Guro Dave Gould Lameco Seminar. Cuernavaca, Mexico. February 16th & 17th, 2013 For More Information: combatacademy.central@gmail.com Eduardo Herrera 777 254 58 35 … [Read more...]
Guro John Jacobo Kali Ilustrisimo Seminar. Humble, Texas. February 18th & 19th, 2012.
January 28, 2013 by
Guro John Jacobo Kali Ilustrisimo Seminar. Humble, Texas. February 18th & 19th, 2013. For more information: http://www.swacom.com/ … [Read more...]
Am 15.05.2013 war es soweit. Der philippinische Kampfkunstmeister Dino Flores aus den USA
January 15, 2013 by
http://judo-club-limburg.de/kampfkunst-highlieght-in-limburg.html \ Kampfkunst Highlight in Limburg Am 15.05.2013 war es soweit. Der philippinische Kampfkunstmeister Dino Flores aus den USA besuchte die Modern-Arnis Gruppe des Judo Club Limburg, um seine Spezialitäten - Kalis ilustrisimo und Lameco Eskrima vorzustellen. Sowohl Kalis ilustrisimo als auch Lameco Eskrima sind Kampfkünste, die in Deutschland nur schwer zu finden sind. Dementsprechend groß war die Vorfreude auf das Seminar. Guro Dino Flores verstand es, die Teilnehmer mit seinen kurzen und schnellen Schwerttechniken sowie seiner Präzision zu beeindrucken. Wir freuen uns auf einen weiteren Besuch von Guro Dino Flores in Limburg, vielleicht im nächsten Jahr. Externe Teilnehmer sind zu den Seminaren des Judo Club Limburg immer recht herzlich eingeladen. Das Modern Arnis Training findet jeweils mittwochs von 20 Uhr - 22 Uhr in der Heinz-Wolf-Halle in Limburg statt und ist für Frauen und Männer ab 16 Jahren gleichermaßen geeignet. Eine neue Anfängergruppe startet ab sofort. Interessenten sind hierzu herzlich eingeladen. … [Read more...]
Boxer Codex Manuscript – circa 1595
October 8, 2012 by
Boxer Codex Boxer Codex is a manuscript written circa 1595 which contains illustrations of Filipinos at the time of their initial contact with the Spanish. Aside from a description of and historical allusions to the Philippines and various other Far Eastern countries, it also contains seventy-five colored drawings of the inhabitants of these regions and their distinctive costumes. Fifteen illustrations deal with Filipinos. [1] It is believed that the original owner of the manuscript was Luis Pérez das Mariñas, son of Governor General Gómez Pérez das Mariñas, who was killed in 1593 by the Sangleys (Chinese living in the Philippines). Luis succeeded his father in office as Governor General of the Philippines. Since Spanish colonial governors were required to supply written reports on the territotries they governed, it is likely that the manuscript was written under the orders of the governor. [2] The manuscript's earliest known owner was Lord Ilchester. The codex was among what remained in his collection when his estate, Holland House in London, suffered a direct hit during an air raid 1942. The manuscript was auctioned in 1947 and came into the possession of Prof. Charles R. Boxer, an authority on the Far East. It is now owned by the Lilly Library at Indiana University. [3] The Boxer Codex depicts the Tagalogs, Visayans, Zambals, Cagayanons and Negritos of the Philippines in vivid colors. Except for the Chinese, however, its illustrations of inhabitants of neighboring countries are odd looking. This suggests that the artist did not actually visit the places mentioned from the text, but drew from imagination. Boxer notes that the descriptions of these countries are not original. The account of China, for example, was largely based on the narrative of Fray Martin de Rada. The technique of the paintings suggests that artist may have been Chinese, as does the use of Chinese paper, ink and paints. [4] Native Pre-colonial inhabitants of the Philippines Tagalog royalty and his wife, wearing the distinctive color of his class (red). Tagalog maginoo (noble) and his wife, wearing the distinctive color of his class (blue. A timawa or tumao (noble) couple, Visayan Pintados Visayan kadatuan (royal) couple . References ^ Alfredo R. Roces, et. al., eds., Boxer Codex in Filipino Heritage: the Making of a Nation, Philippines: Lahing Pilipino Publishing, Inc., 1977, Vol. IV, p. 1003. ^ Ibid., p. 1004. ^ Ibid., p. 1003. ^ Ibid. … [Read more...]
THE SIGLO DE ORO – The Golden Age of Spain in the fields of Military and Naval power, international politics, economy, arts, literature, and music. 15th – 17th Centuries.
October 8, 2012 by
THE SIGLO DE ORO The Siglo de Oro is the Golden Age of Spain in the fields of Military and Naval power, international politics, economy, arts, literature, and music. The actual length of Spain's golden age lasted for more than a hundred years, from 15th to the 17th Centuries. The above photo shows the areas of the world that at one time were territories of the Spanish Monarchy or Empire. The Spanish empire reached its greatest extent during the Siglo de Oro. … [Read more...]
