It's just another of many theories. Here's a picture of an Okinawan horsebit: kinda looks like this could have been the first nunchaku also. The thing is, there is no hard information on who did what first, so this will always be an unwinable debate. I think the best is to document all theories and leave it at that.
Yeah... the pic i had linked worked at first, but then i guess tripod blocked it. Thanks for the link Gojuman
Nunchaku as far as ive gathered can be used offensively (striking), defensively (saw bruce lee block knife attacks with them, but obviously in a film) and for some holds and locks (using the tiny chain section and wrapping it around arm/neck/whatever). But these days theyre only used for kata/forms coz lets face it, they look really cool when used right. I dont think iv ever heard of any assults on someone with nunchaku. If anyone else has then please prove me wrong...
I've seen the flail with one long handle (150cm or so) and a short (25cm) end used as a farm implement in rural China. They are used to knock the grains off the stems of wheat, although this is currently more often accomplished by laying the wheat on a paved road and letting passing vehicles do the work. The farmers also use the same flail in martial arts demos. Other farm implements also serve this double function. As far as these kind of things being used in fighting, they were never a military weapon. They were used in self-defence by peasants, who were usually extremely poor. Sometimes civilian weapons were illegal, and even when they weren't, they were just too expensive. It isn't really a question of whether or not a flail is an effective weapon. It's more a question of whether a flail is more effective than no weapon.
Yes, this is what most people who criticize nunchaku fail to understand. Nunchaku was never a meant to be the first picked weapon of choice. It's more of a last-ditch effort of defense. My understanding is that the farmers/peasants would carry these tucked away in their clothing so they would always have some form of a weapon on them at all times. This was especially important in the days when they were not allowed to arm themselves with any form of weapon. It's easily arguable that nunchaku is more lethal than the empty hand. I would rather be hit full force from a fist than full force from a nunchaku. You can almost look at is as an "greater than" or "less than" equation: empty hand < nunchaku < staff As an example.
