Cebuano Eskrima

Then what? . . .

2010-06-13T07:25:00.000-07:00

Since they made arnis or eskrima as the Philippine "national sport," what had transpired since then?

Is there any radical improvement we can now see as the result? Well, none really.

Thit is because there is no back-up plan available. Is is like plucking the feathers odfthe chicken but failed to slaughter it, yo make it juicy fried chicken.

They just love to make new laws but that's all. They don't take it seriously bacause if they did, there would have been improvements altready.

Making it into a Law is just the first step; it is not the end in itself.

2009-12-31T21:47:00.000-08:00

I am not sure if I understand this, since this is already a habit . . . but let me say this anyway, Happy New Year to you all there. I've been hibernating for sometime now. So here's my first piece for this year, 2010.
Good eskrimadores still have their complete set of fingers by now. Here in the Philippines where playing with stupid toys, like the firecrackers, is a New Year thing . . . many people lost their fingers about this time. The government seems against it, but they don't ban it. The priests say, "Go in peace." but don't forewarned against this. But whose fault is this, anyway? If you lose a few digits last night, that is your fault. Amen.
So what's the connection between playing firecrackers and eskrima? Well, it is the risk of losing fingers and the handling the olisi (the stick). If one cannot hold it properly and keep it, then doing eskrima is almost impossible. The thumb is the most important part of to consider. especially for the handling hand. The rest of the fingers have no finger to appose with, when a thumb is no longer there in its place, meaning holding a stick is already tedious.

When hitting a hard target, for example, there will be reverberation of sort, and if the thumb is not there, the eskrimador will just disarm himself alone. Very embarrassing. If you loss the first index finger then it is not easy to hyperextend the striking hand also.

Losing a finger is not always after the explosion. Majority of the loss happened in the Emrgency Room where the doctors (actually madical interns working like slaves) save the rest of the anatomy from infection by disarticulating/ amputating the finger. Disarticulation is making a finger shorter by severing the portion distal from its phalangeal joint. A kinda painful process because the tiny joint is exposed, the minute blood vessels there are carefully clamped one by one, the tendons and lubricals are then cut. The skin is incise like a "fish mouth" to make closing the wound easy.

Since your visit at about two or three in the morning annoys the sleepy staff with your foolishness (you've been warned many times over the radio television), you are likely given an expiry local anesthetics and since you are likely alcohol-saturated as well. The doctor is enjoying the fun. I know this because I did this sadistic thing year agoin my; I also showed no mercy, esp. to those adults who acted like toddlers and cannot outgrow the playing of firecrackers. "I did my best to make you satisfied" silently grin and sang.

Now, we are talking about the finger, what about when the blast ate the more proximal part? The wrist, the forearm, the arm? Well, it is more challenging thing, and you better ask somebody to get blood for you just in case you go straight to the operating room. They are more scalpel-happy there.

But even if that is a minor case, there is still one thing before you go home happy or full of regret. You need to take anti-tetanus injection (sorry no tablet or suppository for this). After that, some insensitive ones meet and greet you a "Happy New Year." You naturally, like Mr Scrooge, with tears in you eyes, silently say, "whatever." Happy New Year dude and see next year for the remaing fingers.

Eskrima's Main Weapon

2009-09-14T04:12:00.000-07:00

It is said that the stick is simply the extension of the hand. If this weapon is simply an extension, then what is the mean weapon? Is it the hand carrying the weapon? No . . . nobody can see the weapon. The main weapon is the mind.

In Dhammapada (a Buddhist text), it is said that the historical Buddha (Siddhattha Gotama) taught that;

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā
manoseṭṭhā manomayā
Manasā ce paduṭṭhena bhāsati vā karoti vā
Tato naṃ dukkhamanveti cakkaṃ'va vahato padaṃ.

(All that we are is the result of what we have thought:
it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.
If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him,
as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.)

Manopubbaṅgamā dhammā
manoseṭṭhā manomayā
Manasā ce pasannena bhāsati vā karoti vā
Tato naṃ sukhamanveti chāyā'va anapāyinī.

(All that we are is the result of what we have thought:
it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts.
If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him,
like a shadow that never leaves him.)

Since any physical action starts in the mind then the mind is our main weapon.

Clattered mind brings misguided hands, misguided hands bring imprecise and inaccurate olisi strikes.

But who commands the mind?

Balagtas and Arnis

2009-09-10T23:13:00.000-07:00

A poet like Francisco "Balagtas" Baltazar (April 2, 1788 – February 20, 1862) was meticulous about words. Long before Yambao and Mirafuente came out with their book on arnis in 1957, Balagtas had already mentioned the words arnés (arnis) and cáliz (kalis) in his work,"Florante at Laura".

My point is this; Why chose the word arnis, instead of kali? And why wrote the word kalis and failed to use kali?

Below are the excerpt of the work in its original Tagalog orthography (circa 1700s)and the contemporary Tagalog version of the same. (Notice how different the Tagalog was written in the earlier years as compared to the current usage.)

223

Minulán ang galí sa pagsasayauan
ayon sa música,t, auit na saliuan,
laróng bunó,t, arnés na quinaquitaan
nang cani-caniyang licsi,t, carunungan.

Contemporary Tagalog . . .

223
"Minulan ang gali sa pagsasayawan,
ayon sa musika't awit na saliwan;
larong buno't arnis na kinakitaan
ng kani-kaniyang liksi't karunungan."

Then Tarrosa Subido's translation . . .

223

The merry round was ushered swifts
With dance and song, with lilt and lift;
Wrestling and fencing in many a shift,
Proclaiming every skill and gift.

Another verse in its original orthography . . .

Bucód dito,i, madláng digmâ nang ca-auay
ang sunód-sunód cong pinag-tagumpayán
ano pa,t, sa aquing cáliz na matapang
labing-pitóng hari ang nan͠gag-sigalang.

Modern orthography . . .

"Bukod dito'y madlang digma ng kaaway
ang sunud-sunod kong pinagtagumpayan;
anupa't sa aking kalis na matapang,
labimpitong hari ang nangagsigalang."

From above excerpts, we can say that is is very probable that in the time of Balagtas, the word kali was non-existent, thus, the great Balagtas opted to write arnis. Whilst the word kalis was already an accepted word.

Also note that arnes or arnis here is translated as fencing, meaning , an activity involving swords. So it is clear that arnis was also into bladed weapons. If this is so, assuming that the translation is correct, the question follows, "Why use the term arnis instead of kali?"

The counter-argument would be that Balagtas was writing fictitious events that happened in a foreign land of Persia, and he was not describing, in any way, an indigenous Filipino martial art.

Yes this is very logical argument, but then Balagtas, was writing this for his contemporaries, and wanted people to appreciate his "Florante at Laura". It was simply unwise for this poet to use unfamiliar words, right?.

Kalistas, you're losing argument . . . What can you say about this, eh?

Lito Gabuya and his Combative Kinematics

2009-09-10T05:33:00.000-07:00

He grabbed Christian's forearm from behind, immobilized him and simultaneously positioned the training knife in the Frenchman's neck. "So you are dead huh?

"Okay, you take my place . . . Let's us exchange roles," as he let go of the arm and assumes the same position, "So what do you think? Am dead huh? You're sure huh?

"So if I moved this way you slash my neck. If I attempt to counter you, poke the knife to my neck. So I am dead huh? Are you sure?"

"You're dead meat," the white man murmurs.

Then suddenly from that seemingly impossible position, he escaped.

"Many, are into defense against knife thrusts, in a duel-like scenario. But here we put you in a situation where the blade is already attached to your skin, in a very closed distance . . . and what can you do about it."