The Combat Academy presents a Kapisanang Mandirigma Seminar with Guro Dino Flores in Cuernavaca City, Mexico, October 6 & 7, 2012
September 29, 2012 by
The Combat Academy presents a Kapisanang Mandirigma Seminar with Guro Dino Flores in Cuernavaca City, Mexico, October 6 & 7, 2012. Guro Dino Flores will be sharing some of his experience in Ilustrisimo and Backyard Lameco Eskrima. For more information contact Alex Garduño at the Combat Academy. About Guro Dino: Guro Dino began informally training in the Philippines with family and family friends in balisong for the streets. Guro Dino trained for many years with Grandmaster Conrad A. Manaois in Ninoy Cinco Teros Arnis and Master Henry Bio in Sikaran Arnis in the 1980′s along with his cousins Ariel Flores Mosses and Choy Flores. In the early 1990′s he was accepted as an initial member of Punong Guro Edgar Sulites’ newly forming Backyard Group AKA the Sulite Oriehenal Group At the recommendation of Punong Guro Sulite, Guro Dino first visited Master Christopher Ricketts in the Philippines in 1995 and was introduced to his perspective on the Warrior Arts. Since the passing of Punong Guro Sulite, he has continuously train in Kali Ilustrisimo Under Master Christopher Ricketts, who gave Guro Dino permission to teach his method before his passing. Guro Dino was the Lameco representative for Master Ricketts and a member of Bakbakan Philippines sponsored by Master Ricketts. Guro Dino continues his training in Master Ricketts method of training with his two sons, the young Master Bruce Ricketts and Guro Brandon Ricketts. Guro Dino additionally had good fortune to experience training in Kali Ilustrisimo with Guro Dodong Sta. Iglesia, Grandmaster Rey Galang, Grandmaster Yuli Romo and Grandmaster Tony Diego. He also trained in Kali Ilustrisimo with one of his training partners and fellow Lameco Backyard member Guro Hans Tan, who was certified to teach Kali Ilustrsimo under Master Tony Diego. Additionally Guro Dino trained privately for several years in California and the Philippines with Professor Ireneo L. Olavides in Eskrima De Campo JDC-IO. About The Combat Academy: The “Combat Academy” was born in February of 2012 as an Independent training center after 17 years of work and continuous training. The Combat Academy curriculum includes Filipino Martial Arts (Lameco Eskrima & Doce Pares Eskrima), Muay Thai/Boxing, Sambo/ Jiu Jitsu, JKD and AMOK! Alex Garduño, Director and chief Instructor of the “Combat Academy”, is a Lameco Eskrima student under Guro Dave Gould and Guro Roger Agbulos, holds the Guro Rank in Doce Pares Eskrima under SGM Cacoy Cañete and He´s student of Tom Sotis in AMOK! … [Read more...]
Through sponsorship by Senator Miguel Zubiri – Arnis Officially Declared National Martial Art and Sport, Dec. 11 2009,
August 16, 2012 by
UPDATE ON LAWS PASSED DURING THE 14th & 15th CONGRESS Researched by the Executive-Legislative Liaison Service LAWS OF NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE (15th CONGRESS) RA 9850 AN ACT DECLARING ARNIS AS THE NATIONAL MARTIAL ART AND SPORT OF THE PHILIPPINES (SIGNED INTO LAW ON DECEMBER 11, 2009) ********** The principal author and sponsor of RA 9850 is Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri. He is a dedicated Martial Artist and Eskrimador. His primary teacher since childhood is Grandmaster Christopher Ricketts, founder of Bakbakan Philippines. System that he studied under Grandmaster Ricketts include Bakbakan Sagasa Kickboxing, Ngo Cho Kung Fu and Kali Ilustrisimo. Other teachers include Bakbakan Members Grandmaster Alex Co (Ngo Cho), Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite (Lameco Eskrima), Grandmaster Tony Diego (Kali Ilustrisimo) and Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo himself. Miguel with some of his teachers and fellow Bakbakan members. On the cover of the "Advanced Balisong" book with one of his teachers, Punong Guro Edgar Sulite. Senator Juan Miguel F. Zubiri In 2008, Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” F. Zubiri, at age 39, became the youngest to be elected as Senate Majority Leader since the First Congress in 1946. A veteran legislator, he served the 3rd District of Bukidnon from 1998 to 2007 and was always cited as one of the most outstanding solons in the House of Representatives. He has also maintained a perfect attendance in the Plenary Sessions for the last 12 years (4 Congresses) both as Congressman and as Senator, and including this 15th Congress. In the 14th Congress and during his stint as Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Zubiri helped steer the Senate to a record performance of around 650 bills enacted into laws. Sen. Migz is the principal author and sponsor of more than 20 major laws, both in the Senate and during his stint as Congressman. As a fervent advocate of clean energy, he worked for the passage of RA 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 and RA 9367 or the Biofuels Act of 2006, earning him the moniker Mr. Clean Energy. Among the other laws he sponsored, principally authored or co-authored are: RA10068 – Organic Agriculture Act of 2010; RA 9147 – Wildlife Conservation and Protection Act; RA 10121 – Philippine Disaster Risk Management Act; RA 9165 – Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002; RA 9679 – the Home Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009 (Pag-IBIG Fund); RA 9653 – the Rent Control Act of 2009; RA 9997 – the National Commission on Muslim Filipinos Act of 2009; RA 9996 – the Mindanao Development Authority Act of 2010; RA 9904 – the Magna Carta for Homeowners and Homeowners’ Associations; RA 9903 – Condonation of Penalties on Delinquent Social Security Contributions; RA 9507 – the Socialized and Low-Cost Housing Loan Condonation Program; RA 9850 – Declaring Arnis as the National Martial Art and Sport; RA 9500 – UP Charter Amendments; RA 9163 – National Service Training Program; RA 9166 – Armed Forces of the Philippines Rate Pay Base Increase Act; RA 10072 – the New Charter of the Philippine Red Cross; RA 9645 – Declaring July 27 of Every Year as Araw ng Iglesia Ni Cristo and as Special Working Holiday; and RA 9849 – Declaring Eidul Adha as a National Holiday. He is also considered the “father” of the New Cooperative Code being the principal sponsor and author of RA 9520 or the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008. Sen. Migz is known as a champion of environmental concerns, an advocacy he pursues in the Senate and among his top legislative agenda. In the current 15th Congress, he chairs the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources. He also chairs the Committee on Cooperatives and 3 Joint Congressional Oversight Committees such as the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act; Joint Congressional Committee on Clean Air Act; and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Cooperatives. He is also a member of 20 other Senate standing committees. Sen. Migz is involved in concrete environmental programs such as being the founder of the Philippine Deer Foundation, a deer conservation project, and as President of the Palawan-based Katala Foundation which protects endangered wildlife species and their habitats. A trained first aider and certified rescue diver, he is a Governor of the Philippine Red Cross and active member of the Red Cross Youth Committee and Concerned Divers of the Philippines. Senator Zubiri has published two books: the Philippine Cooperative Code of 2008, and Bukidnon: The Philippine Frontier. He is a graduate of Master’s in Environment and Natural Resources Management at the University of the Philippines Open University and Bachelor of Science in Agri-Business Management at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños. He has also been conferred four Honorary or Honoris Causa Doctoral … [Read more...]
