Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national
martial art
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; and the preserv ...
of the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The three are roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional
martial arts
Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
of the
Philippines
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
("
Filipino Martial Arts", or FMA), which emphasize
weapon-based fighting with
sticks,
knives
A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
,
bladed weapon
An edged weapon, or bladed weapon, is a melee weapon with a cutting edge. Bladed weapons include swords, daggers, knives, and bayonets. Edged weapons are used to cut, hack, or slash; some edged weapons (such as many kinds of swords) may also permit ...
s, and various
improvised weapon
An improvised weapon is an object that was not designed to be used as a weapon but can be put to that use. They are generally used for self-defence or if the person is otherwise unarmed. In some cases, improvised weapons are commonly used by attac ...
s, as well as "open hand" techniques without weapons.
There have been campaigns for arnis to be nominated in the
UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists
UNESCO established its Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage with the aim of ensuring better protection of important intangible cultural heritages worldwide and the awareness of their significance.Compare: This list is published by the Intergover ...
, along with other Philippine martial arts. As of 2018,
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) aimed at promoting world peace and security through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. It ...
has inscribed nine martial-arts–related intangible heritages.
Name
Arnis comes from ''arnés'',
the
Old Spanish
Old Spanish, also known as Old Castilian ( es, castellano antiguo; osp, romance castellano ), or Medieval Spanish ( es, español medieval), was originally a dialect of Vulgar Latin spoken in the former provinces of the Roman Empire that provided ...
for "armour" (''harness'' is an archaic English term from same root). It is said to derive from the armour costumes used in traditional ''
Moro-moro'' stage plays, where actors fought mock battles with wooden swords. ''Arnes'' is also an archaic Spanish term for weapon, used as early as 1712.
Eskrima (also spelled Escrima) is a derived from the Spanish word for
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
, ''esgrima''. Their
cognate
In historical linguistics, cognates or lexical cognates are sets of words in different languages that have been inherited in direct descent from an etymology, etymological ancestor in a proto-language, common parent language. Because language c ...
in French is ''escrime'' and is related to the English term 'skirmish'.
The name Kali is most likely derived from the
pre-Hispanic
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...
Filipino term for blades and fencing, ''
Kalis
A kalis (Baybayin: or ; Jawi script: كاليس ; Abecedario: ''cáli'', ''cális'') is a type of double-edged Philippine sword, often with a "wavy" section. The kalis has a double-edged blade, which is commonly straight from the tip but wavy n ...
'' (
Spanish spelling
Spanish orthography is the orthography used in the Spanish language. The alphabet uses the Latin script. The spelling is fairly phonemic orthography, phonemic, especially in comparison to more opaque orthographies like English orthography, Engli ...
: "''Calis''"),
documented by
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East ...
's expedition chronicler
Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was an Venetian scholar and explorer. He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of the emperor Charles V and after Magellan's death in the Philippine Islands, ...
during their journey through the Visayas and in old Spanish to Filipino Mother Tongue dictionaries and vocabulary books dating from 1612 to the late 1800s, such as in
''Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala'' by Fr. Pedro de San Buenaventura.
The term ''calis'' in various forms was present in these old Spanish documents in Ilocano,
Ibanag (''calli-t''; pronounced as kal-lî),
Kapampangan,
Tagalog,
Bicolano (''caris''),
Waray (''caris''),
Hiligaynon,
Cebuano (''calix, baladao''
– "''kalis balaraw''/dagger" and ''cales''
), and Moro-Maguindanao in Mindanao (''calis'' – the kris, weapon).
In some of these dictionaries, the term calis refers to a sword or knife
kris or keris, while in others it refers to both swords and knives and their usage as well as a form of ''esgrima''
stick fighting
Stick-fighting, stickfighting, or stick fighting is a variety of martial arts which use simple long, slender, blunt, hand-held, generally wooden "sticks" for fighting, such as a gun staff, bō, jō, walking stick, baston, arnis sticks or simil ...
.
While Mirafuente posits that the original term was "Kali" and that the letter "S" was added later, the late Grandmaster
Remy Presas
Remy Amador Presas (December 19, 1936 – August 28, 2001) was the founder of Modern Arnis, a popular Filipino people, Filipino martial art. Born in the Philippines, he moved to the United States in 1974, where he taught his art via seminars an ...
suggests that the "S" was dropped in modern times and became presently more known as "Kali" in FMA circles.
There exist numerous similar terms of reference for martial arts such as ''kalirongan'', ''kaliradman'', and ''pagkalikali''.
These may be the origin of the term ''kali'' or they may have evolved from it.
Remy Presas
Remy Amador Presas (December 19, 1936 – August 28, 2001) was the founder of Modern Arnis, a popular Filipino people, Filipino martial art. Born in the Philippines, he moved to the United States in 1974, where he taught his art via seminars an ...
, 1974, ''Modern Arnis'', pp. 10–12, .
In their book ''Cebuano Eskrima: Beyond the Myth'' however, Dr. Ned Nepangue and Celestino Macachor contend that the term ''Kali'' in reference to
Filipino martial arts did not exist until the Buenaventura Mirafuente wrote in the preface of the first known published book on Arnis, ''Mga Karunungan sa Larong Arnis'' by Placido Yambao, the term ''Kali'' as the native mother fighting art of the Philippine islands.
Practitioners of the arts are called ''arnisador'' (male,
plural
The plural (sometimes abbreviated pl., pl, or ), in many languages, is one of the values of the grammatical category of number. The plural of a noun typically denotes a quantity greater than the default quantity represented by that noun. This de ...
''arnisadores'') and ''arnisadora'' (female, plural ''arnisadoras'') for those who call theirs ''arnis'', ''eskrimador'' (male, plural ''eskrimadores'') or ''eskrimadora'' (female, plural ''eskrimadoras'') for those who call their art ''eskrima'', and ''kalista'' or ''mangangali'' for those who practise ''kali''.
It is also known as ''Estoque'' (
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
for
rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
), ''Estocada'' (Spanish for thrust or stab) and ''Garrote'' (Spanish for club). In
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
it may go by the name of ''Arnis de Mano'' or ''Arnes de Mano''.
The indigenous martial art that the Spanish encountered in 1610 was not yet called "Eskrima" at that time. During those times, this martial art was known as ''Paccalicali-t'' (pronounced as ''pakkali-kalî'') to the
Ibanags
The Ibanag (also Ybanag and Ybanak or Ibanak) are an ethnolinguistic minority numbering a little more than half a million people, who inhabit the provinces of Cagayan, Isabela, and Nueva Vizcaya. They are one of the largest ethnolinguistic mino ...
,
''Didya'' (later changed to ''Kabaroan'') to the
Ilokanos, ''Sitbatan'' or ''Kalirongan'' to
Pangasinenses, ''Sinawali'' ("to weave") to the
Kapampangans
The Kapampangan people ( pam, Taung Kapampangan), Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as ...
, ''Calis'' or ''Pananandata'' ("use of weapons") to the
Tagalogs
The Tagalog people ( tl, Mga Tagalog; Baybayin: ᜋᜅ ᜆᜄᜎᜓᜄ᜔) are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering at around 30 million. An Austronesian people, the Tagalog have a well developed society due to their cu ...
, ''Pagaradman'' to the
Ilonggos and ''Kaliradman'' to the
Cebuanos
The Cebuano people ( ceb, Mga Sugbuanon) are the largest subgroup of the larger ethnolingustic group Visayans, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country. Their primary language is the Cebuano language, an Austro ...
.
Kuntaw
Kuntao or kuntau (wiktionary:拳, 拳wiktionary:道, 道, Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kûn-thâu, Tagalog language, Tagalog: kuntaw) is a Min Nan, Hokkien term for the martial arts of the Chinese community of Southeast Asia, specifically the Malay Archipelag ...
and
Silat
is the collective term for a class of indigenous martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philip ...
are separate martial arts that are also practised in the Philippine Archipelago.
General
Arnis also includes
hand-to-hand combat
Hand-to-hand combat (sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H) is a physical confrontation between two or more persons at short range (grappling distance or within the physical reach of a handheld weapon) that does not involve the use of weapons.Huns ...
,
joint lock
A joint lock is a grappling technique involving manipulation of an opponent's joints in such a way that the joints reach their maximal degree of motion and hyperextension.