I realized that here is a person who is attempting to raise Filipino knife science a bit higher. That is beyond scooping from one side to another. Bringing us closer to reality of knife threat in the street, inside a very confined space. I have to learn this.

His name is Lito Gabuya, originator of the so-called Combative Kinematics (ComKin). He is the student of Dakila Hsuan of the Sarimanok Subsystem (of Go P.U.S.A). Gabuya had proved that his method is doable and applicable in many situations while working abroad.

"Now, what will you do if the attacker is heavier, bigger, taller, faster than you? Can you escape from conditions like these? You should make use of the Gokosha and apply its 'body-stepping-footwork' concept in these life-threatening conditions."

So I asked, "How can we know when to apply the technique, we cannot see but only feel the tip of the knife?"

Lito answered, "You must develop sensitivity. I developed my sensitivity after attending the ten-day Vipassana Retreat in 2005. Sensitivity is very important in this method."

Unfortunately he is planning to go back to Dubai, and I have little time to mentally process what he was showing us.

Eskrima as Your Passion

2009-09-10T05:14:00.000-07:00

How strong is a passion?

Just imagine young school children excited to out from school and go straight to an Internet kiosk to ply their favorite online games. See their faces as they manipulate the keyboards. Can you perceive their energies?

That's passion! The same impulse, animates the eskrimadores in their passion for eskrima. Yes, it is like a cancer consuming their mortal lives and making them "earthbound" when they die.

Your Spouse Versus Your Eskrima

2009-09-04T19:37:00.000-07:00

If you find a very good martial art (or eskrima for that matter) then you are lucky. Now, if you happen to find a spouse who is supportive to your practice of martial art then we can say that you are truly lucky.

You see, to be involved in a martial art or make it one's passion in life, is like having drinking spree with the barkada, you all need a pulutan. Drinking (esp. hard liquor) without pulutan will destroy your health earlier, guaranteed. This is also true with having martial art as your passion without the support of your spouse (wife or husband) will eventually destroy the relationship, then your life.

Proving the Negative

2009-08-30T00:55:00.000-07:00

Can you prove that it is there?
Can you prove that it is not there?

The first one is something positive the latter is negative.

You cannot prove any negativity.
Yes, you can not demand from an atheist his proof that there's no Somebody up there but you can demand a proof from an erudite theologian the proof you want.

Are you still with me?

So don't be naive to ask us proof that there is no kali martial art. Since we don't believe in such shit. Instead, demand proofs from those who are promoting such idea.

You may ask why 'demand'?
You demand from them since they all owed proof to you. Since they owed the needed proofs, then you need to get their proofs; that is your right.

Remember life is short. They are getting old and also you.

And another thing, you cannot ask a proof from a dead man. Comprende?

The Annunaki Invasion

2009-08-30T00:08:00.000-07:00

I noticed that many have proclivity for myths. This is why myth in FMA is still strong and getting stronger 24/7. You want myth eh? So here is my myth for you.

The humanity is conditioned or prepared for the invasion of an advanced race known as the Annunaki. Their planet Nibiru is heading toward our solar system, and in 2012 they will arrive here and walk amongst us. The passing of this big celestial body near our planet will like y cause a worldwide catastrophe. The aftermath, of course, is the loss of electricity among many good things. They will be prying all primates and hominids because they think we taste better than pork (of course this is not true because pork is the most delicious). They are purely carnivorous and so dependent on fastfoods. They will be looking for our flesh for food, and they don't like dark-skinned like Filipinos who also happened to have less mass to chew (So in other words, skin bleaching is really bad in the long run; they prefer to eat the Caucasians or Caucasoids amongst us.)

So it is morally necessary that we should share our FMA technology to those who someday will need it, after all they are earthlings like us. (Filipinos must forget how they are treated unfairly and how they are bribed us with cheap Chinese calculators) This is maybe the divine plan as to why many Filipinos are scattered around the globe as contract workers just to reach out and help other earthlings with the eskrima knowledge.

So we have to fight them manually since modern weapons will no longer be functional after the worlwide catastrophy. Their average height is about 6 feet tall. This is why we all condition ourselves with carabao wrestling to fight them successfully.

In Defense of Carabao Wrestling and Other Stupid Actuations

2009-08-29T23:38:00.002-07:00

(There is nothing true of what I am going to write below. This is purely for your entertainment and sumsuman or pulutan when you happen to drink beer with your eskrimador friends. Please don't be a fool to take this seriously.)

For the Thugs and Kali devotees in the Philippines, carabao wrestling is a form of worship. No blood must be spilled, instead a kalista can trip, the beast down (preferably must be a heifer). The kalista can chop off the horn with his fist a la Oyama, but there should be no blood. It must be done in the leech-infested rice paddy (representing defilement). This is a tough and imbecile conditioning but good physical training. Simply put all kalistas (or eskrimadors) must undergo this training under the supervision of a legitimate representative of the Goddess here.

The question now is this . . . why not allow the carabao blood to spill but slit the neck of the chicken? One reason is that, carabao is a mammal whilst chicken is not, in fact the chicken are the descendants of the dinosaurs. And dinosaurs were simply pets of the "reptilian race" the Annunaki. They are good only for halal food but not good offerings to Goddess Kali.

Limited Definition

2009-08-29T23:19:00.001-07:00

The other night I talked with a friend about Balintawak Eskrima? I asked him his definition of that particular eskrima style. Few minutes later it was clear to me that for this guy, Balintawak has nothing to offer but fluidity/continuity of hand movements which he termed as "de cadena". Definitely I was shocked and partly sad by his limited definition. Why? Well, he is going back to Denmark (he is not Danish and he is not Filipino) and teach there and bring this limited idea there, misrepresenting eskrima in the long run. As a Filipino, I don't want my culture, misrepresented abroad. (The carabao wrestling, is of course, worse than this)

For him Balintawak is simply the skill of wielding single stick, nothing more. We disagree of course, since we know Balintawak or any eskrima for that matter is not limited with the stick (the masturbation of a single stick to put it bluntly). Hell no!

National Artists?

2009-08-29T22:48:00.000-07:00

I was thinking nobody is reading this blog and I am just wasting my time. Fuuuuuck! (why should I hide this holy word?) Am dead wrong! Maybe I have to continue.

The not-so-latest gossip here in the Islands, is about our new recipients for National Artist Awards. Aha!!! These people obviously do not know what is an art and who are the people deserving to receive this prestigious award. This is why we cannot expect one eskrimador to receive such award now and in the future (of course before the end of days on December 21, 2012).

This a big issue now in the Philippines. Why is this important for us FMAers? Well, if one eskrimadors can receive it, it will likely inspire many to learn arnis. Simple.

The Documentary "Eskrimadors"

2009-06-04T02:30:00.000-07:00

The documentary film, "Eskrimadors" is soon available in the market. This particular work, may likely, will help popularize eskrima worldwide.

Wrong Target, Big Fat Joke

2009-05-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

The other day I spent four hours surfing the Internet. Viewing the YouTube entries to be exact.

Then I saw this two eskrima enthusiasts doing their thing. OMG! They were hitting each other very hard with their olisi. What a risky game are they playing!

But my eyes soon got bored; my mind soon saw the reality.

They were NOT hitting each other's anatomy but were hitting each other's sticks . . . high, low, high, low . . . low, high . . . high, low bwahahahahahah! What a joke!

If that is eskrima, then eskrima is big fat joke.

The Book

2009-05-28T18:30:00.000-07:00

I am so glad to receive the email this morning, informing me that the book I wrote with Celestino Castro Macachor is now doing good. Many people are buying it, in fact, it commands 60% share of all Filipino Martials Arts books sold in Amazon. It is like an insignificant snowball rolling downhill, soon becoming an avalance.

