The quarterstaff was for many years the weapon of the common man, recorded in the traditional songs and stories of the British Isles.

The qualities required for expert application of the quarterstaff are those of the developed warrior.

Starting with a branch or seasoned sapling, a ineluctible weapon can be made.

In training with the staff, we seek to develop not just physical strength and agility but also the ability to move in different ways. The six animals - stag, cat, bear, fox, boar, hawk - teach specific qualities of movement, but also represent qualities the warrior learns to use.

Here is a link to A Brief History of the Quarterstaff from the Journal of Western Martial Art.