What is Really a Filipino Martial Arts?

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stdalire

Joined
Sep 8, 1999
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Whoever a Filipino Expert on Karate, TKD, Judo, Wrestling, Kungfu and many more MA's are mixture of different Western and Oriental teaching. We have wrestling in Philippines but we don't call wrestling, of course we called it by the native name. Example, in the Ilocos region the Wrestling is called "Gab'bo" this is an alien word to many of you isn't it? but the art of wrestling is well known long time ago by the Islands inhabitants.

Whether you like it or not, Arnis is an original stick fighting arts of the Filipinos. The same as the Eskrima or Escrima it is an original for the Filipinos. If someone asked, why is it that only the wordings seems so spanish. Well, we should know that there are many languages in the Philippines that has semblance to Malaysian, Indonesian, Arabian, Chinese, Indian wordings influence. Take for example, the word "Sabon" soap, it called sabon in tagalog, sabon in arabic, sabon in Ilocano. The word pantalon, pants, it called pantalon in arabic, pantalon in tagalog and pantalon also in spanish.

The same thing to martial arts.

Karate - all karate style was learned by Filipinos from the Japanese. Then it became comerciallized with many sub names. In Philippines you may find famous old karate school called "Dose Pares" it is a karate club, it is not an arnis of twelve strikes. It is not either spanish martial arts because the name is Dose (twelve) pares (pairs) that if you translate in English Twelve Pairs.

Karate, kungfu, TKD, Aikido, Jujitso are not Filipin Martial Arts but Many Filipinos became expert to it.

To my understanding, the "Mano Mano" which means hand to hand arts or an arts of the hands in holding, grabbing, locking and breaking is an original martial arts also of the Filipinos. The Mano Mano is literally a tagalog term but it can be an Ilocano Term also but, again it is an spanish words.

We should remember that even the English language has many terms originated from French words and Spanish. Correct me if I am wrong that there are more countries in Europe that speak more Spanish - so, spain being a 15th century super power has a great influence to many aspect of in life. Even America, before the coming of English people in the New World, the spanish has been there for a long time. That is why, I never believe that Magellan was the discoverer of the Philippines, it was his time only that it was formally recorded.

My point here is, don't be confused if you hear a Filipino Martial arts that sounds spanish, or English and you may have the notion that it is not an original FMA.

Also, bear in mind that mostly barehand martial arts of the Filipinos are of Japanese and Chinese Influence. But the Mano Mano (is not only referring a branch of Arnis).

The original Southerners the brother Muslims or Moros have their own original MA's also.

The Kalingas and Igorots in the Mountain Provinces has an Original MA's also. I just wish many of these Indigenous Tribes who knows their original MA can discover web site like this and has full access to educate us.

Thanks
 
Hi stdalire:
I think I understand the point you are getting at, and appreciate input from a perspective that comes directly from the Phillipines. Terminology can be confusing, and you cannot draw conclusions about sources strictly from the words used. I think that was your point anyway. :-) But I think it should also be pointed out that it is very difficult to say what is an "original FMA" and what is not. From what I understand, many fighting arts where incorporated and blended thru the generations. FMAs draw upon chinese, indonesian, japanese, spanish, and other western influences. I saw the term "original FMA" several times in your post. If more modern versions of Arnis incorporate some Karate or Ju Jitsu...does that make them any less "original FMAs" than the ancient versions that incorporated spanish methods? Because something is older...does it therefore qualify as "original"? Martial arts have always changed and evolved, especially in a place like the Phillipines that has such cultural diversity and exposure to other peoples. Anyway, just my 2 cents.

Keith

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Attitude Is Everything!
 
Hi Keith: Thanks for your comments. What I am trying to drive at is, FMA is a blend of many origins, for Philippines was colonized by several countries. But if I say FMA, I am referring absolutely to the martial arts that is being practiced by the Filipinos before the coming of any foreign influence.

I reiterate that the original Stick Fighting of Filipinos which is called Arnis in any part of the Archipelago is an original stick fighting of the Filipinos. I myself who is from the most remote areas of the north see the original players of arnis and there is great difference from the modern arnis (well it is clear enough that it differs because the former was named modern arnis which has many inovations also). As what you said, martial arts changed and evolve.