Guro Dino Flores DVD Release and Magazine article for Budo International, November 2011
August 13, 2012 by
Guro Dino Flores DVD Release and Magazine article for Budo International, November 2011 February 1, 2012 By dinof2 Leave a Comment (Edit) Guro Dino Flores DVD Release and Magazine article for Budo International, November 2011 Excerpt from the DVD backcover: Punong Guro Edgar Sulite was one of the great revolutionaries in Philippine Martial Arts history. There were two types of students that learnt under him, those who took classes under him periodically and those whom he selected and prepared personally for becoming fighters in private training sessions in the backyard of his home, these students belonged to the Sulite Orihinal Group. Dino Flores belongs to this second elite group of specially trained fighters in Lameco and shines with his own light as one of the top selected fighters of the Lameco Eskrima backyard group. In this work he introduces and shows us a series of exercises which Punong Guro Sulite emphasized greatly upon and that develop correct distancing in a real combat situation. This dvd will help you refine the combative motions, enable you to increase the intensity within a drill, as well as show you how to use equipment correctly and help you overcome a well protected opponent. You will learn how to avoid being hit and grabbed. These exercises practiced under real contact and tension will allow you to react against the most common attacks in real time and in an effective way. The most important thing is to hit well, to have good footwork and mainly to have a great foundation. http://www.budointernational.net/arnis-kali-escrima/1564-dvd-lameco-eskrima-backyard-sulite-original-group.html About Budo International Magazine Budo International is the only martial arts magazine published in seven different languages (English, Spanish, French, Italian, Portuguese, German, and Croatian) and sold worldwide. Budo Magazine is undisputedly the largest specialized magazine in over 60 countries. They are the foremost martial arts publication in Europe, South America, Central America and Australia, as well as having editions in Greece and Czechoslovakia.Their monthly publication brings exciting and exotic masters and material that is truly universal. Budo also covers all types of events, from tournaments to movies and the magazine brings a gust of fresh air mixed with European quality to the American culture. Click on the magazine image below to read English issues of Budo. http://www.budointernational.net/ http://youtu.be/_F-WsyfWAhs Backyard Lameco DVD clip produced by Budo International … [Read more...]
Master Joe Tan of Tapado/Vinas Eskrima to appear at Magda Institute Camp in California, July 4th – 7th, 2013
June 4, 2012 by
Master Joe Tan of Tapado/Vinas Eskrima to appear at Magda Institute Camp, July 4th - 7th, 2013 … [Read more...]
Guro Balinado of Balinado Arnis-Kursada & Guro Roger Agbulos of Lameco Astig Combatives teamed up to showcase FMA self-defense and combatives at the FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS SUMMERCAMP IN GERMANY 2013
May 28, 2012 by
Guro Balinado of Balinado Arnis-Kursada & Guro Roger Agbulos of Lameco Astig Combatives teamed up to showcase FMA self-defense and combatives at the FILIPINO MARTIAL ARTS SUMMERCAMP 2013. https://www.facebook.com/events/358303297612020/ … [Read more...]
Protected: Invitation Only, Private Ilustrisimo Seminar – NEW DATES – Los Angeles & Las Vegas
May 13, 2012 by
This post is password protected. To view it please enter your password below: Password: … [Read more...]
The FMA Informative has a Newspaper with information for the Filipino martial arts community, short stories, introductions of practitioners or styles, theories and/or technical aspects, short write ups on a past event etc, pertinent to the Filipino martial arts and the culture of the Philippine.
April 18, 2012 by
The FMA Informative has a Newspaper with information for the Filipino martial arts community, short stories, introductions of practitioners or styles, theories and/or technical aspects, short write ups on a past event etc, pertinent to the Filipino martial arts and the culture of the Philippine. The FMA Informative also has an Online Magazine which each issue is dedicated to a subject such as certain aspects of a style, historical, theoretical and technical aspects, reflections, and other related subjects, also the culture of the Philippines etc... Both can be subscribed to for Free. The ideas and opinions expressed in the FMA Informative newspaper or online magazine are those of the authors of the articles or practitioners being interviewed and are not necessarily the views of the FMA Informative. For more information go to their website: http://www.fmainformative.info/ Join FMA Informative on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FMA-Informative/205930022842825 … [Read more...]
