A lot of weapons came and vanished but there are a few that left an impact. Take swords for example. These bladed weapons were extremely popular and were important warfare weapons. One of the weapons that have left an impact is the nunchucks. Nunchucks are basically two wooden sticks connected using a rope or chain. Also called a nunchaku, it is a powerful and lethal weapon used in martial arts. It became popular in the US in the late 1970s when it was introduced in the movies. Though these wooden tools were quite famous in China and ancient Japan, the US saw them in the late 1970s and 1980s. Anyway, here is a detailed explanation of nunchucks and how they were made popular in the US!
Origin of the Nunchucks
First of all, let’s talk about the origin of the nunchucks. There are different opinions regarding that. A few people say that it is a Chinese weapon. However, other historians believe that it is an Okinawan weapon. In any case, it is a weapon that came from this part of the world. The strong claims are that it is an Okinawan weapon. Before the 10th century, nunchaku was used in China as an agricultural tool. It looked like a flail and featured two wooden sticks connected using a rope. It was used for reaping and cutting crops like wheat, soy and rice.
The War That Announced the Nunchucks
During the 10th century, a famous war took place. This was a war between a Chinese emperor of the Sung dynasty and the Mongols. The Mongols won that war and as a result, the Chinese retrated as they lost their territory. Anyway, they came to the Mainland Chinese territory. This is where the emperor learned about the nunchucks. He discovered the weapon and then trained his army with it. When they became fully trained, they marched towards the Mongols and battled them again. This time around, the Chinese won the war and they got their territory back. The use of the nunchucks helped them win the battle. This made the nunchaku famous all over the world.
Bruce Lee Made the Nunchucks Famous in the US
In the US, the nunchucks were not always popular. During the 1970s and 1980s, most of the movies of Bruce Lee featured the use of this weapon. He was a master of using it. He had all the skills to use it with perfection. People in the US were impressed by his skills and they liked this weapon as well. This is when the nunchaku became popular in the US. After that many of the movies included the use of this weapon. Even today, it is being used in the movies.
Nunchucks in the US Entertainment TV Shows & Video Games
After the nunchucks became popular in the US, they were not only used in the movies. Now you can see them in entertainment shows and TV shows as well. In addition, they have been used in several video games. This determines the popularity of the weapon. People use them as cosplay weapons and a part of their Halloween costumes when they try to dress up like Bruce Lee. Also, it is a good collectible for enthusiasts. So, Bruce Lee was the main person who made this weapon popular in the United States.