As to the distinction, it is crystal clear that FMA has is great differences compared to the other oriental arts. Look at Kendo or Samurai of the Japanese, it is very different to the Filipino Way of Using the Tabak, Kampilan or the Kris. Even the form/kinds of the bladed weapon is already different and the way it is use.

To the modern arnis - it has been discussed several times and for sure even the presas will say that it is an extension of the hands, and mostly of the blockings are almost the same to basic blocks of karate. Look at the 12 strikes, those are points to strike as the so called weakpoints in Kungfu. But then, Kungfu is very much different to the Arnis and the three folds stick and long single stick use by the chinese is very different to that of the "two equal of size sticks" of the arnis.

I have seen many Filipinos teaching Judo which is very much different to that of the original/traditional Japanese Judo. Why? because of ingenuity of instructors, which many did it. Even the Japanese, those who are Judo master are not satisfied with Judo, they invented the Aikido, thinking that Aikido can deal with multiple opponents. But again, if we talk Judo or Aikido that is for multiple opponent, we are only talking unarmed opponents that we are throwing simultaneously. The aikido cannot be as applicable to throw multiple opponents that are armed with knife. Whereas, the arnis can deal an armed opponent for the real arnis is intended to defend oneself against an opponent armed with knife, bolo or any bladed weapon.

On the other side of the coin, to be honest, a student in Modern Arnis who just study it for a month and no more practice or the guy who study it, has no basic foundation in Karate or any martial arts could not be the same and effective with the guy who has black belt who studied Arnis.

Thanks,


 
I enjoyed reading the above posts as well. I just wanted to add a couple of points.

The weak points in Spanish armor played a big role in the development of the 12 striking angles. The actual numbering may differ from style to style or from school to school, but the basic strikes are almost universal. When you're basically naked with a big knife and fighting fully armored soldiers with swords, natural selection comes into play.

Arnis/escrima/kali was also influenced by the fencing/swordmanship styles of both Spain and Italy; especially in espada y daga (sword and dagger) as early as the 15th and 16th centuries. Filipinos made up a large percentage of the crews on Spanish galleons and traveled all over the world (some jumped ship when they got somewhere else and the Spaniards were forced to "recruit" locals, some of whom also jumped ship when they got to the Philippines).

The number of arnis/escrima/kali schools/styles can not be accurately counted. Similar to Chinese spoken language, you could find a different style by just crossing a river or mountain range. Some like punyo, some don't; some like going to the ground, some don't; some like delicate cut and thrust, some go right for decapitation; some like perfecta, some like imperfecta; some train blade first, some train stick first. It's all good.
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This topic is too broad so I'll just end it here.
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Oh, by the way, I have yet to hear of any arnis/escrima/kali system/school that uses a belt ranking system...
 
Doesn't Modern Arnis use a belt ranking system?

Keith

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Attitude Is Everything!
 
Keith,

Really? Hmmm. The places that I'm familiar with around here don't. I don't see the need for a belt system; you either know it or you don't and you pretty much know who's good and who's better. Anyway, thanks for the info; that's my something new for today...
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[This message has been edited by Samuel (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
I agree with you. I don't see the need for ranking systems. But I have Remy Presas' book and have been reading his articles in the magazines for years. They always seem to be wearing a variation of a karate Gi, including the belt. I know of one system...Comjuka Kali that definately has a Japanese ranking structure.

Keith

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Attitude Is Everything!
 
Greetings to every one. Thank you for all your good comments.

If I quite remember what Ernesto Presas told me before that it would be better if you are a black belt or have at least a martial arts skill before you take up Arnis.

To my own analysis, there is no need for ranking system in Arnis. It is not necessary to study arnis for a long time for if you have mastered the basic blocks of it and its 12 strikes as well as the different locking, releasing, and breaking techniques that will be all fine. The only thing you do already is to keep practicing and take the Rhythm of it.


[This message has been edited by stdalire (edited 03-13-2000).]
 
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