Echani (martial art)

The Echani art was an unarmed combat discipline developed by the Echani. Tradition dictated that combatants (usually) made no use of armor, weapons or Force techniques, as the art was focused on mastering the body itself as a weapon. Echani culture held the belief that combat was the only means to truly know someone, a pure form of expression where words were swept away, allowing for action to reveal the true nature of the people involved. Their duels were rituals, and it was important to follow etiquette, for that would allow them to read each others' stance and fight accordingly. In this manner, battle was seen as a form of communication similar to art. Exposing emotions in combat, however, made the duel a personal thing; engaging in repeated sessions was a courtship of sorts, in which one's favors were won through superior fighting prowess.

The Echani art had three tiers, each relying on foundations, and featuring higher forms than the previous one. Echani children began by learning the foundations, progressing over time from one tier to the next as the instructor saw fit.

Text and facts from the “Echani (martial art)/Legends” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.