Grandmaster Nonato “Nene” Gaabucayan Sendong Flood Victims Benefit Seminar, April 29th, 2012
April 8, 2012 by
About Grandmaster Nonato "Nene" Gaabucayan "Standing at 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighting no more that 120 pounds, Venancio "Anciong" Bacon was a very unassuming man. He was a veteran of a great many "death" matches in Cebu. Described by many of his students as lightning fast, Venancio Bacon maneuvered through a fight smoothly while exploiting his opponents’ balance and coordination. He was known to be very surgical with a stick, able to employ varying force to his exact targets throughout his adversary’s body. But, his greatest virtue and asset was his constant desire to innovate and improve his art, diligently discovering techniques through the years, never ceasing in this path. He taught his art to those who desired to learn it." At age 16, Nonato "Nene" Gaabucayan was introduced to Venancio "Anciong" Bacon's BALINTAWAK. In early 1976, "Nene" Gaabucayan moved to Cebu City from Cagayan de Oro to attend college. He lived in a boarding house owned by "Ben" Marapao in Urgello area. Upon learning that Nene was interested in continuing his Karate training, Dr. Marapao suggested he take up Eskrima. Nene attended one training session, in which he was given a demonstration by Teofilo Velez. He'd never seen anything like it, since then he had always been a loyal student and teacher of BALINTAWAK. Along with Teofilo Velez, Nene trained with Bobby Taboada, Chito Velez, Monnie Velez, Eddie Velez, Romeo de la Rosa, and Hector Rizzari. Training was hard, and he made a point to be there every day. Like a sponge, everybody poured whatever Balintawak knowledge they had to this very eager 16 year old. In return, he learned from them. At 18, Nene began teaching his own crop of students in Lapu-Lapu City. He divided his time between his studies at the Philippine Air Force College of Aeronautics and the YMCA in Lapu-Lapu. The photo below are some of his students, from left to right is Nonoy Patalinghug, Boy Booc (judo instructor), Nene, Dr. Marapao, Tonying Patalinghug, Fred Baguio, seated wearing a gi is Boy Baguio (karate instructor), seated wearing a jean jacket is Conrado "Condring" Ybanez (nephew of Tinong Ybanez). After completing his studies in Cebu, Nene returned to Cagayan de Oro. As one of Teofilo Velez' master instructors, he carried the Gold Chapter of Teovel Balintawak. He continued to teach Balintawak. In 1987, Nene traveled to Germany and later to Switzerland to teach BALINTAWAK. He stayed in Europe for 3 years, then returned to Cagayan de Oro. Nene has been teaching BALINTAWAK for 35 years. For more information: http://www.nngbalintawak.com/index.html http://www.facebook.com/events/119784368151790/?notif_t=plan_edited … [Read more...]
The Origins of Philippines Boxing, 1899-1929
March 12, 2012 by
The Origins of Philippines Boxing, 1899-1929 By Joseph R. Svinth Copyright © Joseph R. Svinth 2001. All rights reserved. The assistance of Pat Baptiste, Hank Kaplan, Paul Lou, Eric Madis, Curtis Narimatsu, John Ochs, Michael Machado, and Kevin Smith is gratefully acknowledged. On June 18, 1923, Francisco "Pancho Villa" Guilledo beat Jimmy Wilde to become the world flyweight boxing champion, an accomplishment that was (and remains) a matter of great pride to people of Filipino descent. Unfortunately, while there has been some documentation of the many excellent Filipino boxers who subsequently followed Guilledo to the United States, there has not been as much attention paid to documenting the origins of boxing in the Philippines. This article represents a step toward correcting that omission. People with additional information or corrections are invited to contact the author at jsvinth@ejmas.com. "Pancho Villa, gone but not forgotten." Illustration by Ed Hughes, 1925. Boxing Enters the Philippines US servicemen introduced boxing to the Philippines during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. How this came about is that on April 25, 1898, the United States declared war on Spain, whose colonial holdings included the Philippines. So, on April 27, 1898, Commodore George Dewey ordered his squadron of five cruisers and two gunboats to steam from China to the Philippines, and there, on May 1, 1898, he issued the famous command, "You may fire when ready, Gridley." The resulting US naval victory effectively ended Spanish control of the region, and in August 1898 the US Army began the occupation of Luzon. Then, to the horror of the Filipinos, the Americans did not cede the Philippines to them: instead they decided to keep the islands for themselves. Between 1899 and 1913, this resulted in savage wars of peace whose heroes included Emilio Aguinaldo on one side and Arthur MacArthur, Frederick Funston, Leonard Wood, and John J. Pershing on the other. Casualties in these battles were heavy and one-sided: US casualties were listed as 4,243 killed and 2,818 wounded in action while Filipino casualties are estimated at 16,000 killed, plus another several hundred thousand dead from famine or disease (generally cholera). However, after Theodore Roosevelt’s unilateral declaration of victory in July 1902, US commanders began thinking about how to reduce the rates of desertion, suicide, sexually transmitted diseases, drug abuse, and drunkenness among their soldiers and sailors. Boxing was offered as a potential solution. The reason was that boxers in training were taught to avoid tobacco, alcohol, and sexual activity. Furthermore, explained writer Charles L. Clay in 1887, "Boxing also makes a man self-reliant and resourceful when assailed by sudden or unexpected dangers or difficulties." This, in turn, said a YMCA director named C.H. Jackson in 1909, made young men "Christlike and manly." So, in 1902, Major Elijah Halford (a former secretary to President Benjamin Harrison) asked philanthropists for $200,000 to construct a YMCA in Manila, and by 1904, Army officers such as Edmund Butts were extolling the virtues of boxing in tropical environments such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. US Military Boxers On November 18, 1899, soldiers of the 11th US Cavalry reported finding a pair of boxing gloves made by Sol Levinson of San Francisco abandoned in the Luzon village of San Mateo. According to Damon Runyon, writing in October 1925, Filipino prisoners reported that the "gloves had been brought in by