Long Stick (Bo)

    ^{The long stick evolved as a weapon, and subsequently as a an art of self defense and attack, out of a need for a readily available means of defense.
    In ancient times, people would walk with a stick (also called staff). The staff also became a symbol of status. Poorer people would carry a simple staff made of a cheap and readily available wood. People belonging to a higher social class, or richer, would carry a stick made of harder and better wood, thus signaling their social status. People belonging to the upper class carried a very ornate staff not only made of rare and beautiful wood, but very often ornate and decorated with various design elements. Travelers would often be attacked on their journeys and used their staff, to fend of of attackers and defend themselves, their families and their possessions.}

    ^{Skillful and very effective ways of disabling (and sometimes killing) the attackers developed over time using the staff. Pakua has kept, in its vast array of martial art knowledge, this ancient means of self defense.    It is studied within the familiar arrangement of the Pakua symbol, making use of the eight changes, the three distances of Sky Man and Earth, the Yin Yang theory, and the general unified philosophy of Pa-Kua. (Please see Symbol for more information on this subject.) The study of this ancient weapon teaches much more than just another means of self defense.} 

    ^{The posture acquired during the training with the Long Stick, the dexterity, the ability to use a common household item object (such as a broom stick) for self defense, has enormous benefits to any Pakua student. The course in the use of the Long Stick is divided in to four levels. After completing the fourth level and with the proper amount of training, the student acquires the ability to teach the art of self defense using the Long Stick.}