Kael's Article on clubspinning and how it relates to us glowstringers/poists.

If you're a poi nut like I am, chances are you know that the modern poi spinning of today is nothing like the traditional maori poi of Aotearoa (New Zealand), where the term poi originated.

Where does club swinging come from?

"Club swinging is believed to have originated in India by soldiers as a method of improving strength, agility, balance and physical ability. During the annexation of India, British officers witnessed the graceful motions and essential property of expanding the chest and exercising every muscle of the body. The British brought the Indian Clubs to Europe where the Germans and Czechs adopted club swinging into their physical training systems. German immigrants brought the clubs to the United States in the mid-1800s, where they were soon introduced into both American school physical education programs and military physical readiness training. Indian Club Exercises lost popularity in the 1920s in exchange for sports and games."

The weave used to be called the cross, crossers were waistwraps, and isolations were known as snakes. A lot of moves we consider "basic poi" are actually club swinging moves.

So if what we do isn't called poi, why is it still called poi?

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