a renegade soldier from the negro Twenty-fourth Infantry, and that he had been schooling the Filipinos in their use." Many early boxers in the Philippines were African American, as the all-black 9th and 10th US Cavalry, 24th and 25th US Infantry, and 48th and 49th US Volunteer Infantry formed a significant percentage of the American soldiers serving in the Philippines between 1899 and 1902. Following Roosevelt’s declaration of peace, most of the black troops were sent back to the United States but in 1913, the 25th was in Hawaii. There the Honolulu Advertiser noted: The Twenty-fifth is proud of its colored ringmasters and particularly of Hollie Giles, a welterweight of 155 pounds, who is described by the men as a ‘whirlwind’ fighter; Morgan, a heavyweight at 190 pounds; Carson, a light heavyweight, and Ananias Harris, a light heavyweight. Meanwhile, from 1913 until 1917, the 24th was in the Philippines, serving at Camp McGrath (Batangas) and Fort Mills (Corregidor). Noted African American fighters from this period included the middleweights Joe Blackburn, "Craps" Johnson, and "Demon" White. Of course, there were also white soldiers who boxed in the Philippines. The most famous was New Jersey’s Mike Ballerino. "Ballerino had a chip on his shoulder," Pancho Villa recalled in early 1925. "He dared any of the Filipinos to knock it off." So Pancho Villa did, fighting … [Read more...]
Arnis: A Question of Origins by Bot Jocano
March 12, 2012 by
Arnis: A Question of Origins by Bot Jocano Rapid Journal Vol. 2, No. 4 4th Qtr 1997Taichi Works Publications 458 Jaboneros St. Binondo, Manila 1006 Arnis: A Question of Origins by Bot Jocano The term arnis evokes a number of reactions from people every time it is mentioned in a conversation. Some people start fanning their hands in the air, imitating the distinctive movements of the two-stick (doble baston) training method. This image of arnis is one of the most popular to the layman. A second reaction, and quite as common as the first, is the question: "Saan ba talaga galing ang arnis?" (Where did arnis really come from?) Alternatively, "Di ba, sa atin nanggaling ang arnis?î (Isn't it that arnis comes from us?) is a question also heard. This article is an attempt to critically examine the roots of one of the martial arts of the Philippines, arnis. It must be noted that in no way does this article claim to be the final say on the origins of arnis. It is actually a preliminary look, a start if you will, into re-examining carefully the origins of an art form. Arnis, also known as kali, escrima, baston, etc. is a complete martial art system, encompassing weapons training and empty-hand self-defense. It includes training in single stick techniques (solo baston), double stick techniques (doble baston), stick and knife or dagger techniques (espada y daga) and knife techniques (daga). Some styles may include staff and spear (sibat) training in their curriculum. Others will include the practice of medium to long bladed weapons (bolo) in their repertoire. Many styles have some form of empty hand combat, encompassing striking, kicking, locking, throwing and even choking methods. These are usually taught when the practitioner has demonstrated a reasonable degree of proficiency with the weapons of his style of arnis. Different arnis styles, from different parts of the country, may emphasize different areas of the training methods noted above. The term arnis is believed to be a Tagalog corruption of the Spanish term arnes, or harness, a reference to the decorations worn by the early Filipinos. Kali is another term used to refer to the same kind of martial arts. Different provinces may have different names for arnis, such as baston and kaliradman (Ilonggo, Bisaya), pagkalikali (Ibanag) and kalirongan (Pangasinan). These are only a few examples of the terms already recorded in different sources. With such a comprehensive system of martial arts being taught and promoted in different areas of the country, it is inevitable that people would ask, where did such a complete martial art system come from? One suggestion is that it originally came from another martial art system, called tjakalele. This is actually the name of a branch of the Indonesian martial art system known as pentjak silat. Another suggestion is that it was brought here from the Southeast Asian mainland, particularly during the Madjapahit and Shri-Visayan empires. Yet another suggestion is that it was propagated by the so-called ten Bornean datus fleeing persecution from their homeland. We shall critically examine these assertions one at a time. The idea that arnis evolved or was derived from another martial art system, namely tjakalele silat, is due to linguistics. The alternative name for arnis is kali. It is widely held that this is the older term for arnis, and that kali itself emphasizes bladed weaponry apart from practice with the stick. It is not surprising that a connection could be seen between the term kali and tjakalele. However, linguistic similarity alone is not enough ground to assert that kali was indeed derived from tjakalele. There has to be documented proof that one came from the other. What form should this proof take? Authenticated documents certainly are one of the best pieces of evidence - if such could be found, and proven to be genuine. A close and thorough comparison of both styles would help, but it must be remembered that they would have changed over time, reflecting the different changes that have happened in their cultures of origin. On the other hand, one of the local terms for a bladed weapon is kalis. It is also believed that kali is a derived term from kalis. This assertion will require study before it can be validated. Another oft-quoted idea is that kali was brought here during the Shri-Vishayan (7th -14th centuries and Madjapahit (13th -16th centuries) empires. This reflects the notion that the Philippines then was somehow an integral part of both empires. It must be noted that the archaeological evidence for the role of the Philippines in both empires is very meager. About the best that could be said is that there was commercial contact, but whether such contact also included the spreading of martial arts is circumstantial at best. A third idea regarding the spreading and propagation of kali in the Philippines is that ten Bornean datus (sometimes nine) fled here and settled in various parts of … [Read more...]