In judō these are referred to as, 関節技 ''kansetsu-waza'', "joint loc ...
s,
grappling
Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the opponent. Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent, either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling i ...
and weapon disarming techniques. Although in general, emphasis is put on weapons for these arts, some systems put empty hands as the primary focus and some old school systems do not teach weapons at all.
[Filipino Warrior Arts Research Society](_blank)
Macachor, Celestino S., Macachor met old practitioners who emphasized or practised only empty-hands forms when he was learning FMA and during research for his book with Dr. Ned Nepangue, ''Cebu Eskrima: Beyond the Myth''.
For all intents and purposes, arnis, eskrima and kali all refer to the same family of Filipino weapon-based martial arts and fighting systems. Both ''Arnis'' and ''Eskrima'' are
loans
In finance, a loan is the lending of money by one or more individuals, organizations, or other entities to other individuals, organizations, etc. The recipient (i.e., the borrower) incurs a debt and is usually liable to pay interest on that de ...
from
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
, as seen in ''Ilustración de la Destreza Indiana'', by Francisco Santos de la Paz (1712):
''"Siendo tan infalible la execucion desta Doctrina, que no solo consigue ésta superioridad en concurso de Armas iguales, sino tambien hallandose el contrario con la aparente ventaja de venir armado de los dos Arneses, Espada, y Daga; pues aun con ellos experimenta la dificultad de resistir á esta Espada sola..."''
"The execution of this doctrine is so infallible, that not only does it prove its superiority in contests with equal arms, but also when finding the opponent with the apparent advantage of showing up armed with two weapons, sword and dagger. For, even armed with those, experience shows the difficulty of resisting the single sword used in this way..."
Historical accounts
Origins
As ''Arnis'' was an art usually practised by the poor or commoner class (as opposed to
nobility
Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
or
warrior
A warrior is a person specializing in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based warrior culture society that recognizes a separate warrior aristocracies, class, or caste.
History
Warriors seem to have been p ...
classes), most practitioners lacked the scholarly education to create any kind of written record. While the same can be said of many martial arts, this is especially true for Arnis because almost all of its history is anecdotal, oral or promotional. The origin of Arnis can be traced back to native "
Pintados
Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
" or then "Tintadus" fighting techniques during
conflicts among the various Prehispanic Filipino tribes or kingdoms, though the current form has Spanish influence from old
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
which originated in Spain in the 15th century. It has other influences as well, as settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago brought the influence of
silat
is the collective term for a class of indigenous martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philip ...
as well as
Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of va ...
and
Indian martial arts
Indian martial arts refers to the fighting systems of the Indian subcontinent. A variety of terms are used for the English phrases “Indian martial arts”, deriving from ancient sources. While they may seem to imply specific disciplines (e.g. ...
. Some of the population still practise localized Chinese fighting methods known as
kuntaw
Kuntao or kuntau (wiktionary:拳, 拳wiktionary:道, 道, Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kûn-thâu, Tagalog language, Tagalog: kuntaw) is a Min Nan, Hokkien term for the martial arts of the Chinese community of Southeast Asia, specifically the Malay Archipelag ...
.
It has also been theorized that the Filipino art of Arnis may have roots in
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
and came to the Philippines via people who traveled through
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
and
Malaysia
Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federation, federal constitutional monarchy consists of States and federal territories of Malaysia, thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two r ...
to the Philippine islands.
Silambam
Silambam is an Indian martial art originating in South India in the Indian subcontinent. This style is mentioned in Tamil Sangam literature. The World Silambam Association is the official international body of Silambam.
Origin
References in ...
, a stick/staff-based ancient martial art of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
influenced many martial arts in Asia like
Silat
is the collective term for a class of indigenous martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philip ...
. As such, Arnis may share ancestry with these systems – some Arnis moves are similar to the short stick (kali or kaji) and other weapon based fighting styles of Silambam.
When the Spaniards first arrived in the Philippines, they already observed weapons-based martial arts practised by the natives, which may or may not be related to present-day Arnis. The earliest written records of Filipino culture and life, including martial arts, come from the first Spanish explorers. Some early expeditions fought native tribesmen armed with sticks and knives.
In 1521,
Ferdinand Magellan
Ferdinand Magellan ( or ; pt, Fernão de Magalhães, ; es, link=no, Fernando de Magallanes, ; 4 February 1480 – 27 April 1521) was a Portuguese explorer. He is best known for having planned and led the 1519 Spanish expedition to the East ...
was killed in
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
at the
Battle of Mactan
The Battle of Mactan ( ceb, Gubot sa Mactan; fil, Labanan sa Mactan; es, Batalla de Mactán) was a fierce clash fought in the archipelago of the Philippines on April 27, 1521. The warriors of Lapulapu, one of the Datus of Mactan, overpowered ...
by the forces of
Datu
''Datu'' is a title which denotes the rulers (variously described in historical accounts as chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs) of numerous indigenous peoples throughout the Philippine archipelago. The title is still used today, especial ...
Lapulapu
Lapulapu or Lapu-Lapu (ᜎᜉ̰-ᜎᜉ̰), whose name was first recorded as Çilapulapu, was a datu (chief) of Mactan in the Visayas in the Philippines. He is best known for the Battle of Mactan that happened at dawn on April 27, 1521, where h ...
, the chief of Mactan. Some Arnisadors hold that Lapulapu's men killed Magellan in a sword-fight, though historical evidence proves otherwise. The only eyewitness account of the battle by chronicler,
Antonio Pigafetta
Antonio Pigafetta (; – c. 1531) was an Venetian scholar and explorer. He joined the expedition to the Spice Islands led by explorer Ferdinand Magellan under the flag of the emperor Charles V and after Magellan's death in the Philippine Islands, ...
, tells that Magellan was stabbed in the face and the arm with spears and overwhelmed by multiple warriors who hacked and stabbed at him:
The natives continued to pursue us, and picking up the same spear four or six times, hurled it at us again and again. Recognizing the captain, so many turned upon him that they knocked his helmet off his head twice, but he always stood firmly like a good knight, together with some others. Thus did we fight for more than one hour, refusing to retire farther. ''An Indian hurled a bamboo spear into the captain's face'', but the latter immediately killed him with his lance, which he left in the Indian's body. Then, trying to lay hand on sword, he could draw it out but halfway, because he had been wounded in the arm with a bamboo spear. When the natives saw that, they all hurled themselves upon him. One of them wounded him on the left leg with a large cutlass, which resembles a scimitar, only being larger. That caused the captain to fall face downward, when immediately they rushed upon him with iron and bamboo spears and with their cutlasses, until they killed our mirror, our light, our comfort, and our true guide. ''When they wounded him, he turned back many times to see whether we were all in the boats.'' Thereupon, beholding him dead, we, wounded, retreated, as best we could, to the boats, which were already pulling off.
![Katipuneros](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Katipuneros.jpg)
Due to the conflict-ridden nature of the Philippine archipelago, where
port-kingdoms (Kedatuans, Rajahnates and Sultanates) were often at war with one another or raiding each other, warriors were forged in the many wars in the islands, thus during the precolonial era, the geographical area acquired a reputation for its capable mercenaries, which were soon employed all across South, Southeast and East Asia.
Lucoes
Luzones ( pt, Luções, ; also ''Luzones'' in Spanish) was a demonym used by Portuguese sailors in Malaysia during the early 1500s, referring to the Kapampangan and Tagalog people who lived in Manila Bay, which was then called '' Lusong'' ( pt, ...
(warriors from
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
) aided the Burmese king in his invasion of
Siam
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 mi ...
in 1547 AD. At the same time, Lusung warriors fought alongside the Siamese king and faced the same elephant army of the
Burmese king in the defense of the Siamese capital at Ayuthaya.
The former
sultan
Sultan (; ar, سلطان ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it ...
of
Malacca
Malacca ( ms, Melaka) is a state in Malaysia located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, next to the Strait of Malacca. Its capital is Malacca City, dubbed the Historic City, which has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site si ...
decided to retake his city from the
Portuguese
Portuguese may refer to:
* anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal
** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods
** Portuguese language, a Romance language
*** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language
** Portu ...
with a fleet of ships from Lusung in 1525 AD.
