Story: Martial arts

Jiu-jitsu demonstration, Greymouth, 1911 (1st of 2)

Jiu-jitsu demonstration, Greymouth, 1911

In 1911 the Grey River Argus reported that a bluejacket (naval rating) who took part in a public demonstration of jiu-jitsu fainted when the hold was released. Jiu-jitsu developed among the samurai of feudal Japan as a way of defeating an opponent through pins, locks and throws. From 1906 to 1914 expert practitioners such as Kiyo Kameda toured New Zealand, sometimes challenging much larger boxers and wrestlers.

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National Library of New Zealand, Papers Past
Reference: Grey River Argus, 17 May 1911, p. 3

Permission of the National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page:

Bronwyn Dalley, 'Martial arts - Martial arts to the 1970s', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/document/39033/jiu-jitsu-demonstration-greymouth-1911 (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Bronwyn Dalley, published 5 Sep 2013, updated 27 Jan 2015