What makes me happier, is the fact that many FMA (arnis, eskrima) enthusiasts have read the book now and know the real story about the Filipino Martial Arts. The days of the myth makers is now almost over.

In Memoriam - Venancio Abella Bacon

2009-03-29T07:15:00.000-07:00

Many people are talking about him, exchange lengthy discussion about him in mny FMA fora in the Net, associate their names to him, to promote themselves. But they never remember where they burried him. A great paradox, isn't it?

The name is Venancio "Anciong" Abella Bacon - the so-called Mozart of eskrima.

It seems that only one, bothers to remember this great eskrima teacher. Bobby Tabimina, one of Anciong's direct students, is looking for the remains of this great Cebuano eskrimador so that he can build a sort of shrine for this great teacher. I am commissioned to look for the remains which is now stocked together with other remains in the common grave at the Calamba Public Cemetery in Cebu City. Fortunately the remains is contained in a sack labled with his name. The retrieval may not be impossible, unfortunately. But to find it among the hundreds of sacks in that big mass grave is hard.

Anciong can finally rest in a decent grave he truly deserved. It is just unfortunate that for decades (he died in 1980), nobody remembered him. Other great masters of other martial arts, have their respective shrines where followers can visit and pay homage.

Too Violent?

2009-03-29T06:30:00.000-07:00

A good friend of mine approached one of the bigwigs of the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) for support of his documentary film on eskrima. But instead of encouraging my friend for his good project, this "authority" of the Filipino culture and art, discouraged the project because, according to this gentleman (a fag maybe), such a topic is so violent. insinuating that the government agency where he belonged shuns anyrhing violent. hahahahahahahah Poor Philippines, to have people of authority like this one. Aha! all he wants is something "soft" eh? This is why folks when we talk about art in the Philippines, it seems that all is about folk dancing, music, painting. Yes, nothing but all those sissy stuffs. Man, these people are simply ignorantes!

Then in March 2009, there was this showcasing of Filipino arts and culture at the Ayala Center in Cebu. The organizers showed the thriller of the documentary film made by my friend. But then the bigwigs of that mall, disallowed them to continue the rest of the film because, according to them, it was so violent. Why violent? Well, in that film actors were demonstrating stickfighting, i.e. hitting each other with thier sticks. Violent huh? What do these people think of arnis, by the way - a ballroom dancing? The same mall showing violent Hollywood films in their theaters is not allowing this cultural thing because it is "violent" to their sissy tastes.

There is a conflict here. Look, the Philippine Senate itself has just approved he Bill making arnis or eskrima the Philippine National Sport, whilst the NCCA people are not ready to support the same.

Three Related Cebuano Martial Arts

2009-02-08T21:03:00.000-08:00

It is easier to comprehend a martial art concept or working principle when viewed from many seemingly different but actually related martial arts, if one has a chance to venture on cross training with martial arts sharing the same working principle, say the so-called principle of corto.

In the contemporary Cebuano martial arts we have three related martial arts that are currently available to the public. All these share the same lineage and emphasize the corto principle.

One is the now famous Balintaawak system of eskrima founded by Venancio “Anciong” Bacon. This system emphasizes, among other things, the close-quarter stick fighting. Another related Cebuano martial art is Tat Kon Tou, a barehanded fighting art developed by José Go-Millan. The third one is Baraw Sugbo, less-known Cebuano martial art focusing solely on the use of the dagger. This was originated by Lorenzo Saavedra.

Historically all these are related because, Lorenzo “Tatay Insong” Saavedra also happened to be the original organizer of both the Labangon Fencing Club and the original Doce Pares schools. He was also the teacher of Venancio Bacon. José “Joe Go” Go-Millan was also one of the many students of Anciong Bacon.

The aforementioned martial arts emphasize practically almost the same fighting principle wherein the “Live Hand” is given too much importance. Enthusiasts of any of these martial art, could easily adopt the strategy of the other, say, a Balintawak practitioner would find it easy to learn and apply any thing about Tat Kon Tou. The Tat Kon Tou stylist also would find Balintawak eskrima, familiar in many things. They can also find that Baraw Sugbo can literally improve their performances in their respective arts since it shares a familiar fighting strategy.

Many non-FMA stylists appreciate eskrima and easily integrate it to their respective martial arts. Many Wing Chun practitioners, for example, are cross-training with eskrima since they can easily get the concept.

The Untold History of the Filipino Martial Art of Kali

2009-01-05T01:35:00.000-08:00

(Author's Note: Since nobody comes up with a logical history of kali martial art. The following story was taken from the akashic record. A small portion, of course, is from the right hemisphere of the author’s brain. So people who may try to plagiarize an iota of the whole story, to serve their ends, will surely be laughing stocks for all who read in the future. This is posted here to offer an alternative history model of the kali martial art. So nothing here is true. I hope you all enjoy this and equally get inspired because of this.)

When the Hindu Sanjaya Dynasty (732-760 A.D.) ruled the central part of Java, a Durga or Kali (काली) devotee named Rakai Bilatan founded a clandestine warrior caste of the Goddess Kali devotees. The threat of the neighboring Buddhist Kingdom headed by Samaratungga (a Sailandra King)organized themselves, to defend their Hindu faith against infidels. Secretly they practiced a blade-oriented martial art, which survived today as kali (short for Gatga Kali Ma, an art dedicated to Mother Kali).

The Sailandara Dynasty finally drove the Sanjaya Dynasty to the north in 778 A.D., this warrior/devotee group was finally disbanded and dispersed throughout Southeast Asia. Some sailed to the city of Panduranga in the Kingdom of Champa (Phan Rang in present-day Ninh Thuận province, Vietnam).

The invading Muslim forces of Sultan Sri Iskandar Zulkarnain Shah (formerly known as Parameshwara, the last Hindu Sri Vijayan king) from Melaka in Sumatra, finally wiped out the remaining Hindu stronghold and forcibly drove away hundreds from the Island of Java in 1417.

Mercenaries of Sultan Sri Iskandar Zulkarnain Shah, on the other hand, combed all corners of Southeast Asia for fugitives from the central Javan dynasties of Hindu Sanjaya and Buddhist Sailandra, forcing the devotees of Kali Ma to practice their religion secretly to survive the persecution.

The devotee of the Goddess Kali continued to thrive for sometime in Champa, among other places. Some engaged in barter trading across the wide South China Sea. A few households actually entered the Philippine archipelago when trading between the Kingdom of Banawa (in Cebu Island) and Champa was still active. The Indochinese traders bartered for trepang, beeswax and birds’ nest, among other things, for sometime until the Fujian Chinese traded directly with the local inhabitants of the Islands specifically those in Cebu.

After a few generations, the devotees of the Goddess completely assimilated with the rest of the local Visayan population. One of the “closet” followers of Kali Ma was the famous character of the Philippine history, Lapulapu, himself. Like his forebears he was also skillfull in the combative science and art kali. One of the untold reasons as to why Hamabad or Ang Mambad (Humabon) hated Lapulapu wa the fact the the former felt threatened by Lapulapu’s popularity amongst his local “Hindu” followers (especially in the present San Nicolas district). Rajah Hamabad also accused Lapulapu to be the mastermind behind the kidnapping of one of his grandchildren, Utot-utot and sacrificed her to the Goddess Kali.

Hamabad was pressured by the Muslims (allies of the emerging Sultanates in Java and in Sumatra) from the south to expel the Kali devotees in Mactan and the San Nicolas areas. This perhaps, is one of the reasons as to why many eskrimadores are found in the San Nicolas area. Some devotees in the San Nicolas areas (many were blacksmiths) relocated southward to Basakan (presently Basak-Pardo) and even farther south, to Kabkab (today’s Carcar town).