[The former sultan of Malacca decided to retake his city from the Portuguese with a fleet of ships from Lusung in 1525 AD. SOURCE: Barros, Joao de, Decada terciera de Asia de Ioano de Barros dos feitos que os Portugueses fezarao no descubrimiento dos mares e terras de Oriente 628 Lisbon, 1777, courtesy of William Henry Scott, Barangay: Sixteenth-Century Philippine Culture and Society, Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press, 1994, page 194.] Lucoes influence even manifested in East Asia at
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
where Lucoes sailors initially guided Portuguese ships to the Shogunate and even South Asia in
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
where Lungshanoid pottery from Luzon were found in burials there.
Pinto noted that there were a number of them in the Islamic fleets that went to battle with the Portuguese in the Philippines during the 16th century. The Sultan of Aceh as well as Suleiman, the Ottoman Commander who was brother of the Viceroy of Cairo, gave one of them (Sapetu Diraja) the task of ruling and holding Aru (northeast Sumatra) in 1540. Pinto also says one was named leader of the Malays remaining in the Moluccas Islands after the Portuguese conquest in 1511.
Pigafetta notes that one of them was in command of the Brunei fleet in 1521.
One famous Lucoes is
Regimo de Raja
Regimo Diraja was a Filipino (Luzones) general, governor, shipping operator and spice magnate who found fortune in the Portuguese Malacca. He was prominent and highly influential in Malacca even before the Portuguese came and after the Capture of ...
, who was appointed by the Portuguese at Malacca as
Temenggung
Temenggong or Tumenggung ( Jawi: تمڠݢوڠ; ''Temenggung'', Hanacaraka: ꦠꦸꦩꦼꦁꦒꦸꦁ; ''Tumenggung'') is an old Malay and Javanese title of nobility, usually given to the chief of public security.
Responsibilities
The Temen ...
(
Jawi: تمڠݢوڠ
) or Supreme Governor and Chief General. The Luzones were so commercially and militarily influential that the Portuguese soldier Joao de Barros considered them, "the most warlike and valiant of these parts."
Opinions differ on the degree to which Spanish rule in the Philippines affected Arnis. The fact that a large number of techniques and the names of the arts themselves (arnis/''arnes'', eskrima/''esgrima'', ''garrote'', ''estoque'', etc.) have Spanish names suggest an influence. Some argue though that Spanish names in the martial art simply reflect the fact that
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
was the
lingua franca of the Philippines until the early 20th century, and that actual Spanish martial influence was limited.
What is certain is that the Spaniards brought with them and used their
bladed weapon arts (including the system of
Destreza
is the conventional term for the Spanish tradition of fencing of the early modern period. The word literally translates to 'dexterity' or 'skill, ability', and thus to 'the true skill' or 'the true art'.
While is primarily a system of sword ...
developed by
Carranza) when they started colonizing the archipelago in the 16th century. What is also known is that the Spaniards recruited soldiers from
Mexico
Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...
and
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
and sent them to fortify the Philippines and they had also trained mercenaries and warriors from local people like the
Pangasinenses,
Kapampangans
The Kapampangan people ( pam, Taung Kapampangan), Pampangueños or Pampangos, are the sixth largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering about 2,784,526 in 2010. They live mainly in the provinces of Pampanga, Bataan and Tarlac, as ...
,
Tagalogs
The Tagalog people ( tl, Mga Tagalog; Baybayin: ᜋᜅ ᜆᜄᜎᜓᜄ᜔) are the largest ethnolinguistic group in the Philippines, numbering at around 30 million. An Austronesian people, the Tagalog have a well developed society due to their cu ...
,
Ilonggos,
Cebuanos
The Cebuano people ( ceb, Mga Sugbuanon) are the largest subgroup of the larger ethnolingustic group Visayans, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country. Their primary language is the Cebuano language, an Austro ...
and
Warays
The Waray people (or the Waray-Waray people) are a subgroup of the larger ethnolinguistic group Bisaya people, who constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group in the country. Their primary language is the Waray language (also called L ...
to pacify regions and put down revolts. Of the Kapampangans,
Fray Casimiro Díaz relates in 1718:
''Los primeros que se decidieron á experimentar fortuna fueron los pampangos, nación la más belicosa y noble de estas Islas, y cercana á Manila. Y era lo peor hallarse ejercitada en el arte militar en nuestras escuelas en los presidios de Ternate, Zamboanga, Joló, Caraga y otras partes, donde se conoció bien su valor; pero este necesita del abrigo del nuestro, y así decían que un español y tres pampangos, valían por cuatro españoles.''
The first who decided to experiment with their fortune (revolt) were the Pampangos, the most warlike and prominent people of these islands, and close to Manila. And it was all the worse because these people had been trained in the military art in our own schools in the presidio
A presidio ( en, jail, fortification) was a fortified base established by the Spanish Empire around between 16th century, 16th and 18th century, 18th centuries in areas in condition of their control or influence. The presidios of Captaincy Genera ...
s (fortified outposts) of Ternate
Ternate is a city in the Indonesian province of North Maluku and an island in the Maluku Islands. It was the ''de facto'' provincial capital of North Maluku before Sofifi on the nearby coast of Halmahera became the capital in 2010. It is off the we ...
, Zamboanga, Jolo
Jolo ( tsg, Sūg) is a volcanic island in the southwest Philippines and the primary island of the province of Sulu, on which the capital of the same name is situated. It is located in the Sulu Archipelago, between Borneo and Mindanao, and has ...
, Caraga
Caraga, officially the Caraga Administrative Region (or simply known as Caraga Region) and designated as Region XIII, is an administrative region in the Philippines occupying the northeastern section of Mindanao. The region was created through ...
and other places where their valor was well known; but this needs the help of ours, and so they say that a Spaniard plus three Pampangos equal four Spaniards.
Logic dictates that these native warriors and foreign soldiers would have passed on to very close friends and family members these newly learned skills to augment already existing and effective local ones. They would have also shared tactics and techniques with each other when placed in the same military group and fighting on the same side in foreign regions such as
Formosa
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territorie ...
,
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
, the
Moluccas
The Maluku Islands (; Indonesian: ''Kepulauan Maluku'') or the Moluccas () are an archipelago in the east of Indonesia. Tectonically they are located on the Halmahera Plate within the Molucca Sea Collision Zone. Geographically they are located eas ...
and the
Marianas
The Mariana Islands (; also the Marianas; in Chamorro: ''Manislan Mariånas'') are a crescent-shaped archipelago comprising the summits of fifteen longitudinally oriented, mostly dormant volcanic mountains in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, betw ...
.
One of the more prominent features of Arnis that point to possible Spanish influence is the ''Espada y Daga'' (Spanish for "sword and dagger") method, a term also used in Spanish fencing. Filipino ''espada y daga'' differs somewhat from European
rapier
A rapier () or is a type of sword with a slender and sharply-pointed two-edged blade that was popular in Western Europe, both for civilian use (dueling and self-defense) and as a military side arm, throughout the 16th and 17th centuries.
Impor ...
and dagger techniques; the stances are different as weapons used in Arnis are typically shorter than European swords. According to Grandmaster Federico Lazo† (1938–2010), unlike in European
historical fencing
Historical European martial arts (HEMA) are martial arts of European origin, particularly using arts formerly practised, but having since died out or evolved into very different forms.
While there is limited surviving documentation of the martia ...
, there is no lunging in the Northern Ilocano ''Kabaroan'' style of Arnis – it is more of an evasive art. On the other hand, it is present in some Visayan styles documented by FMA researchers Celestino Macachor and Ned Nepangue such as ''Yasay Sable Estocada'' from
Bago
Bago may refer to:
Places Myanmar
* Bago, Myanmar, a city and the capital of the Bago Region
* Bago District, a district of the Bago Region
* Bago Region an administrative region
* Bago River, a river
* Bago Yoma or Pegu Range, a mountain rang ...
.
Having done comparative studies,
Kalis Ilustrisimo
Kalis Ilustrisimo is a style of Eskrima founded by Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo.
Name
''Kalis Ilustrisimo'' means "The Bladed Art of Ilustrisimo": ''calis'' (or ''caris'') being another term for sword, blade and knife in Luzon and the Visayas ...
archivist Romeo Macapagal also estimates that 40% of the blade-oriented style of
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo† (1904–1997) descends from European styles, brought by the Spanish.
After the Spanish colonized the Philippines, a decree was set that prohibited civilians from carrying full-sized swords (such as the
Kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
and the
Kampilan
The kampilan ( Baybayin: ) also known as talong is a type of single-edged sword, traditionally used by various ethnic groups in the Philippine archipelago. It has a distinct profile, with the tapered blade being much broader and thinner at the p ...