The History of Tapado by Master Joe Tan
March 8, 2012 by
History of Tapado Tapado is an Original Filipino Martial Art which came from a Hiligaynon (a Filipino dialect) word ‘Tapat’ or ‘Tapos’ which means – finished or done in english or to finish the job in one strike. This art was founded in 1960 by the late Grandmaster Romeo ‘Nono’ Mamar of Taloc, Bago City, Negros Occidental, Philippines. ‘Nono’ as he was fondly called, was an accomplished stickfighter specializing in lagas, sinamak and oido arnis systems. But despite his proficiencies in these various arts of arnis/kali/escrima, he found them wanting because according to his actual experiences during matches among his peers, he could still be hit by his opponent. As in a boxing match..where even the champion could still be pummeled despite his experiences, training and exposures, Nono didn’t like the idea of taking hits at all. So after experiencing these various hits and a few times, even defeats, he decided to take a break from stickfighting for a couple of years. But due to his undying love of this art, he continued his personal search along the line of other arts in relations to stickfighting. He noticed that a sword with its longer length has an advantage of reach and power. And so this prompted him to experiment with longer sticks of various sizes and length. After his rigid testing and re testing, he finally settled for a longer stick 43 to 47 inches long. The length is based on the height of the person. But then again, he started thinking : what if the opponent has the same size and length of stick.too?. Thru persistent research and self discovery, he came up with the solutions. He developed various unseen hand, wrist, arm, shoulder and body movements, that jibed with the law of Physics, that generated a lot of power to his strikes and always resulted in overpowering all incoming strikes. Not content to just the overpowering strike, Nono wanted to add a simultaneous offensive hit at the same time thereby rendering the opponent incapacitated with just one powerful and speedy blow. And thus the birth of Tapado. Tapado ,in its early inception, was secretly propagated and practiced only by relatives and family members of the clan. There was an early Tapado Association formed in 1980 but it was still limited and exclusive for members of the family , close relatives and associates. In 1983, Tapado was formally organized and introduced to the public. When the founder died on February 15, 2005, the leadership of the original tapado organization was handed down to his nephew GM Benefredo ‘Bebing’ Lobrido . It took on the official name of Original Filipino Tapado Longstick Fighting Association. Inc. Another Tapado group was set up under GM Mike F. Vasquez, the founder of Vasquez Modified Martial Art International. An undefeated heavy weight Karate champion of the Philippines , a Master Arnis practicioner and a top tapado student of Nono Mumar. GM Mike introduced modifications in the tapado system and called it MODIFIED TAPADO. GM Mike had discussed his ideas of modifications with the original founder while he was alive and was given the authority to do so. The author Master Jose Valencia Tan, has the privilege of having studied under both Grandmasters, GM Nono Mumar and GM Mike Vasquez and including GM Lobrido (when the latter was the Chief Instructor of Original Tapado ). The author is recognized and Certified as Master of Tapado by both Organizations. Currently, Master Joe is propagating Tapado in the US and is an authorized Sole representative of Modified Tapado Organization in the State of California. Photos Master Joe Tan w/ GM Jose Vinas (Founder of Lapu Lapu Vinas Arnis Afficionado) JTan in yellow w/black stripe polo shirt. Master Tan w/ GM Nono Mamar (Founder of Original Tapado Arnis Organization) Grandmaster Jose Vinas - Founder of Lapu Lapu Vinas Arnis Afficianado and Teacher of Master Joe Tan in Arnis. Grandmaster Nono Mamar and Grandmaster Mike Vasquez Master Joe Tan w/ GM Bebing Lobrido (Inhiritor of Original Tapado) Master Joe Tan w/ GM Mike Vasquez (Founder of Modified Tapado) Vasquez Modified Martial Arts Copyright © by MasterTapadoArnis.com | Design Copyright © by E. Kelly … [Read more...]