This is likely why the districts of Basak and the town of Carcar were/are known for their pandayan and blacksmithing skills. In the olden days, Carcar, was famous throughout the Visayan islands for its beautifully crafted and sharp pinuti and lampirong (the mass production of which was stopped by the Spanish colonialists in 1623.) Some went to Kalila (Lila town, where there’s now many practitioners of eskrima) in the neighboring islands of Bo’ol (Bohol), and in the mystical Siquijor.

Concerned of his realm’s safety, Rajah Hamabad, took the opportunity and advised the pale-faced Magallanes (Magellan) to attack Lapulapu’s lair in the Opon Island (now Mactan Island), in the early morning of April 27th 1521. The so-called Battle of Mactan was, in a way, a “religious war” with the animists and Catholics’ alliance on one side against the devotees of Kali on the other.

Lapulapu, just like his contemporaries, had only one name. The concept and use of surnames is not a common practice in the Islands prior to the advent of the Europeans. (This is also true among the Javanese and other nations of Southeast Asia.) Since Lapulapu was a mamá or betelnut-chewer and was identified by his red patadyong so that he was known as Si Nag-pulapula. This description of the Maktang (Mactan) chieftain was misheard and thus transcribed by the expedition's chronicler, Antonio de Pigafetta as Lapulapu.

Some descendants of Kali devotees in Java, relocated to the Panay Island in Western Visayas, via Sumatra and Borneo. This group of Kali devotees was headed by an albino named Tuhon (Tuan) Datok Puti’g Itlog (or Datu Puti). Originally there were twelve chieftains of that expedition, but two groups under Tuhon Tobolon and Tuhon Igiton mutinied and their followers later assimilated with the native inhabitants of Balabac, in the southern tip of Palawan.

Many epics in the island of Panay mentioned the ordeal of these settlers on their way to the islands we now identified as the Philippines. When the Kali devotees first settled in the island of Panay, they established learning institutions, the by’ay sang bot’boton (bothoan) where the young devotees of Kali (especially that of the noble birth) studied, among other things, the martial science of kali, geomancy-based on the sky dragon called bakunawa (a small part of it is preserved in the Panay Almanac), medicine, white, pink, and black magic.

When the Adelantado, Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and company passed by the Island and the Moros started their early-dawn piratical raids in the Visayas, the inhabitants along the coast of Panay, began relocating to other areas around the Island and to Negros. In the bothoan, students were taught how to wrestle with carabaos in the paddies, they also studied the mechanics of groundfighting by observing these seemingly poisonous ugto-ugto spiders fighting to death and of course the scientific way to dislocate vertebrae by ripping out the head of a white chicken. They shouted, Kaliiiiii. All of these to the glory of Kali, of course.

Then it was decided that the bothoan would go underground and the tuition reserved to a selected few. For generations, the loyal devotees of Kali preserved the complete curriculum of the bothoan by clandestinely passing the accumulated wisdom from father to son (or sometimes from grandfather to grandson along the maternal line).

After the Spaniards successfully established in Cebu (with Legazpi in 1565). The devotees of Kali Ma had to face another persecution, this time with the Catholic Spaniards. They had to put their beloved Goddess in another disguise. So when the Nuestra Señora Virgen de la Regla was first introduced in 1735 by an Agustinian, Fray Francisco Avalle, to the parishioners of Opon (original name of Mactan), these followers of Kali happily welcomed this new Catholic icon as their own Kali Ma or the Black Mother, the dark-skinned goddess.

One of the ways the devotees of Kali worship her is through dancing. Remnants of this old practice is the sinulog dance which is now ubiquitous in Mactan Parish and in the Basilica Minore to appease the deities there. The Spaniards failed to completely delete the old way of worship from the Cebuano subconscious, thus instead ot shouting Hare hare, the devotee now shout, Pit!, Pit!

Many of these devotees reincarnated and continue to worship the black Goddess, through dancing. See the Youtube entry,"Thriller" (Cebu inmates).

Dancing is an old way of worship. Goddess Kali likes this manner of worship. She likes dancing, in fact, many of the old pictures depict her dancing. One step forward and two steps backward. Instead of brandishing the blades, candles are now used instead.

Wonder why the triangle is a favorite form in arnis or kali? Well, there's the so-called Durga's Triangle. This particular yantra or magical diagram is suppose to be a protective amulet of some kind, so assuming this geometrical form in the footwork may have a magical effect of some kind.

The sinawali or the amara is simply the way of emulating Kali. By brandishing the stick in a prescribed manner, the four-limbed Goddess is encarnated in the person performing, so to speak.

Finally, to the Kalistas may this story serve as your inspiration. Kali be with you, dudes!

What is not a Traditional Eskrima?

2009-01-03T00:43:00.000-08:00

When they are carrying some absurd titles then it is not traditional eskrima, because traditionally,eskrimadores don't put titles before or after names. it is a modern "ego" phenomenon. Yes, let me repeat, it is an "ego" issue. Can it help them in the street? No!

If they have this hierarchy patterned after the Japanese model. Again, it is not a traditional thing. Yes, some even have "supremo", "rajah" and other form of idiocy attached to their names and want to be addressed as such. One funny guy, even organized a "tribe" so that he can justify his "datu" status. It just like an atheist with a title of a "reverend".

Oh this people just want recognition, maybe something that is deprived to their person or perhaps these people were unloved by their mothers when they were still children. Funny, but true.

Imagine, in an international airport for example, we hear this, "Attention Rajah Smith . . . Rajah Smith, to check-in counter. Last call Rajah Smith . . ." heheheheehehehehehehehehe. You're simply fooling yourselves.

Now, if they wear colored belts . . . Don't you know that is a Japanese thing? Don't you people know that Kano Jigoro originated this so-called kyu-dan ranking system? We don't have it in traditional eskrima. This is not a part of the traditional practice they just like their pantaloons on.

Now if they bow or execute salutation; another Japanese mannerism. This is good though, because it shows respect and etiquette. But talking about the traditional thing; we simply don't have that. But does this mean that traditional eskrima is less-civilized because we don't have bowing or related ritualism?

I write this things simply because some pretend to teach the traditional Filipino thing. Sad to say these aforementioned practices are not a part of the traditional practice.

Just a Name?

2009-01-03T00:12:00.000-08:00

"Oh that is just a name, kali or eskrima, the same thing. What is important, that it works," declares the imbecile.

Yes , if it is the same why insist on calling it kali? No, it ain't the same. Why? we never use that term here in our place.

Just imagine calling lawn tennis, a pingpong or calling karate, judo. Is it hard to comprehend why we need to use the appropriate label this time?

For your information, the traditional Filipino Stickfighting is not kali but arnis (arnis de mano) or eskrima. It was only in the seventies that some started calling arnis or eskrima, kali.

They claim that it is the "mother art", but deeper research will show that many of these kali schools are practically offshots of the older arnis or eskrima schools (Doce Pares in Cebu City and José Viñas' arnis in Bacolod City.)

In Bacolod City, I heard, that this kali/arnis controversy is a serious issue. Here in Cebu, this is not so much of an issue, simply because arnis schools here are more traditional or conservative even not to change the name to anything but arnis or eskrima.

Ang Alimatok (The Leech)

2009-01-01T22:52:00.000-08:00

In eskrima there are crocodiles, the thick-faced individuals who are willing to go down and hug the dirt to fool people. There are leeches too, ready to stick to victims' skin and suck blood. Okay let me tell a case to make understand this.

The alimatok (ah-lee-mah-took), am referring here are usually the foreigners who come here to suck things here and leave.

In 2002 there was this guy from a rich country (known for their quality watches), who studied FMA, for two months. Every afternoon he studied the physical part of the style and was also given lectures on related topics.

After he finished his studies here in Cebu city, guess what?