). Despite this, the practitioners found ways to maintain and keep the arts alive, using sticks made out of rattan rather than swords, as well as small knives wielded like swords. Some of the arts were passed down from one generation to the other. Sometimes the art took the form choreographed dances such as the ''Sakuting'' stick dance or during mock battles at ''Moro-moro'' (''
Moros y Cristianos'') stage plays. Also as a result, a unique and complex stick-based technique evolved in the
Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
and
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
regions. The southern
Mindanao
Mindanao ( ) ( Jawi: مينداناو) is the second-largest island in the Philippines, after Luzon, and seventh-most populous island in the world. Located in the southern region of the archipelago, the island is part of an island group of ...
retains almost exclusively blade-oriented techniques, as the Spaniards and Americans never fully conquered the southern parts of this island.
Although Arnis combines native fighting techniques with old Spanish fencing and other influences, a degree of systematization was achieved over time, resulting in a distinguishable Philippine martial art. With time, a system for the teaching of the basics also evolved. However, with the exception of a few older and more established systems, it was previously common to pass the art from generation to generation in an informal approach. This has made attempts to trace the lineage of a practitioner difficult. For example, aside from learning from their family members like his uncle Regino Ilustrisimo,
Antonio Ilustrisimo
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo (1904 in Bagong, Bantayan, Cebu – 1997) was the Grandmaster of Kalis Ilustrisimo (KI), a Filipino martial art bearing his family name.
Early life
As a boy, Ilustrisimo studied eskrima from his father. At the ag ...
seemed to have learned to fight while sailing around the Philippines, while his cousin and student Floro Villabrille claimed to have been also taught by a blind Moro princess in the mountains; a claim later refuted by the older Ilustrisimo. Both have since died.
Modern history
The Philippines has what is known as a ''blade culture''.
Unlike in the West where
Medieval
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the Post-classical, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
and
Renaissance
The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass ideas ...
combative and self-defense
blade arts have gone almost extinct (having devolved into
sport fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the Foil (fencing), foil, the épée, and the Sabre (fencing), sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an ...
with the advent of firearms),
blade fighting in the Philippines is a living art. Local folk in the Philippines are much more likely to carry knives than guns. They are commonly carried as tools by farmers, used by street vendors to prepare coconuts, pineapples, watermelons, other fruits and meats, and
balisongs are cheap to procure in the streets as well as being easily concealed. In fact, in some areas in the countryside, carrying a farming knife like the ''itak'' or
''bolo'' was a sign that one was making a living because of the nature of work in those areas.
In the country of
Palau
Palau,, officially the Republic of Palau and historically ''Belau'', ''Palaos'' or ''Pelew'', is an island country and microstate in the western Pacific. The nation has approximately 340 islands and connects the western chain of the Caro ...
, the local term for
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
is ''chad ra oles'', which literally means "people of the knife" because of Filipinos' reputation for carrying knives and using them in fights.
Asia-Pacific and the Americas
Soldiers and mercenaries trained in the Philippines which were recruited by France which was then in an alliance with Spain, had fought in
Cambodia
Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailand t ...
and
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...
justified by defending newly converted Catholic populations from persecutions and had assisted France in establishing
French Cochinchina
French Cochinchina (sometimes spelled ''Cochin-China''; french: Cochinchine française; vi, Xứ thuộc địa Nam Kỳ, Hán tự: ) was a colony of French Indochina, encompassing the whole region of Lower Cochinchina or Southern Vietnam fr ...
centered in
Saigon
, population_density_km2 = 4,292
, population_density_metro_km2 = 697.2
, population_demonym = Saigonese
, blank_name = GRP (Nominal)
, blank_info = 2019
, blank1_name = – Total
, blank1_ ...
. Also in Asia, at China, during the Taiping Rebellion, Filipinos who were described as Manilamen and were ‘Reputed to be brave and fierce fighters’ and ‘were plentiful in Shanghai and always eager for action’ were employed by the Foreign forces as mercenaries to successfully quell the Taiping Rebellion.
[Smith, Mercenaries and mandarins, p. 29.] In the opposite side of the world at the Americas, descendants of Filipinos were active in the Anti-Imperialist Wars in the Americas. Filipinos living in Louisiana at the independent settlement of Saint Malo were recruited to be soldiers commanded by Jean Lafitte in the defense of New Orleans during the War of 1812 against a Britain attempting to reconquer a rebel America. "Manilamen" recruited from San Blas together with the Argentinian of French descent, Hypolite Bouchard, joined other nationalities living nearby such as Frenchmen, Mexicans and Americans in the assault of Spanish California during the Argentinian War of Independence.
Mexicans of Filipino descent being led by Filipino-Mexican General
Isidoro Montes de Oca
Isidoro Montes de Oca (1789–1847) was a Mexican of Spanish Filipino descent who was a revolutionary general who fought in the Mexican War of Independence between 1810 and 1821. He was among the commanders of the army of Vicente Guerrero and J ...
assisted
Vicente Guerrero
Vicente Ramón Guerrero (; baptized August 10, 1782 – February 14, 1831) was one of the leading revolutionary generals of the Mexican War of Independence. He fought against Spain for independence in the early 19th century, and later served as ...
in the Mexican war of independence against Spain. Isidoro Montes de Oca was a celebrated war hero famous for the battle action of the Treasury of Tamo, in Michoacán on September 15, 1818, in which the opposing forces numbered four times greater, yet they were totally destroyed.
Philippine Revolution
Contrary to the view of some modern historians that it was only guns that won the Philippine revolutionaries
against the Spaniards, blades also played a large part.
During the 1898
Battle of Manila, a report from ''
The Cincinnati Enquirer
''The Cincinnati Enquirer'' is a morning daily newspaper published by Gannett in Cincinnati, Ohio, United States. First published in 1841, the ''Enquirer'' is the last remaining daily newspaper in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, alth ...
'' went:
... The Philippine native, like all the kindred Malay races, cannot do any fighting as a rule except at close quarters, slashing with his heavy knife. The weapon is called machete, or bolo, or kampilan, or parang, or kris. The plan of action is the same – to rush in unexpectedly and hack about swiftly, without the slightest attempt at self-preservation.
The Mauser rifle, too, in hard work is found to be a mistake. It has a case of five cartridges, which have to be all used before any others can be inserted. That is, to say, if a soldier has occasion to fire three cartridges he must go on and waste the other two, or else leave himself to meet a possible sudden rush with only two rounds in his rifle. Perhaps it may be the fault of the men, or their misfortune in being undrilled, but they are often knifed while in the act of reloading their rifles. Whatever be the explanation there is something wrong in troops with rifles and bayonets being driven steadily back by natives armed with knives. The insurgents have some guns, but most of the wounded Spanish soldiers seen in the streets have knife wounds.
Philippine–American War
Americans were first exposed to Arnis during the
Philippine–American War
The Philippine–American War or Filipino–American War ( es, Guerra filipina-estadounidense, tl, Digmaang Pilipino–Amerikano), previously referred to as the Philippine Insurrection or the Tagalog Insurgency by the United States, was an arm ...
in events such as the
Balangiga massacre
The Battle of Balangiga ( es, Batalla de Balangíga; tl, Labanan sa Balangiga; war, Gubat ha Balangiga), also known as the Balangiga Encounter, Balangiga Incident, or Balangiga Conflict, was a battle that occurred during the Philippine–Ameri ...
where most of an American company was hacked to death or seriously injured by bolo-wielding guerillas in
Balangiga, Eastern Samar
Balangiga (IPA: balaŋˈhɪga, officially the Municipality of Balangiga ( war, Bungto han Balangiga; tl, Bayan ng Balangiga), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Eastern Samar, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a pop ...
– and in
battles in Mindanao, where an American serviceman was decapitated by a Moro warrior even after he emptied his
.38 Long Colt
The .38 Long Colt, also known as .38 LC, is a black powder cartridge introduced by Colt's Manufacturing Company in 1875. In 1892, it was adopted as a standard military pistol cartridge by the United States Army for the Colt M1892 revolver. The ...
caliber revolver into his opponent. That and similar events led to the request and the development of the
Colt M1911 pistol and the
.45 ACP cartridge by
Col. John T. Thompson,
Louis La Garde
Louis Anatole La Garde (April 15, 1849 – March 7, 1920), was a Colonel in the U. S. Army Medical Corps. He was born in Thibodaux, Louisiana and was the son of Justin de La Garde and Aurelia Daspit, both members of colonial French families.
