For other uses of the word staff, see staff. You may be looking for information on: Look up staff on Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

A staff is a large, thick stick or stick-shaped object used to help with walking, as a status symbol, or as a weapon. An older plural form of staff is staves (compare wolf, wolves and knife, knives). In American English the usual plural form has become staffs, however British and International English regard both as acceptable and "staves" as preferred. Look up stick, sticks in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... An animated demonstration of a six-legged insect walking. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Tool

Staves are theoretically among the earliest tools used by apes, once it was discovered that opposable thumbs could manipulate sticks as tools or as a weapon. Families Hylobatidae Hominidae †Proconsulidae †Dryopithecidae †Oreopithecidae Apes are the members of the Hominoidea superfamily of primates, which includes humans. ...

Magical artifact

"The Magic Circle" by John William Waterhouse: a woman draws a magic circle with a staff

Staves, in particular those used for status, are often ornately ornamented, but are sometimes also deliberately bland-looking. Staves are also associated with wizards and other users of magic and sorcery. Staves are a traditional prop for the elderly and infirm, and this has led to their association with wisdom. Staves associated with wizards or magi are generally made of wood and are the height of the wizard. Magic staves were used as a tool to focus the energy of the wizard. Haraibou (literal translation meaning 'purification stick') were staves that were used by the miko (Japanese female exorcists) to fight demons in Japanese lore. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (743x1000, 59 KB) [edit] Summary John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle (1886) [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Magic (fantasy) ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (743x1000, 59 KB) [edit] Summary John William Waterhouse - Magic Circle (1886) [edit] Licensing File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Magic (fantasy) ... John William Waterhouse. ... otheruses|Magician}} The Enchanted Garden of Messer Ansaldo by Marie Spartali Stillman: a magician makes his garden bear fruit and flowers in winter. ... The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse Magic and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical, paranormal or supernatural means. ... The Sorceress by John William Waterhouse Magic and sorcery are the influencing of events, objects, people and physical phenomena by mystical, paranormal or supernatural means. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Fiend” redirects here. ...

The ability of a staff to perform wonders is also featured prominently in the scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Moses and Aaron, in their task to liberate the Hebrews from Egypt and deliver them to the Promised Land, employ staves. The staves are capable of performing miraculous feats to demonstrate the power and authority of God. This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Christianity percentage by country, purple is highest, orange is lowest Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Wycliffe Tyndale · Luther · Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Pope · Archbishop of Canterbury Patriarch... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... Moses with the Tablets, 1659, by Rembrandt This article is about the Biblical figure. ... The Adoration of the Golden Calf by Nicolas Poussin Aaron (אַהֲרֹן, Standard Hebrew (w/o vowels) AHRvN, Tiberian Hebrew (), was, according to biblical accounts, one of two brothers who play a unique part in the history of the Hebrew people. ... In botany and horticulture, the popular name given to various tall flowering plants : Common mullein or great mullein (Verbascum thapsus), a biennal medicinal herb used in Amerindian medicine as a tonic for lung problems, such as cough, asthma or bronchitis; Snapdragon or Figwort family (Scrophulariaceae)(other common names: shepherds...

Weapon

Police forces have used sticks for centuries - actually, since specialised police forces have been trained for anti-riots tactics; before that, artillery or standard cavalry units were used. For the "t" shaped stick used by police forces, see tonfa. Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 – 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ... French Republican Guard - May 8, 2005 celebrations Cavalry (from French cavalerie) were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat. ... A Wooden Tonfa The tonfa, also known as tong fa or tuifa, is a traditional Okinawan weapon from which the modern side-handled police baton is derived. ...

Examples of staffs in Western Martial Arts include the English Quarterstaff and the French Bâton. One martial art that teaches the user to fight with a staff is the Italian martial art of Liu-bo. Western Martial Arts (WMA) refers to formalised fighting techniques and skills of European origin, as distinct from those originating in Asia. ... Quarterstaffs in use, from Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs, published 1891 A quarterstaff is a medieval English variant of the staff weapon, consisting of a shaft of hardwood, sometimes with metal-reinforced tips. ... The Bâton français (French stick fighting) is a European fencing system that uses a staff about 4 feet long. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ...