Giving the Right Credits By Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite
March 8, 2012 by
Giving the Right Credits By Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite This article was first published in VORTEX (Volume 4, Number 1) in 1995. A quarterly newsletter of Lameco Eskrima International, the publisher was the late Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite who passed away on April 10, 1997. The editor was Arnold A. Noche. Giving the Right Credits By Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite In today’s society, martial arts practitioners are constantly bombarded by the knowledge and techniques of various martial arts arriving from all four corners of the world. These are the same exact techniques that were once forbidden to be taught outside the family circle by the very same people who created it and used it. Those people dedicated their lives in the laboratory of the battlefield just to experiment whether their techniques would work or not. Many lives had been wasted before the techniques were ever refined. The masters from the different martial arts devoted their time, energy and, above all, their life in the development of their fierce combat techniques. The Filipino martial arts (Eskrima, Kali, Arnis), Kung-Fu, Thai Boxing, Karate, Indonesian Silat, Jiu-Jitsu, Western Boxing, Tai-Chi, Judo, Savate and other martial arts are just a mere phone call away. In our generation today, we are extremely fortunate to have these different types of martial arts available within our grasp. I remember Grandmaster Jose D. Caballero who was my teacher in the De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal System. It took me more than one year to court him, bringing him food each day on every visit as a means of a gift, just for him to accept me as a student. It was primarily because I was an outsider, one who didn’t belong to their family, that I was not accepted right away. It was also because of my perseverance, that I never stopped coming to his house to ask him to teach me, that I was finally accepted to become one of his disciples. Nowadays, you can study any and all kinds of martial arts as you wish, because they are available within your reach, for as long as you have the determination to learn. Due to the abundance of these martial arts that we study, we somehow consciously or subconsciously mix it together as one. This bring us now to the big problem that evolves due to the fact that some martial arts teachers, as well as some students, are not honest enough in giving the right credits to where they have gotten the knowledge from or where they have attained the techniques from. One afternoon in Manila, Philippines, during our Sunday sessions with Grandmaster Antonio Ilustrisimo in Luneta Park, we noticed two bystanders carefully observing our training with extremely watchful eyes. I, being one of the spokesmen of the Kali Ilustrisimo System, approached the two men and asked them if they knew Eskrima, Kali or Arnis. I also asked them if they would show us some of their moves. The demonstration that they performed for us was quite impressive. Grandmaster Ilustrisimo, who does not impress easily at all especially if you are from another style of Kali, was astounded. After their demonstration we asked immediately who their teacher was. One of the young men replied that they did not have a teacher that they just went to the mountains and meditated to formulate the techniques, which they had just performed. We did not believe him nor them. Master Tony Diego said to me that it was such a pity to their teacher, whoever it was, that these two men would turn out to be so disrespectful. Less than a year later, during our meeting with the different grandmasters of Arnis Philippines, I met an old master that demonstrated the same techniques that I saw earlier from the two men. When I asked the master if he knew of the two, he replied that they were his students. The truth will always come out. Giving the right credits to where we have learned the techniques from pays a lot of respect to the people who invented it and devoted their life in battle just to prove that it works. It is their pride that their names are being remembered and honored by us who are now practicing or who have practiced their once called forbidden art. … [Read more...]
‘Arnis’ on Philippine Stamps
March 7, 2012 by
‘Arnis’ can now be seen on Philippine stamps QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA- The Philippine Postal Corporation (PhilPost) recently released stamps featuring ‘arnis,’ a Filipino martial arts and the country’s national sport. This is part of efforts to promote the sport throughout the world, the PhilPost said. The special ‘arnis’ stamps capture the unique movement and artistry of this Filipino sport, said PhilPost Postage and Philatelic department manager Lenie San Diego. … [Read more...]
Warrior’s Helmet (Oklop), Ifugao, 19th-early 20th c., National Gallery of Australia.
March 7, 2012 by
Warrior’s Helmet (Oklop), Ifugao, 19th-early 20th c., National Gallery of Australia. Courtesy of http://pupuplatter.tumblr.com … [Read more...]
Helmet, Masbate, 19th c., Museo Nacional de Antropología, Madrid.
March 7, 2012 by
Helmet, Masbate, 19th c., Museo Nacional de Antropología, Madrid. Courtesy of http://pupuplatter.tumblr.com … [Read more...]
Shield, Bagobo, c 1900-1910, Penn Museum.
March 7, 2012 by
Shield, Bagobo, c 1900-1910, Penn Museum. Courtesy of http://pupuplatter.tumblr.com … [Read more...]
Justiniano Asuncion, “A Guardia de Vino: An Officer to Look After the Government Monopolies, Such as Arrack and Tobacco,” c 1841, New York Public Library.
March 7, 2012 by
Justiniano Asuncion, “A Guardia de Vino: An Officer to Look After the Government Monopolies, Such as Arrack and Tobacco,” c 1841, New York Public Library. Courtesy of http://pupuplatter.tumblr.com … [Read more...]
Kalis Ilustrisimo Headquarters aid for Grandmaster Tony Diego
February 27, 2012 by
To all our Kalis Ilustrisimo brothers and sisters, On the morning of February 24, 2012 a fire raged through a small community in Manila. Many houses were razed to the ground leaving families homeless. We received sad news that the home of Master Tony Diego was among those houses that didn't survive the fire. Absolutely none of their possessions were saved except the clothes on their backs. Master Tony and family are alive and safe but in dire need of assistance. Since the fire, they have been given temporary shelter at the local community center. We would like to solicit the immediate help of our brothers and sisters in Kalis Ilustrisimo and other kind souls to send aid for Master Tony and his family. Since Master Tony has no home at the moment, donations in kind may pose a problem. Instead, cash donations would be preferred and much appreciated. All parties who would like to make a donation are requested to send us a private message on our facebook page or email us at kalis.ilustrisimo.hq@gmail.com so that we can make arrangements to receive your donation. Thank you! Kalis Ilustrisimo Headquarters … [Read more...]
