Maestro Bonafont created his own dynamic and unique form of walking stick self defence in the Buenos Aires of the 1920s. The Bonafont Association's mission is to promote the methods and teachings of this extraordinary maestro.

At present all the tuition we offer will be online but it is our hope that in future a permanent school can be created, that will result in teachers being registered to teach this rare style of stick defence.

For anyone interested in learning more please use the contact form and ask to be put on our mailing list for future events. A book detailing the all the major points of the style is available can be purchased by clicking the link near the bottom of this page

Buenos Aires in the 1920s was a city of contrasts. A vibrant, nocturnal world thrived amidst the sprawling shipyards, slaughterhouses, and cold storage plants of Dock Sud. The smoke-filled bars, bordellos, and dance halls pulsed to the rhythm of the tango as labourers from the slums of Boedo rubbed shoulders with the wealthy elites from Recoleta. However, for the affluent and elegantly dressed young men known as ‘dandies’ who ventured downtown in pursuit of pleasure, the threat of violence was never far away. A disagreement could quickly escalate into a knife duel, which rarely ended well for the upper-class gentleman.

Unsurprisingly, self-protection became a concern for the well-to-do. Some young men turned to boxing or savate, while others attended fencing academies, the most famous of which was Club Gimnasia y Esgrima de Buenos Aires. Here, the fencing master Arturo Bonafont taught a unique and highly effective method of self-defence with a simple hardwood walking stick.

In 1930, he published his system in a book titled Nuevos Modos De Defenderse en la Calle con un Bastón (New Ways to Defend on the Street with a Cane).

Over time, what has come to be known as “The Bonafont Method” has acquired a near-mythic status among a select group of dedicated enthusiasts. The innovative techniques and the book's rarity have only heightened its allure.