In Asia, training for staff fighting has always been a martial arts staple. Small Text For other uses, see Asia (disambiguation). ... Hawaiian State Grappling Championships. ...

The Indian Silambam staff has been used as a weapon since at least the 2nd century, evident from references in ancient Sangam literature at the time. The martial art associated with the Silambam staff is also known as Silambam. The Silambam staff was later incorporated in several Malay martial arts such as Silat. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... now. ... The Indian subcontinent is home to a variety of martial arts, including Pehlwani, Kalarippayattu, Vajra Mushti and Gatka. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Pencak Silat or Silat (fighting by using techniques of self-defense) is a Southeast Asian martial art with roots in the culture of the Malay World. ...

The Chinese staff is called gun (棍 pinyin gùn). Its practise is commonly divided into two main areas: Northern staff techniques (influenced by spear play) and Southern staff techniques. Many styles and techniques exist but the best known outside of China is the Shaolin Temple staff techniques as practised by the monks in Chinese medieval times (Tang dynasty 900s-1000s) and later by their disciples in pre-modern China (1600s-1900s) by anti-Manchu/Ching dynasty revolutionaries (Han Chinese patriots) prior to the wide-spread use of firearms. The techniques made their usual dissemination throughout the rest of Asia to be blended in with other countries' native fighting techniques. It must be pointed out that the Chinese staff techniques as well as other countries' native staff techniques are not wholly original and that there was free trade or espionage amongst the people practising such martial techniques. Gun event at the 10th All China Games The Chinese word Gun (Chinese: ; pinyin: gùn) refers to a long Chinese staff weapon used in Chinese martial arts. ... Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: ; Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: ), commonly called Pinyin, is the most common variant of Standard Mandarin romanization system in use. ...

Japanese short staff techniques (jō) were reportedly invented by Sensei Muso Gonnosuke Katsuyoshi after he was defeated by Miyamoto Musashi in a duel. Stung by his defeat, he invented techniques to fight against a katana using only a stick, and fought Musashi to a draw on their next encounter. A jō (杖:じょう) is an approximately four-foot (1. ... Muso Gonnosake by unknown artist Musô Gonnosuke Katsukichi (夢想權之助勝吉) was a samurai and the traditional founder of the Koryu school of jojutsu known as Shintō Musō-ryÅ« (神道夢想流/神道無想流). He is perhaps most famous for his duels with the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. ... It has been suggested that Timeline of Miyamoto Musashis life be merged into this article or section. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

Popular Culture

• In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle's universe Donatello uses a bo staff as his weapon of choice.
• In J. R. R. Tolkien's universe, Gandalf and the other wizards have magical staves as their trademark. There being five wizards, there are five staves, referred to by Saruman as "The Rods of the Five Wizards". (Magical staves of this sort have appeared in everything from Discworld to Dungeon Siege. Usually they are used only for their magic, but sometimes they are also weapons, as with Joach's staves in the Wit'ch War series of novels.)
• In Dungeons & Dragons the staff is both a light melee weapon and a more powerful version of wand.
• Mr. Eko from Lost also carried a staff he made, engraved with Christian scriptures, which Charlie called a 'jesus stick'. (He primarily used it to remind himself of parts of scripture he thought he often forgot, but in emergency situations he could use it quite effectively as a weapon.)
• In Star Fox Adventures, Fox McCloud uses a staff that is powerful in both physical and magical attacks.
• Staves are used as weapons in most Final Fantasy games. Often, as in many games, they are the weapons of spellcasters, but not always.
• In the Predator film series, the extraterrestrial Predators use high-tech, telescoping staves.
• In Nethergate, the staff is a usable weapon (though its effectiveness is limited, as evidenced by a joke in its description about a "riverside duel between Daffy Duck and Porky Pig.")
• In Eragon, Brom commonly uses a staff as a weapon.
• In Tales of Symphonia, Raine Sage uses many different staffs to heal party members or hit enemies with it doing damage.
• In RuneScape, an MMORPG, there are all sorts of staves, including elemental staves which gives the player infinite amounts of runes of the chosen element. They are all bad at melee combat, but they give the character a "magic bonus" when wielded.
• WWE wrestler, Marty Wright (a.k.a The Boogeyman) carries a staff with him to the ring in his entrance.
• In Napoleon Dynamite, Napoleon claims that one of the gangs at his school wanted him to join because he's "pretty good with a bo staff."
• In the video game called Beyond Good and Evil the main protagonist Jade uses a dai jo as her weapon, which is a type of staff.
• Monks (for example, Miroku from InuYasha) use a staff called the Shakujo, which is a staff with rings on it to alert insects or small animals and prevent them from being stepped on by the monk and to alert people that a monk is nearby.
• In Dragonball, Goku had the nyoibo staff or the power pole given by his grandpa Gohan
• In Xena Warrior Princess, Gabrielle uses a staff as her primary weapon

