectacular Hajji and brought back many new ideas concerning Islam, architecture, administration etc
Turkish- Ottoman/Turkish influence were introduced into West African via Mai Idris Alooma of Bornu. It is recorded that the Mai hired Turkish tutors in order to train his personal bodyguard of musketeers.
Target = Weapon = Approach Theorem
Mission dictates target
Target dictates weapon
Weapon dictates approach
At Silent Sword we use this principle to guide in reconstruction especially in those gray areas where living traditions and personal account are silent. In these situations, we fall back on the scientific method in order to move forward. We take a close look at the weapons and defensive equipment used in order to discern how the weapons would have been used to negate the defensive equipment. In dealing with an opponent the particular arrangement displays our probable target. In turn, the target will dictate a specific approach depending upon the weapon use. The weapon design dictates how the weapon is best employed.
In order to use this strategy we have to understand why they fought and what kind of defensive equipment was used in making training weapons that behave like the actual weapons.
Hypothesize
Based on the information above we develop theories on how these weapons were used in combat with the sources and information at hand. We develop drills that enable us to perform these skill sets during the stress of combat.
Experimentation
Once we have a good working theory we put the theory to the test through sparring and simulate object test cutting, always striving for what can be applied in real time.
Community
We interact, train, and spar with other groups from different systems in order to further our understanding of swordplay.
Guild of the Silent Sword owes its name to the hero of the Soninke epic poem, Dausi. “The Dausi “was a poem of the history of the Soninke people and the rise and fall of their eternal city. Wagadu, according to historians, corresponds with the ancient West African empire of Ghana (850 C.E. - 1250 C.E.) in the area of Mali and Mauretania. Legend says, the city was protected by a great serpent named Bida. Every year Bida rained down gold on the city of Wagadu in exchange he required sacrifice of a young woman chosen by lottery. This agreement was how the kings of Ghana attained their wealth and power. This custom continued for many generations until one day fate had chosen the beautiful Sai Tu Bara to become a wife and sacrifice to Bida. Her fiancé Mamadi, a warrior whose praise name was Sefe Dekote (the 'silent sword') due to his taciturn nature and relentlessness towards his goals discovered that Sia was chosen to be sacrificed. Determined to save her life, Mamadi killed the serpent thus making him an outcast. Soon after the death of the serpent Bida, the city of Wagadu was destroyed and the Soninke people scattered.
The Dausi and the story of Mamadi was one of the first Heroic epics from West Africa that I was exposed to. Mamadi's iconoclastic actions in saving his Sia is reflected in our guild's work to research Africa's past and shatter the myths concerning the Continent and its wealthy history.
African Martial Arts
Africa is the cradle of humanity and home to the earliest recorded martial arts. In the Nile Valley, on the tombs at Beni Hassan, the iconography depicts Egyptian and Nubian warriors engaged in a number of martial activities such as wrestling, boxing, stick fencing, and archery. Although the empires of Egypt and Kush have faded into time, the legacy of their martial culture survives to this day in the form of stick dances, ritualized stick fighting and community wrestling events. In southern Egypt a stick fight called Tahtib is still practiced by the Sa’idi of southern Egypt. In Sudan, the arts of wrestling and stick fighting flourish among the Nuba.
In the Middle ages the Mamluk dynasty of Egypt used Tahtib for sword training. Additionally, the Nubian kingdoms of Makuria, Nobatae and Alwo successfully defeated numerous Arab invasions, insuring that the Nubian kingdoms would remain a Christian state. According to Arab accounts it was the prowess of the Nubian archers, nicknamed “pupil smiter’s" for their uncanny ability to target their enemy’s eyes, that allowed them to carry the day.
At Guild of the Silent Sword, we research traditional African fighting arts with the goal of recovering these lost arts as well continuing the evolution of these arts into the modern times. This allows us to share Africa’s rich history and culture of the past.
Our Discipline
Our scholarship covers three periods of time:
- Ancient States of the Nile Valley Egypt and Nubia
- Sahelian States
- Colonial
Research
How does one revive a fighting form that has been lost to the ages with no written manuals to base your research?
The African arts pose a serious dilemma in regards to reconstruction. As far as we know, there are no surviving manuals on weapons training or warfare. Although this does not exist we do have other references from the past that we correlate with the knowledge we have today.
Living Traditions
Fortunately for us Africa’s Heroic period did not cease until the 19th century. This benefits our research in a number of ways:
- Many of the sword dances and ritualized sword fights are still practiced by groups such as the Tuareg, the Hausa, The Toubou, the Beja, and the Swahili. In fact, many of those still carry swords on a regular basis.
- There were many European explorers in the 19th century that wrote accounts of African armies in action. This provides a wealth of information such as how they fought, how they marched and what weapons they used. Even reports on the wounded provides information on how weapons were used.
Contributing Influences
Sword Dances of the Middle East
Al Hakam (Syria)
Saif oo Terse (Levant)
Stick Fighting of North and East Africa
Tahtib (Egypt)
Al Matrag (Algeria)
Historical context
Arab - Many West African states had adopted the Islamic style of warfare and deployment.
Berber- Berber’s at war may provide more and older sources and Berbers in turn were in close contact with the people of the Sahel
Mamluk- Mamluk training may have filtered into West Africa via the courts of Mansa Musa and Askia Muhammad. Both men made spectacular Hajji and brought back many new ideas concerning Islam, architecture, administration etc
Turkish- Ottoman/Turkish influence were introduced into West African via Mai Idris Alooma of Bornu. It is recorded that the Mai hired Turkish tutors in order to train his personal bodyguard of musketeers.
Target = Weapon = Approach Theorem
Mission dictates target
Target dictates weapon
Weapon dictates approach
At Silent Sword we use this principle to guide in reconstruction especially in those gray areas where living traditions and personal account are silent. In these situations, we fall back on the scientific method in order to move forward. We take a close look at the weapons and defensive equipment used in order to discern how the weapons would have been used to negate the defensive equipment. In dealing with an opponent the particular arrangement displays our probable target. In turn, the target will dictate a specific approach depending upon the weapon use. The weapon design dictates how the weapon is best employed.
In order to use this strategy we have to understand why they fought and what kind of defensive equipment was used in making training weapons that behave like the actual weapons.
Hypothesize
Based on the information above we develop theories on how these weapons were used in combat with the sources and information at hand. We develop drills that enable us to perform these skill sets during the stress of combat.
Experimentation
Once we have a good working theory we put the theory to the test through sparring and simulate object test cutting, always striving for what can be applied in real time.
Community
We interact, train, and spar with other groups from different systems in order to further our understanding of swordplay.