Ed ...
and
John Browning
John Moses Browning (January 23, 1855 – November 26, 1926) was an American firearm designer who developed many varieties of military and civilian firearms, cartridges, and gun mechanisms many of which are still in use around the world. He m ...
which had more stopping power.
[The Colt Model 1905 Automatic Pistol, 1998, John Potocki]
World War II
During
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, many Filipinos fought the Japanese hand to hand with their blades as guerilla fighters or as military units under the
USAFFE
United States Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) (Filipino: ''Hukbong Katihan ng Estados Unidos sa Malayong Silangan/HKEUMS''; Spanish: ''Fuerzas del Ejército de los Estados Unidos en el Lejano Oriente'') was a military formation of the Unite ...
like the Bolo Battalion (now known as the
Tabak Division
The 1st Infantry Division, Philippine Army, nicknamed ''Tabak Division'', is the Philippine Army's primary infantry unit, and specializes in anti-guerrilla warfare. The division has been involved in combating terrorists in Southern Mindanao.
...
).
Some of the grandmasters who are known to have used their skills in World War II are
Antonio Ilustrisimo
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo (1904 in Bagong, Bantayan, Cebu – 1997) was the Grandmaster of Kalis Ilustrisimo (KI), a Filipino martial art bearing his family name.
Early life
As a boy, Ilustrisimo studied eskrima from his father. At the ag ...
, Benjamin Luna-Lema, Leo Giron,
Teodoro "Doring" Saavedra,
brothers
Eulogio and Cacoy Cañete,
Timoteo "Timor" Maranga, Sr,
Jesus Bayas
and
Balbino Tortal Bonganciso.
The Philippines was the bloodiest theatre of the Pacific War for the invading Japanese Empire, incurring the most Japanese deaths in World War II with at least 498,600 Japanese troops killed in fighting the combined Filipino resistance and American soldiers, a larger number of soldiers killed compared to the second-placed theater, the entirety of China, which caused the Japanese about 455,700 casualties. The guerrilla warfare practised by the Arnisadors was so effective, the Japanese Empire managed to control only 12 out of 48 provinces of the Philippines.
Spread
![Kali seminar 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Kali_seminar_2.jpg)
The arts had no traditional belting or grading systems as they were taught informally. It was said that to proclaim a student a "master" was considered ridiculous and a virtual death warrant as the individual would become challenged left and right to potentially lethal duels by other Arnisadores looking to make names for themselves. Belt ranking was a recent addition adopted from Japanese arts such as
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
and
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
, which had become more popular with Filipinos. They were added to give structure to the systems, and to be able to compete for the attention of students.
With regards to its spread outside the Philippines, Arnis was brought to Hawaii and California as far back as the 1920s by Filipino migrant workers.
['']Eskrimadors
''Eskrimadors'' is a 2010 Philippine documentary film about the Filipino martial arts eskrima, written and directed by Kerwin Go, a Los Angeles trained cinematographer.
Background
According to the Kerwin Go, the film's writer and director, the ...
'' documentary, 2010, Kerwin Go Its teaching was kept strictly within Filipino communities until the late 1960s when masters such as Angel Cabales began teaching it to others. Even then, instructors teaching Arnis in the 1960s and 70s were often reprimanded by their elders for publicly teaching a part of their culture that had been preserved through secrecy. The spread of Arnis was helped in Australia through brothers Jeff and Chris Traish, Richard Marlin and
Terry Lim
Terry Lim is an Australasian Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee, Martial Arts Australia Martial Artist of the year Masters Awards recipient and renowned martial artist who has had a short documentary made about him titled ''It's him... Terry Lim ...
(founder of Loong Fu Pai martial arts academy) who also holds a 4th Dan in International Philippine Martial Arts Federation.
In recent years, there has been increased interest in Arnis for its usefulness when defending against knives in street encounters. As a result, many systems of Arnis have been modified in varying degrees to make them more marketable to a worldwide audience. Usually this involves increased emphasis on locking, controls, and disarms, focusing mainly on aspects of self-defense. However, most styles follow the philosophy that
the best defense is a good offense
"The best defense is a good offense" is an adage that has been applied to many fields of endeavor, including games and military combat. It is also known as the strategic offensive principle of war. Generally, the idea is that proactivity (a stron ...
. Modern training methods tend to de-emphasize careful footwork and low stances, stressing the learning of techniques in favor of more direct (and often lethal) tactics designed to instantly end an encounter.
In the Philippines, the spread is more significant due to the efforts of Richardson "Richard" Gialogo and Aniano "Jon" Lota, Jr. through the Department of Education (DepEd) Task Force on School Sports (TFSS). Arnis was first introduced in 1969 to some public and private school teachers when
Remy Presas
Remy Amador Presas (December 19, 1936 – August 28, 2001) was the founder of Modern Arnis, a popular Filipino people, Filipino martial art. Born in the Philippines, he moved to the United States in 1974, where he taught his art via seminars an ...
taught his personal style of Arnis which he called "
Modern Arnis
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino fighting arts founded by Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. ...
". He taught his own style to the students of the National College of Physical Education (NCPE) when he was given the chance to teach there. The style "Modern Arnis" is not synonymous with the concept of modern or contemporary Arnis, where it has become a full blown sport embraced by the Department of Education, although there are some similarities. There was no formal program for Arnis from the 1970s to 1980s. Although some schools taught Arnis, these were not official nor prescribed.
The earliest historical record was the DECS Memorandum No. 294 Series of 1995 which entailed the Arnis Development Program Phase I. This was a joint effort of the Department of Education, Culture and Sports or DECS and the Office of then Senator Orlando "Orly" Mercado who awarded a budget from his pork barrel for the implementation of a national Arnis program. The Office of Senator Mercado was given the authority to designate the Arnis instructors for the said program.
The next stage was the Arnis Development Program Phase II. It was just a continuation of Phase I through DECS Memorandum No. 302 series of 1997. The same group conducted the seminars; known as the Arnis Association International (AAI). The Arnis instructors designated by Senator Mercado were informally called the "Mercado boys". They were Mr. Jeremias V. Dela Cruz, Rodel Dagooc and others who were direct students of Mr. Remy Presas of the Modern Arnis style. In this memorandum, there were two seminars conducted: October 6–11, 1997 in Baguio City and November 10–15, 1997 in General Santos City. The Arnis Module Development however did not push through.
It was also during this time when the first Arnis instructional video was developed by the Bureau of Physical Education and School Sports (BPESS) entitled "Dynamic Arnis". This video featured the Gialogo Brothers: Richardson and Ryan Gialogo, direct students of Jeremias V. Dela Cruz.
However, the national Arnis program of Senator Orly Mercado and DECS died a natural death. It was only after nine years that Arnis found its way back into the Department of Education (formerly known as Department of Education, Culture and Sports or DECS). On February 5, 2004, the Task Force on School Sports (TFSS) of the Department of Education (DepEd), the new agency after the defunct BPESS, met with the National Sports Association (NSA) for Arnis in a Senate hearing. The Head of the TFSS was National Coordinator Mr. Feliciano N. Toledo II, considered the "Father of Arnis" in the Department of Education. He met with the top NSA officials at that time; however, nothing happened.
It was only in 2006 when the Task Force on School Sports had a new program for Arnis. The "National Training of Trainors in Arnis and Dance Sports", sponsored by the Task Force on School Sports, Department of Education (DepEd), was held at Teacher's Camp, Baguio City on March 13–17, 2006 and was conducted by two top-caliber figures in the Arnis community: Mr. Aniano Lota, Jr. and Mr. Richardson Gialogo, then Secretary-General and vice-president respectively of the National Sports Association for Arnis. And this was the start of the modern, contemporary and prevailing Arnis in the Department of Education.