He offered calculators (China made of course) for all those wasted times with him, to his teacher's teenage kids who helped in the instruction. Yes, after taking notes, taking those still pictures and videos, this leech just offered fucking calculators.

Why was this guy treated his teacher this way? Maybe he was thinking that his teacher, a Filipino a lowly animal, didn't deserve much respect, so feed him and his children cheap calculators.

We laughed. But my friend, promised, never to teach foreigners again after that. He had already contracted a certain kind of phobia towards this smelly and ingrate kind; he's now refusing to teach.

Now in their website, they don't even mention where they got all those concepts they are currently propagating. He is an example of a leech.

So in this marshland we call eskrima, there are alimatok and buaya. Very dangerous world indeed.

Want to know read more stories? Okay, just follow this blog, I have more.

Ang Buaya (The Crocodile/El Cocodrilo)

2008-12-23T22:53:00.000-08:00

"Take this . . ." as the old eskrima master gives a certificate to a young Frenchman, one morning in 2001.

"Quel est ce maître? What's this master?"

"That's is your certificate, certifying you as brown belt . . . and that is five thousand pesos!" the thick-faced old master declares.

The Frenchman is shocked. "Well, master I have to think about this first." Then he talks French to his colleague, "Ce vieil homme pense que nous avons beaucoup d'argent. Que ferons-nous?"

"Il essaie de nous voler," the colleague answers with disbelief. "Ce gars est un crocodile."

That was the last time they trained with that famous eskrimador in Cebu again.

Writing this down, I know, is not a good thing for our local tourism. But people, there are many crocodiles here, and you naive ones should know!

Then I asked him the other day (he is back here in Cebu now) as to why they kept on going back to that gym.

"We didn't know where to go . . ."

"Aha!"

But with the advent of the YouTube these eskrima enthusiasts now, have the option where to go. Say goodbye to the bygone years of monopoly.

This won't happen again, except to those who are just innately idiots, who keep on coming back to these buaya (pronounced, boo-ah-yah)

Merry Christmas to you all, and may you be protected by your angel dela guardia from the bite of a buaya in 2009. Happy New Year too.

¡Vergüenza en usted cocodrilo, usted es una vergüenza a nuestra gente!

The Other Reality of Knifefighting

2008-12-18T22:02:00.000-08:00

This was originally written for the Rapid Journal, the only Journal/magazine on martial arts available in the Philippines today. (see www.rapidjournal.com)

Again, let us talk about knifefighting, considered to be the "backbone of Filipino Martial Arts"

In knifefighting, some emphasize the science of handling and they tell us what works in the streets, in the dark blind alleys and even in the modern battle fields. So there are knife drills, techniques, here and there.

Others would show the art of handling the same blade, mesmerizing us the way they handle the balisong or the artistic way of diverting the supposed opponent’s blade from side to side.

Likely, all these scientists and artists of the knives, impress us almost all the time.

Lately, I met this veteran knifer. He is neither the familiar scientist nor artist we often see in the gym. He is no black belter, not a sifu, and not a guro. He is not from Shaolin but from the Maximum Compound of the New Bilibid Prison. This former bosyo of the Batang Cebu (BC .45) gang is a cold killer since age twelve and already had facilitated seventy-seven souls out from this physical realm of existence, most of them by knifing, while he was behind bars.

Shem Jakosalem is his name and both of us are currently working on “Shem’s Paradigm” a book about his past experience. This book is written not to glorify all these “blade-happy” killers but to learn things from them. There is no substitute for experience. Hopefully this will be available either late this year or early next year.

After my initial chat with him, I realized that there are things that many of us in the martial arts missed. No wonder many high-ranked martial arts enthusiasts were/are killed in the street by people who never set foot in any of these so-called dojos.

“So Shem what’s your favorite way of stabbing?”

“Well, I stab them while grabbing their arms or sleeves.”

So where’s the impressive technique there, I asked myself. It took me few minutes to realize how profound his words were.

Grabbing while stabbing, huh? I never thought of that. Why? Perhaps, because most of the techniques I saw usually happen between two people squarely facing each other where the person with a knife “innocently” just thrust the knife forward’

Yes, what if somebody with a knife grabs your sleeve and simultaneously inserts the knife to your side, not just once or twice but more, before you can say abracadabra? Shem said, “Knife attack is so sudden. Once you noticed you’re punctured, it is already late.” This proves that the hands are faster than the eyes.

Martial artists would likely talk among themselves, their awesome techniques of knife handling and defense. The discussion may include, among other things, the flow, speed, counter-to-counter, the live/checking hand, de-fanging the snake, disarms, knife interactive drills, etc.

The knifers like Shem, on the other hand, seldom talk about the procedures . . . since they are more concern instead, on killing with a knife. In the prison they don’t talk about theories of knife fighting; they simply don’t even have the luxury to rehearse. The moment one stepped in, “it’s show time!”

Both the martial artists and the knifers like Shem consider realism, of course, but the emphasis differs.

Many of the contemporary martial arts are “sanitized” so much so that the “original” concept/intent of hurting, maiming or even killing, and the defense against these are no longer there. Since the emphasis nowadays is defense, the knowledge of correct and precise hitting are almost forgotten. Training partners thrust their knives forward as if giving alms to a pauper. Now, how can one expect to execute a realistic knife defense with that? A lousy delivery or uncontrolled way of the knife attack during practice session can be deleterious.

Another real fact I extracted from Shem, “Many times I got cut in my palms or fingers when I stabbed, especially when I hit a hard par. That’s why we wrapped cloths around the hand.”

The chest cavity is partly protected by the ribs and when one hits this bony part, the hand may slide forward and get wounded, so the experienced knifers’ advice is to position the blade horizontally relative to these bones for easy penetration. Part of the palm is also used by some knifers to push the knife forward.

This article is sort of a reminder that the real truth about knifefighting is not about learning the beauty of techniques but about survival.

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Your Training Patner Is Not Frosty the Snowman

2008-12-11T00:18:00.000-08:00

The eskrima teacher delivers a strike to the right flank, then to the other side, followed by another one overhead. Then the striking continues with greater severity and speed. The teacher pauses. The student stops with his two nasal apertures flaring for more air. Both are simply proud of what they’re doing.

That is a familiar eskrima session, where one delivers a strike to be responded with the training partner an artistic combination of counterstrikes.

But as one attempts to counter the strike, is the mere possibility considered that a possible reaction or follow-through is coming from an unexpected angle? Is the opponent an amputee that his “live-hand” is not working? Is he immobile like a lamp post? Is the opponent’s reaction predictable and so “regularly regular” like a hypnotic pendulum?

Why does the training partner (or in some instances, the teacher), delivers a strike and "freeze"? Is he a snowman or something? Remember in the street, it is likely one would encounter a real, alive, cold-blooded thug, whose clear intention is to harm. Not Frosty the snowman. They surely will not hit you from an angle and freeze. No way. When they feel that you respond in a certain way; they will give a follow-up before you can finish yours.

Yes, as one blocks or parries a strike, one should always expect a reaction, a broken rhythm, a meddling “live hand” and a superior counterstrike. This is why in Balintawak eskrima, we cannot see the teacher just “feed” the student with strikes without reacting to the student’s counterattacks. Always remember that you supposed to face a living sentient being, your trainer or your training partner, not a inanimate dummy incapable of counter reacting.

Now we understand as to why many of these eskrima demonstrations are so impressive yet appear “one-sided” simply because they are bringing with them "wooden dummies," or "big Pinocchios," that seemingly can walk alone and even grimace faces when hit, but do not fight back.

In spite of all these, eskrima still a very effective martial art. Maybe this approach works most of the time. But just imagine if the same approach is being adopted in kendo or in Western Classical Fencing.

