HAMA
Nicknames | HAMA |
---|---|
Earliest recorded playing | 1919 AD, Durnstaal |
Registered players | 26,000+ |
Clubs | 78 |
Characteristics | |
Contact | Yes |
Team members | 1 per side |
Mixed gender | Yes |
Type | Martial Art |
Equipment | Various medieval weapons, protective equipment |
Venue | Enclosed Ring |
Presence | |
Country or region | Durnstaal |
Historical Adulan Martial Arts or HAMA for short is a broad sport in which (normally) two opponents duel using medieval weaponry and techniques.
The sport's origins lie in the martial practices of Eastern Adula spanning from approximately 600 AD to 1300 AD which were rendered obsolete by the widespread adoption of gunpowder weaponry or evolved into far different forms over time. The first organized group devoted to these practices was formed in 1889 by the Old Royal Armory in Durnen as a method to draw in visitors with live demonstrations of the weapons and armor the museum displayed. Similar groups began appearing in colleges and wealthy boarding schools soon after, culminating in the founding of the MALA in 1919 as an official regulatory organization for the sport.
HAMA is performed using blunted weapons from Adula's past, most often of the High Medieval period from roughly 1100 AD to 1300 AD. The most common weapons used are longswords and sabers and all official duels require both participants to use the same weapon. Official bouts consist of 5 rounds played until first hit with the winner of the most rounds being declared the winner.