The french...shoes...and some other stuff...

[dasNdanger]

First - I'm just testing to see if Foxe ever sleeps...

Second, in my search for Frogs in Boots, I came across this little tidbit - and I have a few questions from it (quotes from various sources)...

"Savate, translated the old shoe or boot, traces its origins as far back as the 17th century to the streets and seaports of France. As a form of exercise, French sailors practiced stretch-kicks during their long ocean voyages.

These kicks were later incorporated into a form of foot fighting called “chausson,” which was used by Napoleons army as a form of punishment to miscreants."

"This method was initially called 'Chausson', the name of a sailor's deck shoe, or slipper, although it was also known as jeu marseillais (sport Marseilles)."

"It was the French Navy who developed Chausson (pronounced Shoh-sohn) as a gymnastic game of fencing with the feet. The term actually means 'slipper' and referred to the sailor's espadrilles. It became a local street game about Marseille, Aubagne and Toulon."

"In 17th century France, two specific forms of street fighting evolved. Chausson Marseillais, as one style was named, depended almost exclusively on the power of kicking. The other style was called Savate, and it involved using a combination of open handed hits and low kicks."

"Savate, translated the "Old Shoe" or "The Boot," traces its origins as far back as the 17th century to the streets and seaports of France. As a form of exercise, French sailors practiced stretch-kicks during their long ocean voyages."

Okay - so here are my questions.

1. Is there any evidence that this style of exercise/fighting ever made it onto pirate vessels? Wow - if so, all that swashbuckling in film may have been for naught! LOL! Van Damme instead of Depp in the next pirate flick - what say you??

2. Does anyone know the actual beginnings of this activity - most sources say the 17th century, but it wasn't fully developed until Napoleonic times.

3. Although it took well over a century to develop into a 'sport' with rules, etc...would these sailors' 'slippers' that became associated with the sport have been worn in the 17th century (powder slippers or something else??)?? Or were they more of a 19th century thing?

das

[Rumba Rue]

maybe this is where all those crazy questions about ninja's vs. pirates comes from!

[dasNdanger]

LOL, Rumba perhaps! It just seems so unusual - I've never associated such an exercise or sport with sailors...it seems so out of place.

Anywho...I suppose no one knows what these 'slippers' are?? Guess I'll have to do me own research...blech.

das