Well, a good showmanship is a good showmanship. But to those who are really into martial arts there are more that arnis or eskrima needs to prove.

There are many YouTube entries on eskrima or arnis, just see what I am talking here.

No matter how fast the counterstrike maybe, it is really different when one also expects a follow-through from the same opponent while doing a counterstrike. We cannot fool ourselves into believing that an opponent will just stand there and wait for our counterstrike without even moving away or displacing himself somewhere (among the many possibilities).

This is very important, especially for those who are into medio and corto fighting, since in the closer range engagement one must be aware of many things as compared to when in largo range engagements.

One more related thing . . .

If one is used to the concept of intercepting, then one is always programmed to wait so as to allow a strike to “fly” first to be intercepted. But when one is programmed to anticipate . . . it is another story. In fact training would be radically different; there is no more “waiting and reacting” there is only “awareness of a target and striking” idea inside the head.

The Phlippine Movies and Eskrima

2008-12-01T04:15:00.000-08:00

If the screenplay is bad, then likely we will have a bad movie. So far, there is no good movie on eskrima or arnis, that is comparable to what the Hong Kong movie industry is producing with their kung fu theme.

The first problem are the writers, most of them are not eskrimadores themselves. They prefer to write corny stories of two young parents fighting over their child's custody and the like.

The next problem are the movie directors, they simply don't understand what a martial art scene should be, so they allow the actor with sticks to somersault, to do aerial kicks . . . things one cannot expect from any eskrimador. So for these ignorant movie directors, eskrima is no different from other martial arts. Furthermore, they don't appreciate their talent's physical capability.

The next problem are the actors. Most of them are good only on flirting scenes. Most (there are few exceptions though) don't have arnis or eskrima backgrounds. That is why, even they are comparatively better looking than those bald and slit-eyed monks, they simply cannot compete in popularity. They can act, okay, but they cannot move.

There were full of talents in the old movie "Enter Garote," martial experts like Johnny Chiuten, Anciong Bacon, Momoy Cañete, Cacoy Cañete were there. But were they given enough exposures? What made the producer and director decide to showcase eskrima or arnis in this comical manner in the first place? Obviously they were ignorants. That was a rare opportunity to show the world what eskrima is like but they undermined it.

If these actors know eskrima or arnis, they are also paired with supporting actors with no working knowledge of martial arts. Regardless how good the leading actor maybe, if not paired with good supporting actors . . . nothing will happen. So instead showcasing a good eskrima stuff, they are forced to include gunfighting.

The Philippine movie industry can never produce somebody like half-baked Bruce Lee copycat, not even like Chen Xing or Meng Fei.

The next problem is the budget of course, it seems that the local movie producers could not even afford wires to prop their actors to tha air.

Then perhaps because arnis or eskrima is not really good for the cameras. I beg to disagree. Just look at the Youtube and you can see good arnis in there. The movie "The Hunted" showcasing the FMA method of knifefighting (familiar to many eskrima or arnis styles), was very good.

But why can't the Filipino movie industry produce the same? Why can't the local movie industry help promote our very own FMA of eskrima or arnis?

Information on Eskrima Your Teacher Did Not Bother to Tell You

2008-11-19T22:26:00.000-08:00

Contrary to what the so-called "authorities on FMA" had declared, eskrima or arnis is still alive in the land of its origin, the Philippines.

Contrary to the official status, real eskrima or arnis is not a sport and was not designed as such.

Contrary to the popular propaganda, eskrima, arnis or the so-called kali, are one and the same. Arnis or eskrima are into sticks as well as blades.

Contrary to the popular allegation, eskrima, arnis, estocada, estoque are not modern cognates of an older mother art called kali, insinuating that the Filipino Stickfighting is something pre-Hispanic.

Contrary to the myth, eskrima or arnis has no connection, whatsoever, to the martial art called silat.

Contrary to the popular myth, there never was an ancient mother art called kali, in the archipelago called the Philippines. As a matter of fact, there never was any proof of any kind, written in paper, parchment, etched on clay pots, contained inside any burial jars, inserted between the cracks of the ruins etc. Neither mentioned in earlier Spanish Chronicles nor chanted in any of the old Visayan epics.

Contrary to the popular story, nobody can prove that earlier warriors like Lapulapu and his contemporaries were eskrima or arnis adepts. In fact, the oldest available written record in Mactan Island is only circa 1719. Nothing earlier than that. So nobody can trace an eskrima school lineage back to Lapulapu or describe how Lapulapu's eskrima looked like.

The traditional practice of eskrima or arnis is never to be found amongst the non- Christian groups.

All kali schools today cannot show us any link with any older kali school or system, either extinct or extant. It is even expected that most of them are actually derived from an older arnis or eskrima school or system.

These are mentioned here not to embarrass or question the integrity of many of these mythmakers but to uphold the truth. Unfortunately, truths is sometimes embarrassing. To uphold truth . . . nothing bad about that.

Why Eskrima?

2008-11-19T00:46:00.000-08:00

Of all the martial arts currently available in the market, why do we choose the Filipino martial art of eskrima or arnis? What's so special about it?

Practically, there are three basic reasons why we are into eskrima. And these same reasons are also basically the three major classification of eskrima or arnis.

We are into eskrima because we want to be stickfighters or at least know what is Filipino stickfighting.

We are into the practice of eskrima because we want to learn the use of the blades.

We are into the practice of eskrima or arnis because we want to understand body mechanics as applied to fighting or self defense.

Now, eskrima or arnis styles are also categorized according these primary reasons, whether some agree or not.

In fact, some arnis or eskrima are purely into the use of sticks. Some are obviously designed for the blades. And a minority, are actually training for barehanded fighting.

This is the reason as to why there are many contradictory concepts in eskrima or arnis, say, some schools advocate blocking while other do not? Some discourage the use of too much force, while others discourage the same.

If your eskrima style are more on the use of blades like sundang, then likely your teacher won't encourage blocking the incoming strikes, depending more instead on evasive body displacement. And of course, the use of a minimal force, since your style also orients you on blades not on impact weapon like the stick. You are often reminded to be very careful about handling your weapon because that is suppose to be a blade.

Philippine National Sport

2008-11-13T21:47:00.000-08:00

Eskrima or arnis is now the Philippine National Sport. So what’s next? What are the Philippine government programs to help promote eskrima as a truly national sport? Is there a sound, workable strategy to promote eskrima or FMA, in general?

If you read close enough, you'll notice that officially in the Philippines, arnis is not a martial art but a sport.

Maybe it is a bad to declare arnis as a national martial art; maybe it sounds like a “national criminal” or something. And possibly, this is why the Senate and the House sanitized arnis as a mere national sport.

So if you are into arnis or eskrima, you are an athlete not a martial artist. To add salt to this, we can say that arnis should not be categorized as Filipino Martial Art (FMA), but a Filipino Indigenous Sport.

As a "national" sport, arnis, has to compete with basketball and sabung or cockfighting in popularity. The truth of the matter is arnis is not really that popular in the Islands up to this day. In fact the organizers are forced to conduct many arnis events in the malls, because it is difficult for them to find and gather sympathetic crowd nowadays. Arnis events are becoming cheap, unfortunately (at least here in Cebu City, Philippines). Now that arnis is the National Sport, the condition may change for the better. And this remains to be seen.

This blog may sound so pessimistic; on the contrary, this is not. But how can we expect positive change if we don't dare to see things squarely?

This is the sad fact, whether we all deny this or not.

Joe Go, the Eskrima Teacher

2008-11-12T04:08:00.000-08:00

Joe Go or Jose Millan Go was one of the least-known students of Venancio "Anciong" Bacon, the originator of the Balintawak style of eskrima. Joe Go, in turn, was also the originator of Tat Kon Tou and Gokosha. He was also the originator of the Balintawak-derived Palakabanate style of eskrima.

