How do you know that Haitian Machete Fencing is not also constrained by rules? The description at https://www.haitianfencing.org/ says it's in part derived from saber, brought in by the French slavers. One of the development coordinators is an instructor of Historical European Martial Arts. I think my analogy to foil fencing stands. In any case, it's a nearly dead practice, as that film states. The point isn't that somehow an innovative fighting style, as you oddly think I feel, but that it's a connection to Haitian past and culture. "Professor Avril often expressed to us his hope that our project will increase the prestige of Haitian machete fencing as an art form, both at home and abroad, and give the younger generation a reason to retain this piece of their cultural heritage into the future."

That was the point of the film. Not some argument about its superior fighting style, unique approach, or historical primacy, which is what you seem to think it's about. Think of it as an heirloom. You don't go into someone's house and tell them that their bauble, handed down for 5 generations, isn't as nice or as good as your bauble, because that's not really the point. I'm certain that in your hypothetical match-up the Haitian style practitioner would lose. Then again, winning such a fight doesn't appear to be the goal for the Haitian style practitioners describe in this movie, the organization which trains people in this style, or the filmmakers.

I think you have misread the comment about flyers. Your Filipino ancestors didn't hand fliers, but a web search shows that modern practitioners certainly do. Neither was Avril talking about his Haitian ancestors. He was talking about his generation, and saying that even 10 years ago people in Haiti weren't promoting it with flyers or training sessions open to the public. It's certainly not the national sport and martial art of Haiti.

DannyJr: Isn't that like criticizing foil fencing because it only targets the torso, when real combat is not so limited? In any case, http://www.vibe.com/2016/09/alfred-avril-machete-master-from-haiti/ quotes Avril "This is not traditionally an art form that you share publicly. It has a history rooted in the revolution. Through the years it’s become something you pass on from father to son, or to members of your immediate community. You don’t hand out flyers to train people in machete fencing." That's rather different reason to exist than Filipino Blade Fighting styles.

Also, Zeon? NatGeo didn't speak to Avril. That was Third Horizon Media film, partially Kickstarted. The web site is http://www.papamachete.com/ . The NatGeo at the end is because "The Short Film Showcase spotlights exceptional short videos created by filmmakers from around the web and selected by National Geographic editors."

That got me to look at Google N-grams. Based on https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=beehive+state%2BBeehive+State%2BBeehive+state&year_start=1800&year_end=2000&corpus=15&smoothing=3&share=&direct_url=t1%3B%2C%28beehive%20state%20%2B%20Beehive%20State%20%2B%20Beehive%20state%29%3B%2Cc0 it looks like "beehive state" didn't really take off until the 1920s or 1930s.

I used to live in NM, but had not heard of "greaser". Oh, my. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greaser_(derogatory) says it "was a derogatory term for a Mexican in what is now the U.S. Southwest in the 19th century." California's "Greaser Act" was a racist anti-Mexican law. This map is no longer that humorous.

The FEBO fast-food chain in the Netherlands has had automats for decades. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cOppaHSnXQg . Including selling burgers. In all the debate about how raising minimum wage will end up causing fast food restaurants to switch to automation, I haven't heard discussion about why they got rid of automation in the first place, or why McD's in countries like Denmark, where counter staff get $20/hour, hasn't yet switched there to more automation.

Oops! Yes, thanks.