In just two months, Arnis became part of the Palarong Pambansa (National Games) as a demonstration sport. The 2006 Palarong Pambansa was held in Naga City, Bicol Region with nine out of the seventeen regions of the Philippines participating. National, regional and provincial Arnis Seminars were conducted by the tandem of Mr. Aniano Lota, Jr. and Mr. Richardson Gialogo from 2006 to 2007 in coordination with the TFSS National Coordinator, Mr. Feliciano "Len" Toledo, and with the financial and logistical backing of the Department of Education. In 2007, Arnis was already a regular event in the Palarong Pambansa with all seventeen regions participating. Five weight divisions in the Full-contact Event and four categories in the Anyo (Forms) Event were played and became part of the official medal tally of the participants. This was held in Coronadal in Mindanao.
Arnis Seminars were continued in national, regional and provincial levels. These were all conducted by the tandem of Mr. Aniano Lota, Jr. and Mr. Richardson Gialogo, now both Arnis Consultants and official Lecturers of the Task Force on School Sports of the Department of Education. In 2008, Arnis was played in the Palarong Pambansa and again, with all seventeen regions participating. All nine events were played. This was held in Puerto Princesa City, Palawan.
Aside from Sports Officiating and Accreditation seminars, coaching and skill training seminars continued in national, regional and provincial levels. Requests from cities and even districts were also welcomed. The "evangelization" of Arnis was continued and both Gialogo and Lota were careful not to teach their personal styles. Both taught in "generic" form and focused on the rules of sports as promulgated by the Department of Education.
In 2009, Secondary Girls (High School Girls) were finally included in Palarong Pambansa and again, all seventeen regions participated. From the original five member teams, the number doubled with the inclusion of the girls. The medal tally also doubled from nine to eighteen. The 2009 Palarong Pambansa was held in Tacloban, Leyte in the Visayas.
In 2009, the "Writeshop of the Revision of the Physical Fitness Test and the Development of Learning Competencies in Arnis and Archery" was held in Teacher's Camp, Baguio City in October 5–8, 2009. Phase I of the National Curriculum for Arnis was finished and the curriculum writers were Mr. Richardson Gialogo and Mr. Aniano Lota, Jr.
The 2010 Palarong Pambansa was held in Tarlac, In Luzon. Again, both secondary boys and girls competed in the eighteen categories. It was here that the Department of Education Arnis Association Philippines or DEAAP had its first national elections.
In the 2011 Palarong Pambansa, elementary students joined.
Duels
One of the most important practices in classical Arnis was dueling, without any form of protection. The matches were preceded by
cock-fighting
A cockfight is a blood sport, held in a ring called a cockpit. The history of raising fowl for fighting goes back 6,000 years. The first documented use of the ''word'' gamecock, denoting use of the cock as to a "game", a sport, pastime or ente ...
and could be held in any open space, sometimes in a specially constructed enclosure. Arnisadores believe this tradition pre-dates the colonial period, pointing to similar practices of kickboxing matches in mainland
Indochina
Mainland Southeast Asia, also known as the Indochinese Peninsula or Indochina, is the continental portion of Southeast Asia. It lies east of the Indian subcontinent and south of Mainland China and is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the west an ...
as evidence. Spanish records tell of such dueling areas where cock-fights took place. The founders of most of the popular Arnis systems were famous duelists and legends circulate about how many opponents they killed. In rural areas throughout the Philippines today, modern Arnis matches are still held in dueling arenas. In bigger cities, recreations of duels are sometimes held at parks by local Arnis training-halls. These demonstrations are not choreographed beforehand but neither are they full-contact competitions.
In modern times, public dueling with blades has been deemed illegal in the Philippines due to high potential of severe injury or death. Dueling with live sticks and minimal protection still occurs during barrio fiestas in some towns such as in
Paete
Paete, officially the Municipality of Paete ( tgl, Bayan ng Paete), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Laguna, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 24,945 people.
The town, is located at the north-east ...
in
Laguna
Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to:
People
* Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay
* Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist
* Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...
.
Organization
After decades of lobbying and overdue recognition, Arnis/Eskrima/Kali was
proclaimed as the official National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines in January 2010.
There are two main types of Arnis practised as a sport. The most common system used internationally is that of the WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation), established 1989. The earlier Arnis Philippines (ARPI) system, established in 1986, was most prominently used during the
2005 Southeast Asian Games
The 2005 Southeast Asian Games, officially known as the 23rd Southeast Asian Games, was a Southeast Asian multi-sport event held in Manila, Philippines.
This was the third time the Philippines hosted the games and its first time since 1991 S ...
.
WEKAF
The WEKAF system works on a
10-point must system
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
similar to boxing where participants spar with live sticks while wearing a long padded vest with skirt and sleeves and a helmet similar to
Kendo
is a modern Japanese martial art, descended from kenjutsu (one of the old Japanese martial arts, swordsmanship), that uses bamboo swords (shinai) as well as protective armor (bōgu). Today, it is widely practiced within Japan and has spread ...
headgear. Hitting below the thigh is prohibited. This format has sometimes been criticized because it emphasizes a heavy offense at the expense of defensive techniques sometimes with players raining blows on each other without defending, giving rise to the impression that combatants are merely hitting each other in a disorganized way. This has been tackled by introducing a "four second rule", to prevent constant and unrealistic attacks, and judges do not to score the same strike if the fighter uses it more than twice in succession. Judges warn fighters and remove points if they continue after two warnings. However, fights can easily come down to an unrealistic attack from an unskilled fighter who impresses judges with many body hits after taking two or three clear, strong hits to the hands and head.
This is, to some, an antithesis to traditional training methods, where training in footwork and arm/weapon movements are intricate and precise and any part of an opponent's body is fair game. As a consequence, WEKAF tournaments may be seen as not promoting the original art. Moreover, participants have been known to suffer broken bones and injured tendons due to the fact that live sticks are used, so the older system is considered more 'hardcore' and less safe. Another complaint about the WEKAF system is that it uses the
10-point must system
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, is regulated, sanctioned boxing. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse that is divided between the boxers as determined by contract. Most professional bouts are supervised by a regulatory autho ...
, which is more subjective depending on who is judging.
Since the WEKAF system is more risky, it is preferred by many practitioners who want to test themselves. The WEKAF system is the most widely used format internationally
ARPI
Arnis competitions uses foam-padded sticks about an inch in diameter with thin rattan cores roughly a centimeter in diameter. These sticks are meant to break before serious injury occurs. For protection, the same headgear used in the WEKAF system, and a large groin guard is required for males. Vests (optional for men, required for women), optional armguards, shinguards and leg wraps are used. Scoring is more similar to fencing where fighters are separated after solid clean hits are made (observed by multiple judges stationed at different positions to observe if hits were clean and unblocked, and determine the strength of the strike by the loudness of the impact). Alternative ways to score are to disarm one's opponent or to force him to step outside the ring.
Any part of the body, from head to toe, is fair game as a target – except for the back of the head, which the headgear does not protect. Stabs to the face are not allowed, because the thin rattan core may penetrate the padding and slip through the grills of the headgear into the player's eye. Thrusts to the body score points, but are harder to present to judges for scoring because they make less noise and it is difficult to determine impact.
Punches, kicks and throws are not allowed. Prolonged clinching to prevent the opponent from striking is not allowed (similar to Western Boxing) to keep the game moving and more interesting for audience that may not appreciate the fine and practical aspects of grappling. Disarms must be performed quickly and cleanly to count. Because the legs are fair targets, in lighter weight divisions, complex evasion and deep lunges where players lie horizontal with the torso almost touching the floor to extend reach are often seen.
The emphasis of the ARPI system is on player safety, as proponents are applying to become a recognized Olympic sport like
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
,
karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
,
taekwondo
''Taekwondo'', ''Tae Kwon Do'' or ''Taekwon-Do'' (; ko, 태권도/跆拳道 ) is a Korean form of martial arts involving punching and kicking techniques, with emphasis on head-height kicks, spinning jump kicks, and fast kicking techniques. T ...
,
wrestling
Wrestling is a series of combat sports involving grappling-type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. Wrestling techniques have been incorporated into martial arts, combat ...
,
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
, and
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
.
Even though padded sticks are used in the sport, players regularly retain large bruises that last for weeks and sometimes minor injuries to joints and because of the sheer amount of force generated by conditioned practitioners. Sometimes the stuffing commonly comes off from the harder hitting players and one cause of injury is when a player is struck by the exposed rattan core. Still, these are relatively minor as compared to injuries sustained when practitioners spar with live sticks.