Many people said he was a good martial artist, a great eskrima fighter. I cannot comment on that, since I never had the privilege of seeing him fought somebody. But I saw many of his students, my seniors actually, performed well. I can only guess that he was probably good, in order to produce good students. I heard many stories about his fight, though.

It is said that he had a patron of sort, an ambassador, who would arrange some of his fight, conducted in private places. Those private fights, involved big money of course. It is also claimed that his colleagues in Manila, would call him, and gave him plane ticket, just for him to spar against somebody there.

But in spite of his alleged ability, he was no match against Anciong. According to him "I kicked him many times, but I simply couldn't hit him." The great Anciong easily humbled him.

He was dubbed as "little Anciong" by his contemporaries in Balintawak eskrima. According to some sources, he even sparred one of his stick-wielding senior colleague, one time, using a sungay only. He told me one time, there were only two eskrimadores he idolized, his teacher Anciong Bacon and his colleague, Delfin Lopez, who according to him move very fast, full of power and saturated with elegance.

Joe Go took good care of the late eskrima teacher months before the latter died. Among the more important thing he learned from Anciong that emphasized to later in his students is the concept he called Body-Stepping-Footwork. The same concept is actually the essence of Gokosha and later the Palakabanate, the brand of eskrima he was teaching three years before he died in June 1991. Yes, Gokosha, is truly an expression of FMA, being developed from Balintawak.

The reason as to why he did not call his eskrima or arnis, Balintawak. It is because according to him, his late teacher, did not give him the license to use that name and there were already people ahead of him who were using the name Balintawak.

According to him he joined Balintawak eskrima, just one month ahead of the great Balintawak innovator, Jose Villasin. He also used to mention the names of Teddy Buot and Jim Boy Hife. In fact, if I remember it right, one of them invited him to the States, but he was already committed in teaching us at that time.

As a direct student, I can only say he was really a good teacher. He could analyse our weaknesses and gave us something to practice on, to improve our skills. He could explain very well. Unfortunately, I was still not in stage where I could ask a good, maybe provocative question, for him to answer or physically demonstrate. In fact, I couldn't understand some of his answers then.

A DVD was still difficult to come by in the early 90s (at least in our locality), there was no Youtube as well. I only remember that when he was performing something for us, he kept on reminding us to focus more on his footwork and not on his hands. I couldn't understand him then, since for me arnis or eskrima is basically about the hands not feet.

A Blog on Eskrima 3

2008-11-10T20:10:00.000-08:00

So you want to study arnis in Cebu, eh? Well, you ought to know that traditionally we call it eskrima, not arnis here. The word arnis, as we used it here, means 'tripping' somebody down. It was only in the seventies, during the Marcos' years that the term arnis was promoted by the NARAPHIL here. If you doubt it, then ask any old practitioner from the rural areas, once you're here.

Basically, arnis and eskrima are one and the same "carabao."

Now, do you speak our language, Cebuano? Do you have a network here? Do you have contacts who can help you around, at least in the City? If you don't have, then it is likely you will end up in the places where most foreigners go.

You don't like it? You want to learn from other less-known teachers who can probably teach you other, not-so-commercialized eskrima styles (though not necesarilly better.)? Do you really want to experience more on FMA? Here's what you do . . .

First, read where the Philippines is. Where is Cebu? Who are the Filipinos? The different ethnic groups here. What are the languages and dialects we speak? Read about the different styles of arnis or systems of the so-called Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). If you do just that, then I can assure you, you will see the real stuff. So that when you go home, you will learn more about us and our culture. Man, we are not just karaoke enthusiasts, we know eskrima too.

Unfortunately, many are coming over without ever knowing anything about us. Maximize your experience here, do your homework. If you want to armed yourself with usable information and right, friendly attitude, I suggest you read Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth.

In the Tube

2008-11-10T01:37:00.000-08:00

This is a write-up from the Rapid Journal (the only martial art publication available in the Philippines today). Visit, www.rapidjournal.com

Have You Seen the YouTube Lately? If not, then you miss one of the funny but disgusting footages about the FMA.

For your sake, let me describe what is on the screen.

There was this sort of competition held in a faraway land late last year. A female participant (non Filipina) came running after a phantom opponent, twirling her olisi like a metamphetamine-loaded berserk. And then . . . she tiptoed and goes prancing to all corners like prancing horse of Her Majesty. A big round of applause follows from the ignorant crowd, as expected.

This is how they showcase the FMA to the public nowadays. The performance maybe great, but whose idea was this? Was this purely aesthetic or plain idiocy?

Now if you are an FMA enthusiast or in a Filipino shoe, will you be happy with that? Will you be happy to see a part of your Filipino heritage butchered that way? If you are happy, then you are an insensitive, apathetic dude.

If you don’t see the point, then imagine how a judo devotee would feel, if he sees two people pretending to be judoka (in a supposedly judo demonstration), pulling each other’s gi, but instead of trying to trip or throw each other to the ground as expected from them, they continue and dance the tango.

Why is this happening to eskrima or to the FMA in general?

Well, likely because of their ignorance of the Filipino culture, their thinking are clouded with myth, and their lack of respect for us Filipinos, as a people. More likely because we Filipinos don’t appreciate the value of the indigenous knowledge we inherited. By the way Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is described as;

. . . a local knowledge that is unique to a given culture or society. . . . Much of such knowledge is passed down from generation to generation . . . IK is the knowledge that people have gained through inheritance from their ancestors. It is a people-derived science, and it represents people creativity, innovation and skills.

The above mentioned footage uploaded in the Internet is the result of the three- decade (since the 70s) misrepresentation of the FMA, locally and overseas. We are now harvesting the bad fruits (because we planted a bad tree), so it is never a good idea to tell a lie or to propagate myths. Lie and its byproduct, myth, will inspire people to showcase FMA in a wrong way.

Do you think it is good to promote the idea that “carabao wrestling” as an integral part of a traditional FMA training or the idea of developing stamina by running barefooted across rice the paddy? (honestly, I enjoyed seeing those two big but naïve Caucasians panting and floundering in the mud, forgetting the dangers of broken glasses and other tetanus-coated debris, ascaris and all). The only positive thing about going barefooted is to develop callouses, hard enough to open spiny sea-urchins.

What if, someday, some of these misinformed foreign eskrima enthusiasts will find out, that what we are showing them, is actually adapted/plagiarized from other arts like silat, jujutsu and koksut? So if we are concern about the future of the FMA, we can help by telling people the truth about FMA. But then, we need to learn more about our culture, first.

So have you seen, what’s new, in the YouTube lately?

If you don’t know how, go to an online computer and type www.youtube.com and there is a window in the upper right corner of the screen, then type, what you want to see.

The Live Hand Path in Eskrima

2008-11-10T01:03:00.000-08:00

The following is write-up I submitted to the Editor of the Rapid Journal (the only martial art journal we have in the Philippines today.) This also a part of the forthcoming book, The Live Hand Path: An In-Depth Analysis of Teovel Balintawak Eskrima.

The use of the Live Hand (the hand without the weapon) is a very important part of eskrima, especially for those who are into the corto systems like the Balintawak. Those who are into the largo systems don’t give too much importance on the use of the Live Hand (also called, checking hand), simply because they engage from a relatively farther distance, almost like the modern sport fencing with saber, foil an epee.

The knowledge of the Live Hand makes translation of stick techniques to empty hands fighting easier, making eskrima readily applicable in many impromptu “life and death conditions.”

The Live Hand includes the fingers and the proximal parts to include the shoulder, so that gouging, forearm bar application, elbowing and shoulder push are included.

