Facão (Machete)
Bladed weapon
Quick Facts
Martial Arts
OriginBrazil (Africa/Portugal) (16th-19th C. (Colonial Era))
Wield TypeSingle/Paired
MaterialSteel with wooden handle
Length50 - 70 cm cm
Weight0.5 - 0.8 kg kg
History
Traditional farming tool for harvesting sugarcane. Enslaved Africans in Brazil used it as an improvised weapon and integrated it into the Maculelê martial dance.
About
Used for powerful diagonal and horizontal slashes. In Maculelê, it is used in pairs with a focus on rhythmic sparking of the blades against each other.