One major problem with the ARPI system is that because the padded sticks with light rattan cores are used, they tend to flex and "lag", thus making the experience significantly different from using a live stick and in that sense, lessens the "realism" of this system. This is acceptable though as again, the emphasis is on safety.
Like the sayaw (meaning "dance") in the WEKAF system, the ARPI system has a separate single and team choreographed division called ''Anyo'' (Tagalog for 'forms'). Aside from the visual appeal, practical combative applications must be clearly seen so as to avoid looking like just
majorettes
A majorette is a baton twirler whose twirling performance is often accompanied by dance, movement, or gymnastics; they are primarily associated with marching bands during parades. Majorettes can also spin knives, fire knives, flags, light-up ba ...
in marching bands who just twirl batons and dance (a concept similar to the ''Floreio'' ("flourish") aspect of
Capoeira
Capoeira () is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics, music and spirituality. Born of the melting pot of enslaved Africans, Indigenous Brazilians and Portuguese influences at the beginning of the 16th century ...
and to
Tricking
Tricking is a method for indicating the tinctures (colours) used in a coat of arms by means of text abbreviations written directly on the illustration. Tricking and hatching are the two primary methods employed in the system of heraldry to show c ...
which are more for show than practicality).
IMAFP Standard Equipment is being used in the international Arena.
Others
In another variation that simulates knife fights, competitors use false blades edged with lipstick to mark where an opponent has been struck. These matches are considered more similar to traditional duels than the WEKAF point-system.
Weapons
Arnis students start their instruction by learning to fight with weapons, and only advance to empty-hand training once the stick and knife techniques have been sufficiently mastered. This is in contrast to most other well-known
Asian martial arts
There are many distinct styles and schools of martial arts. Sometimes, schools or styles are introduced by individual teachers or masters, or as a brand name by a specific gym. Martial arts can be grouped by type or focus, or alternatively by re ...
but it is justified by the principle that bare-handed moves are acquired naturally through the same exercises as the weapon techniques, making
muscle memory
Muscle memory is a form of procedural memory that involves consolidating a specific motor task into memory through repetition, which has been used synonymously with motor learning. When a movement is repeated over time, the brain creates a long-te ...
an important aspect of the teaching. It is also based on the obvious fact that an armed person who is trained has the advantage over a trained unarmed person, and serves to condition students to fight against armed assailants. Most systems of Arnis apply a single set of techniques for the stick, knife, and empty hands, a concept sometimes referred to as motion grouping. Since the weapon is seen as simply an extension of the body, the same angles and footwork are used either with or without a weapon. The reason for this is probably historical, because tribal warriors went into battle armed and only resorted to bare-handed fighting after losing their weapons.
Many systems begin training with two weapons, either a pair of sticks or a stick and a wooden knife. These styles emphasise keeping both hands full and never moving them in the same direction, and trains practitioners to become ambidextrous. For example, one stick may strike the head while the other hits the arm. Such training develops the ability to use both limbs independently, a valuable skill, even when working with a single weapon.
A core concept and distinct feature of Filipino martial arts is the ''Live Hand''. Even when as a practitioner wields only one weapon, the extra hand is used to control, trap or disarm an opponent's weapon and to aid in blocking, joint locking and manipulation of the opponent or other simultaneous motions such as bicep destruction with the ''live hand''.
Baston
The most basic and common weapon in Arnis is the ''
baston
Baston is a village and parish on the edge of The Fens and in the administrative district of South Kesteven, Lincolnshire, England. The 2011 census reported the parish had 1,469 people in 555 households.
Like most fen-edge parishes, it was l ...
'' or ''yantok''. They are typically constructed from
rattan
Rattan, also spelled ratan, is the name for roughly 600 species of Old World climbing palms belonging to subfamily Calamoideae. The greatest diversity of rattan palm species and genera are in the closed-canopy old-growth tropical forests of ...
, an inexpensive stem from a type of
Southeast Asian
Southeast Asia, also spelled South East Asia and South-East Asia, and also known as Southeastern Asia, South-eastern Asia or SEA, is the geographical south-eastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of mainland ...
vine. Hard and durable yet lightweight, it shreds only under the worst abuse and does not splinter like wood, making it a safer training tool. This aspect makes it useful in defense against blades.
Kamagong
''Diospyros blancoi'', (synonym ''Diospyros discolor''), commonly known as velvet apple, velvet persimmon, kamagong, or mabolo tree, is a tree of the genus ''Diospyros'' of ebony trees and persimmons. It produces edible fruit with a fine, velvet ...
(ironwood or ebony) and ''bahi'' (heart of the palm) are sometimes used after being charred and hardened. These hardwoods are generally not used for sparring, however, as they are dense enough to cause serious injury, but traditional sparring does not include weapon to body contact. The participants are skilled enough to parry and counterstrike, showing respect in not intentionally hitting the training partner. In modern times, many Arnis practitioners have also come to wear head and hand protection while sparring with rattan sticks, or otherwise use padded bastons. Some modern schools also use sticks made out of aluminium or other metals, or modern high-impact plastics.
Impact weapons
*
Baston, olisi, yantok: stick ranging from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches long
*Largo mano yantok: longer stick ranging from twenty-eight to thirty-six inches
*Dulo y dulo: short stick about four to seven inches in length, held in the palm of the hand
*
Bankaw: six-foot pole. Staves can be used to practise sword techniques
*Wooden dagger measuring
*Panangga: shield
*
Improvised weapons
An improvised weapon is an object that was not designed to be used as a weapon but can be put to that use. They are generally used for self-defence or if the person is otherwise unarmed. In some cases, improvised weapons are commonly used by attac ...
: Wood planks, steel pipes, umbrellas, flashlights, rolled-up magazines/ newspapers, books, cellular phones, tennis rackets, butt of billiards cue, bottles, coffee mugs, chair legs, tree branches or twigs, etc.
Edged weapons
''Baraw'' is a Cebuano term used in eskrima that means knife or dagger. The term ''Baraw'' is more commonly used on the Cebu Island in the Visayan region whereas other islands and regions more commonly use the term ''Daga'' but both terms are often interchangeable within the Filipino martial arts community.
The terms Baraw and Daga can be used either as ''Solo Baraw'' or ''Solo Daga'' associated with single knife fighting and defense systems, ''Doble Baraw'' or ''Doble Daga'' associated with the double knife fighting systems or even with a combination of long and short weapons e.g. stick and dagger fighting systems ''Olisi Baraw'' or sword and dagger fighting systems ''Espada y Daga''.
*Daga/Cuchillo (Spanish for
dagger
A dagger is a fighting knife with a very sharp point and usually two sharp edges, typically designed or capable of being used as a thrusting or stabbing weapon.State v. Martin, 633 S.W.2d 80 (Mo. 1982): This is the dictionary or popular-use de ...
and
knife
A knife ( : knives; from Old Norse 'knife, dirk') is a tool or weapon with a cutting edge or blade, usually attached to a handle or hilt. One of the earliest tools used by humanity, knives appeared at least 2.5 million years ago, as evidenced ...
) or Baraw/ Pisaw: daggers or knives of different shapes and sizes
*
Balisong: butterfly knife or fan knife from Barrio, Balisong in
Batangas
Batangas, officially the Province of Batangas ( tl, Lalawigan ng Batangas ), is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region on Luzon. Its capital is the city of Batangas, and is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and La ...
province; the handle is two-piece and attaches to a swivel that folds to enclose the blade when shut
*
Karambit
The karambit or kerambit (as used in Indonesian), kurambik or karambiak (both from the Minangkabau language) is a small Indonesian curved knife resembling a claw from Minangkabau people of West Sumatra. The karambit is one of the weapons commonly ...
: claw-shaped Indonesian blade held by inserting the finger into a hole at the top of the handle
*
Bolo
Bolo may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Bolo, a fictional tribe in ''bolo'bolo'' by P.M.
* Bolo, a character in the ''Shantae'' series
* ''Bolo'' universe, a science fiction universe created by Keith Laumer
* Prin ...
: a knife/sword similar to a machete
*
Pinuti: a type of sword from
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
blade shaped similar to a Sundang but elongated
*
Iták or sundáng: a farm or house hold bladed implement; its blade has a pronounced belly, chisel ground edge with the handle angled down
*
Barong: wide flat leaf-shaped blade commonly used by Muslim Filipino ethnic groups such as the Tausug, Sama-Bajau and the Yakan.
