The Untold History of the Filipino Martial Art of Kali

(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?

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?

"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.

Joe Go, the Eskrima Teacher

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.