A Live Hand technique is never delivered in a telegraphic way so that the receiver can anticipate or intercept it. It is fully coordinated and clouded with other variables; the other hand (with the weapon), unpredictable footwork, shifting body weight, irregular tempo, body displacement, feints (and possibly, abrasive body odor too). So very unlikely the opponent can see it coming or being applied. The Live Hand is truly the more dangerous and unpredictable hand.

The Live Hand (usually the left hand) is always coordinated with the Weapon Hand (usually the right hand, because majority are right-handed). The coordination between the hands is so natural and fluid. This is also true with the footwork. Just like while walking; while one arm moves forward the opposite arm swings backward or once one foot steps forward the contralateral arm also swings forward. Coordination between both Live Hand and Weapon –wielding Hand, doesn’t mean that both hands have to keep the same tempo and rhythm, meaning, while the Weapon–wielding Hand is moving to a direction, the Live Hand has already moved twice the number of times.

In most corto stylists, the Live Hand moves faster than the Weapon–Wielding hand. The Live Hand should move relatively faster and in a relatively broken rhythm, because it is supposed to be its role to anticipate or intercept opponent’s follow-through technique, from an appropriate safe distance. (It is not the Live Hand role to block, the incoming strike from a distance.) So we can also say that that the LH is offbeat relative to the had with the weapon. The LH is coordinated with the other hand but follows a different cadence, just like a marching band where the snare and the parade drums don't have same cadence as the bass drum and the cymbals.

In addition to the aforementioned applications of the Live Hand, is its use as a sensor. Meaning, it must be sensitive enough to detect or discern any subtle moves of the opponent. It must be sensitive as to pressure, distance, timing, direction of the delivered strikes, balance, strength and even intention. It must be sensitive enough to adhere and follow the retreating opponent or to yield the incoming force.

The Live Hand can be used as a reference to hit a target in a closer range.The entire Live Hand is used as a sensory tool, i.e. from the more proximal part of the arm, the elbow, to the distal parts like the fingers. By light touching and rolling, both the flexor and the extensor aspects of the forearm and wrist, discern the subtlest movements.

There’s no tangible explanation to the unusual degree of sensitivity developed by a few eskrima adepts; their seemingly acquired ability to read their opponent’s minds, other than the Live Hand.

The Live Hand is also used to guide the stick to an intended target in cases wherein the wielding hand is tapped or immobilized. In cases like these, the Live Hand pushes the stick to an intended target while the other hand is still handling the other end. Or in some cases, the stick is switched to the Live Hand.

When the stick is grabbed, for example, the Live Hand auto automatically catch the middle third of the stick, and both hands is twisted, pressed down, pulled then followed by thrusting the exposed part of the opponent’s anatomy. In some cases, the Live Hand, also helps stabilize a forward thrust like the strike angles # 5, 6, 7, 10and 11.

In almost all occasions, the Live Hand, acts as the “second gate”, thus a secondary line of defense. So it is positioned, almost always, just behind the weapon-wielding hand (acting as the “first gate”). One may face the opponent squarely, but the concept of the first and second gate must be in mind and in application.

In effect when all the maneuvers are translated to empty-handed fighting; the hands follow their respective roles.

The Live Hand must not positioned carelessly, because it can be an easy target of the opponent’s weapon and can be acted upon by the opponent’s weapon or opponent’s Live Hand as well.

The practice of the dagger in punta y daga, is actually a simulation training for the Live Hand. Exercises like the double stick sinawali or amara helps in the coordination between the Weapon Hand and the Live Hand. So when performing this exercise one should remember that coordination is the reason for doing.

Although a good and functional Live Hand moves a bit faster than the weapon-wielding hand. The Live Hand moves in full coordination with the other hand but it does not block the opponent’s stick first. The Live Hand is the weapon used by a corto stylist in a closed-quarter engagement where striking using the olisi, is no longer desirable or possible.

Without the Live Hand, no corto stylist would dare to fight in a short range, that is why it so rare to find a one-armed corto stylist.All the subtle techniques mentioned above are appreciated only by those eskrimadores who prefer to engage in short range.

For long distance fighters, on the other hand, the concept and application of the Live Hand is almost always redundant or improbable. Lastly, the use of the Live Hand is not limited to the corto stick fighting stylists or monopolized by them, in fact many Filipino knife fighting styles (like Baraw Sugbo), are also using the Live Hand.

A Blog on Eskrima 2

2008-11-09T23:42:00.000-08:00

Many people were asking as to why we (Celestino Macachor and I) bothered to write another book on the Filipino Martial Arts? Why do we “rock the boat” by including, among other things, controversial topics? What is in arnis or eskrima worthy of deep discussion?

Well, my co-author and I feel that it is high time to expose the truth and to discuss neglected topics relating to FMA. Now is the time, to produce another kind of book to be considered worthy enough in the shelves for high scholarly studies. Nobody did, so we decided to produce it. And there it is now.

The following short discussion may sound like an advert of our work, Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth. But then I feel that I rather discuss few points here to sum up the whole idea as to why Celestino Macachor and I worked hard to produce this. You don’t want to miss this, I suppose.

The book, Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth, is our contribution to the FMA and to the Filipino culture. The same small book, we hope, will stimulate the interests of the martial artists on FMA, arnis and eskrima; and at the same time inspire fellow Filipinos to learn and to be proud of this interesting aspect of our culture.

The book is not about the technical matters pertaining to arnis or eskrima. Instead, this work includes other topics, seemingly off-tangent, but significantly related to FMA in general---like history, language, esoterica, etc.

Books on FMA or eskrima that are currently available in the bookstores, in general, are either promotion/advertisements for certain styles or simply photo albums. We are trying to detach from those concepts. So we generously included substantial amount of text and old photos, introduced less-known personalities in the contemporary eskrima never available in books and magazines before. Of course, let me make this clear; we don’t know everything and everybody in the Cebuano eskrima.

We are writing this book to demystify everything about eskrima, to stop the monopoly of some eskrima styles, and to inform the world that eskrima or arnis is alive and actively practiced in the Philippines, at least in Cebu Province, contrary to the greedy announcement by the so-called FMA authorities abroad, that arnis is no longer being practiced in the land of its origin. Many established eskrima organizations have conspired to hide important information about other eskrima schools currently practiced in the Province of Cebu, for greedy reasons. We are trying to neutralize that by writing the book, Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth, to answer that need. Both Celestino and I, hope that this same book have truly helped some people in their research on eskrima or arnis.

A Blog on Eskrima 1

2008-11-09T23:34:00.000-08:00

My name is Ned Ra. Nepangue; and I am going to start my blog now---for all of you to read. I hope you’ll enjoy reading it and keep on coming back for more. I will try to make it entertaining as well. I shall try to limit my topic on the Filipino Martial Art (FMA)---arnis or eskrima in particular---and its related topics. Lately, I arrived with a realization that if misinformation about FMA proliferates in the Net, so why don’t I do something to neutralize it? Why don’t I start blogging on the other reality of the FMA, specifically arnis or eskrima?

I know there are many other topics to talk about; but FMA, arnis or eskrima, is the concern that triggers me to blog here. I know that it is not too late; and I know too that the net is here for that purpose---no matter how mundane it might be. The FMA is just a small part of the Filipino culture and is synonymous with arnis or eskrima; it is just one of the many expressions of the Filipino Martial Arts.

I cannot pretend to be an adept on FMA or any of the arnis or eskrima styles. I am not an expert; and I don’t know all. I am not a native speaker of English; and my grammar may sometimes be in trouble. Besides, I don’t think in English, but in Cebuano; and I write based on the way I think. Pardon my English; I promise everything here will be easily understood by you all. If I write here in my native language that is Cebuano, I cannot promise it will sound even better---since nobody nowadays can think, speak, and write in and undiluted Cebuano.