Guro Ariel Flores Mosses
February 12, 2012 by
Guro Ariel with Grandmaster Manois in Washington State, 1998 Guro Ariel Flores Mosses: About Guro Ariel: Guro Ariel F. Mosses has over 30 years of Filipino Martial Arts experience. He has trained under Filipino Hall of Fame Grand Master Conrad A. Manaois, the late Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite, and Grand Master Christopher Ricketts of Kali Ilustrisimo. Guro Mosses is the Vice President and Chief Instructor for Manaois Systems International. He holds a 7th degree in Kali Jukune Do. Guro Ariel is a member of Kapisanang Mandirigma. He has experience as a professional bodyguard and is a former police officer. Guro Ariel is currently teaching at LV Tactical Training in Las Vegas, Nevada. Guro Ariel will be one of the instructors at Jeff Speakman’s 5.0 Fighter Event Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. June 27, 28, 29 – 2012. . http://mandirigma.org/?p=1537 To contact Guro Ariel go to: http://combatfma.com/index.html http://www.lvtacticaltraining.com/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oeyr9T6qD34 Grandmaster Manois Tournament and Official at FACLA Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, 2000 Guro Ariel with student at his school Washington State, Guro Ariel, Guro Dino, Grandmaster Conrad Manaois and daughter, Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, 1998 Guro Ariel Flores Mosses, Punong Guro Sulite, Guro Choy Flores, Guro Dino Flores in Washington State Guro Ariel Flores Mosses with Master Ricketts in Washington State Guro Ariel Flores Mosses with Master Ricketts, Maste Galang, Master Dodong in Washington State Guro Ariel and Guro Dino being filmed by student Ron Gabriel. Location in the backyard of Guro Ariel's Mothers house in Los Angeles, 2000 Guro Ariels Lameco I.D. Number one for Washington State and Lameco Representative. 1995 … [Read more...]
Indigenous peoples of the Philippines
February 9, 2012 by
Indigenous peoples of the Philippines From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia The indigenous peoples of the Philippines consist of a large number of indigenous ethnic groups living in the country. They are the descendants of the original inhabitants of the Philippines who have managed to resist centuries of Spanish and United States colonization and in the process have retained their customs and traditions.[1] In the 1990s, there were more than 100 highland tribal groups constituted approximately 3% of the population. The upland tribal groups were a blend in ethnic origin like other lowland Filipinos, although they did not have contact with the outside world. They displayed a variety of social organization, cultural expression and artistic skills. They showed a high degree of creativity, usually employed to embellish utilitarian objects, such as bowls, baskets, clothing, weapons and spoons. These groups ranged from various Igorot tribes, a group that includes the Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg, Kalinga and Kankana-ey, who built the Rice Terraces. They also covered a wide spectrum in terms of their integration and acculturation with lowland Christian and Muslim Filipinos. Native groups such as the Bukidnon in Mindanao, had intermarried with lowlanders for almost a century. Other groups such as the Kalinga in Luzon have remained isolated from lowland influence. There were several indigenous groups living in the Cordillera Central of Luzon in 1990. At one time it was employed by lowland Filipinos in a pejorative sense, but in recent years it came to be used with pride by native groups in the mountain region as a positive expression of their ethnic identity. The Ifugaos of Ifugao Province, the Bontocs, Kalinga, Tinguian, the Kankana-ey and Ibaloi were all farmers who constructed the rice terraces for many centuries. Other mountain peoples of Luzon are the Isnegs of northern Kalinga-Apayao Province, the Gaddangs of the border between Kalinga-Apayao, and Isabela provinces and the Ilongots of Nueva Vizcaya Province and Caraballo Mountains all developed hunting and gathering, farming cultivation and headhunting. Other indigenous people such as the Negritos formerly dominated the highlands throughout the islands for thousands of years, but have been reduced to a small population, living in widely scattered locations, primarily along the eastern ranges of the mountains. In the southern Philippines, upland and lowland tribal groups were concentrated on Mindanao and western Visayas, although there are several indigenous groups such as the Mangyan living in Mindoro. Among the most important groups found on Mindanao are collectively called the Lumad, and includes the Manobo, Bukidnon of Bukidnon Province, Bagobo, Mandaya, and Mansaka, who inhabited the mountains bordering the Davao Gulf; the Subanon of upland areas in the Zamboanga; the Mamanua in the Agusan-Surigao border region; the Bila-an, Tiruray and Tboli in the region of the Cotabato province, and the Samal and Bajau in the Sulu Archipelago. The tribal groups of the Philippines are known for their carved wooden figures, baskets, weaving, pottery and weapons. Reservation The Philippine government succeeded in establishing a number of protected reservations for tribal groups. Indigenous people were expected to speak their native language, dress in their traditional tribal clothing, live in houses constructed of natural materials using traditional architectural designs and celebrate their traditional ceremonies of propitiation of spirits believed to be inhabiting their environment. They are also encouraged to re-establish their traditional authority structure in which, as in indigenous society were governed by chieftains known as Rajah and Datu. Contact between "primitive" and "modern" ethnic groups usually resulted in weakening or destroying tribal culture without assimilating the indigenous groups into modern society. It seemed doubtful that the shift of the Philippine government policy from assimilation to cultural pluralism could reverse the process. Several Filipino tribes tends to lead to the abandonment of traditional culture because land security makes it easier for tribal members to adopt the economic process of the larger society and facilitates marriage with outsiders. In the past, the Philippine government bureaus could not preserve tribes as social museum exhibits, but with the aid of various nationwide organizations, they hoped to help the tribes adapt to modern society without completely losing their ethnic identity. … [Read more...]