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; (clockwise from left) Raphael, Donatello, Michelangelo, and Leonardo. ... Donatello (or Don, or Donnie), a fictional character, is one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TMNT). ... Image of a human-shaped silhouette holding a Bo (棒, Japanese Weapon) A bo (棒) is a long stick usually made out of wood or bamboo. ... John Ronald Reuel Tolkien CBE (3 January 1892 – 2 September 1973) was an English philologist, writer and university professor, best known as the author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. ... For other uses, see Gandalf (disambiguation). ... In the fiction of J. R. R. Tolkien, the Wizards of Middle-earth are a small group of beings outwardly resembling Men but possessing much greater physical and mental power. ... Cover of an early edition of The Colour of Magic; art by Josh Kirby Discworld is a comedic fantasy book series by the British author Terry Pratchett set on the Discworld, a flat world balanced on the backs of four elephants which are in turn standing on the back of... Dungeon Siege is a real time computer role-playing game developed by Gas Powered Games and published by Microsoft. ... It has been suggested that the section Fantasy Novels from the article James Clemens be merged into this article or section. ... Dungeons & Dragons (abbreviated as D&D or DnD) is a fantasy role-playing game (RPG) originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Gygaxs company Tactical Studies Rules (TSR). ... The giant Galligantua and the wicked old magician transform the dukes daughter into a white hind. ... This article contains a trivia section. ... Lost is an American serial drama television series that follows the lives of plane crash survivors on a mysterious tropical island, after a passenger jet flying between Australia and the United States crashes somewhere in the South Pacific. ... Charlie Hieronymus Pace is a fictional character on the ABC television series Lost played by Dominic Monaghan. ... Star Fox Adventures is an action-adventure game developed by Rare and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo GameCube and part of the Star Fox series. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ... Extraterrestrial, as an adjective, refers to something that originates, occurs, or is located outside Earth or its atmosphere. ... Nethergate logo Nethergate is a computer-based historical-fiction fantasy role-playing game by Spiderweb Software available for the Macintosh and Microsoft Windows platforms. ... Eragon is a novel written by Christopher Paolini. ... Tales of Symphonia ) is a video game first released for the Nintendo GameCube and later for the PlayStation 2. ... RuneScape is a Java-based MMORPG operated by Jagex Ltd. ... An image from World of Warcraft, one of the largest commercial MMORPGs as of 2004, based on active subscriptions. ... World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. ... Napoleon Dynamite is a 2004 independent film co-written by Jared and Jerusha Hess and directed by Jared Hess. ... Image of a human-shaped silhouette holding a Bo (棒, Japanese Weapon) A bo (棒) is a long stick usually made out of wood or bamboo. ... Beyond Good & Evil is a video game for the GameCube, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, and Xbox platforms. ... Miroku ) is a fictional character in the anime and manga series InuYasha by Rumiko Takahasi. ... Serialized in Weekly Shonen Sunday Original run 1996 – (ongoing) No. ... A shakujō (Japanese: 錫杖, Sanskrit: khakkhara, Mandarin xÄ«zhàng, literally tin stick) is a Buddhist ringed staff. ...

See also

• quarterstaff
• wand

Quarterstaffs in use, from Old English Sports, Pastimes and Customs, published 1891 A quarterstaff is a medieval English variant of the staff weapon, consisting of a shaft of hardwood, sometimes with metal-reinforced tips. ... The giant Galligantua and the wicked old magician transform the dukes daughter into a white hind. ...

External links

• http://www.egreenway.com/taichichuan/staff.htm
• MartialStaff.com
• http://ejmas.com/jmanly/articles/2003/jmanlyart_wolfcosta_0203.htm