The reality of kobudo is that it is unnoticed before it strikes.

  My logic was if kobudo was really from various village traditions, this is what the people doing that kobudo may have looked like.

 

 Specifically I am thinking of the time prior to aspects of the village arts being imported into karate training. There are incredible values from the kobudo addition to training. However, except for those who served in the Okiawan Police forces, it is unlikely that anyone in the karate era (say 1870 forward) ever used the implements they chose to include for actual combat or defense.

 

When we think back over the long time the village traditions developed, they would have included kama as every Okinawan household used them for gardening around the house. Likewise they equally may have developed traditions on anything they got their hands on to use, such as the common broom.

 

When karate traditions chose to include kobudo training, they were likely influenced given their societal status to not pick the more common man/woman items. Like brooms, many agricultural tools, or the tools of fishing like nets or spears.

 

Of course this is just a theory with me. But something to think about.