*Binakoko: long blade named after a porgy fish
*
Dinahong palay: has a very narrow blade shape similar to a rice leaf
*
Kalis
A kalis (Baybayin: or ; Jawi script: كاليس ; Abecedario: ''cáli'', ''cális'') is a type of double-edged Philippine sword, often with a "wavy" section. The kalis has a double-edged blade, which is commonly straight from the tip but wavy n ...
: Larger, thicker Filipino
kris
The kris, or ''keris'' in the Indonesian language, is an asymmetrical dagger with distinctive blade-patterning achieved through alternating laminations of iron and nickelous iron (''pamor''). Of Javanese origin, the kris is famous for its disti ...
*
Kampilan
The kampilan ( Baybayin: ) also known as talong is a type of single-edged sword, traditionally used by various ethnic groups in the Philippine archipelago. It has a distinct profile, with the tapered blade being much broader and thinner at the p ...
: fork-tipped sword, popular in the southern Philippines
*
Sibat
Sibat is the Filipino word for spear, used as a weapon or tool by natives of the Philippines. The term is used in Tagalog and Kinaray-a. It also called bangkaw, sumbling or palupad in the islands of Visayas and Mindanao; and budjak (also spelled ...
: spear
*
Improvised weapons
An improvised weapon is an object that was not designed to be used as a weapon but can be put to that use. They are generally used for self-defence or if the person is otherwise unarmed. In some cases, improvised weapons are commonly used by attac ...
: Icepicks, box cutters, screwdrivers, scissors, broken bottles, pens, car keys (using the push knife grip)
Flexible weapons
*
Sarong
A sarong or sarung () is a large tube or length of fabric, often wrapped around the waist, worn in Southeast Asia, South Asia, Western Asia, Northern Africa, East Africa, West Africa, and on many Pacific islands. The fabric often has woven plaid o ...
: a length of fabric wrapped around the waist
*Ekut:
handkerchief
A handkerchief (; also called a hankie or, historically, a handkercher or a ) is a form of a kerchief or bandanna, typically a hemmed square of thin fabric which can be carried in the pocket or handbag for personal hygiene purposes such as wi ...
*
Tabak-toyok The tabak-toyok (sometimes colloquially referred to as ''chako'') is a Filipino flail weapon consisting of a pair of sticks connected by a chain. It is closely related to the Okinawan nunchaku, the primary difference being that the Filipino version ...
: chained sticks/ flail or
nunchaku
is a traditional Okinawan martial arts weapon consisting of two sticks (traditionally made of wood), connected to each other at their ends by a short metal chain or a rope. It is approximately 30 cm (sticks) and 1 inch (rope). A person wh ...
*
Latigo (Spanish for whip): consisting of a handle between , and a lash composed of a braided thong long. The "fall" at the end of the lash is a single piece of leather in length.
*
Improvised weapons
An improvised weapon is an object that was not designed to be used as a weapon but can be put to that use. They are generally used for self-defence or if the person is otherwise unarmed. In some cases, improvised weapons are commonly used by attac ...
: Belt, bandana, handkerchiefs, shirts, towels/socks with hard soap bars/rocks, ropes, power cables, etc.
Rank and grading system
The practitioners must conform to criteria based on the number of years of training and level of proficiency in technical skills. Practitioners are screened by the rank promotion committee to determine their rank in the grading system.
Technical aspects
Ranges
Most systems recognize that the technical nature of combat changes drastically as the distance between opponents changes, and generally classify the ranges into at least three categories. Each range has its characteristic techniques and footwork. Of course, some systems place more emphasis on certain ranges than others, but almost all recognize that being able to work in and control any range is essential. The Balintawak style for example, uses long-, medium- and short-range fighting techniques, but focuses on the short-range.
To control the range, and for numerous other purposes, good footwork is essential. Most eskrima systems explain their footwork in terms of triangles: normally when moving in any direction two feet occupy two corners of the triangle and the step is to the third corner such that no leg crosses the other at any time. The shape and size of the triangle must be adapted to the particular situation. The style of footwork and the standing position vary greatly from school to school and from practitioner to practitioner. For a very traditional school, conscious of battlefield necessities, stances are usually very low, often with one knee on the ground, and footwork is complex, involving many careful cross-steps to allow practitioners to cope with multiple opponents. The Villabrille and San Miguel styles are usually taught in this way. Systems that have been adapted to duels or sporting matches generally employ simpler footwork, focusing on a single opponent. North American schools tend to use much more upright stances, as this puts less stress on the legs, but there are some exceptions.
Strikes
Many Filipino systems focus on defending against and/or reacting to ''angles of attack'' rather than particular strikes. The theory behind this is that virtually all types of hand-to-hand attacks (barehanded or with a weapon) hit or reach a combatant via these angles of attack and the reasoning is that it is more efficient to learn to defend against different angles of attack rather than learn to defend against particular styles, particular techniques or particular weapons. For instance, the technique for defending against an attack angle that comes overhead from the right is very similar whether the attacker uses bare fists, a knife, a sword or a spear.
Older styles gave each angle a name, but more recent systems tend to simply number them. Many systems have twelve standard angles, though some have as few as 5, and others as many as 72. Although the exact angles, the order they are numbered in (numerado), and the way the player executes moves vary from system to system, most are based upon Filipino cosmology. These standard angles describe exercises. To aid memorization, player often practise a standard series of strikes from these angles, called an abecedario (Spanish for "alphabet"). These are beginner strikes or the "ABC's" of Arnis.
Some angles of attack and some strikes have characteristic names:
* San Miguel – a
forehand
The forehand in tennis and other racket sports such as table tennis, squash and badminton is a shot made by swinging the racket across one's body with the hand moving palm-first. In tennis, except in the context of the phrase ''forehand volley ...
strike with the right hand, moving from the striker's right shoulder toward their left hip. It is named after
Saint Michael the Archangel
Michael (; he, מִיכָאֵל, lit=Who is like El od, translit=Mīḵāʾēl; el, Μιχαήλ, translit=Mikhaḗl; la, Michahel; ar, ميخائيل ، مِيكَالَ ، ميكائيل, translit=Mīkāʾīl, Mīkāl, Mīkhāʾīl), a ...
, who is often shown in traditional icons as holding a flaming, divine sword at this angle. This is the most natural strike for most untrained people. It is commonly referred to as "angle #1" in systems where striking angles are numbered for training purposes, because it is presumed the most probable angle of attack.
* Sinawalì – the double-stick weaving movement most associated with Arnis, it is named for woven coconut or palm leaves called ''sawalì'' that are used as walls of
nipa hut
The ''bahay kubo'', also known as ''payag'' (Nipon) in the Visayan languages and, is a type of stilt house indigenous to the Philippines. It often serves as an icon of Philippine culture. The house is exclusive to the lowland population of u ...
s. It is commonly seen in double-stick continuous attack-parry partner demonstrations.
* Redonda – a continuous, circular downward-striking, double-stick twirling technique. It whips in a circle to return to its point of origin. This is especially useful when using sticks rather than swords; it enables extremely fast strikes, but needs constant practice.
* Abanico orwitik – from the Spanish for “fan”, it is done by flicking the wrist 180° in a fan-shaped motion. This kind of strike can be very quick and arrive from unexpected angles.
* Pilantík – executed by whipping the stick around the wrist over the head in a motion similar to the ''abanico'', but in alternating 360° strikes. It is most useful when fighters are in grappling range and cannot create enough space for normal strikes.
* Hakbáng – From the Filipino for "step" or “pace”, it is a general term for footwork. For example, ''hakbáng paiwás'' is pivoting footwork, while ''hakbáng tátsulók'' is triangular footwork.
* Puño – Spanish for "fist", "hilt", or "handle". It uses the butt of a weapon, and often targets a nerve point or soft spot on the opponent. In skilled hands, the ''puño'' strike can be used to break bones.
Many Arnis techniques have Spanish names, because Spanish was the
lingua franca
A lingua franca (; ; for plurals see ), also known as a bridge language, common language, trade language, auxiliary language, vehicular language, or link language, is a language systematically used to make communication possible between groups ...
spoken during colonial times among the natives, who spoke over
170 languages across 7,600 islands.
Arnis techniques are generally based on the assumption that both student and opponent are very highly trained and well prepared. Thus, Arnis tends to favour extreme caution, always considering the possibility of a failed technique or an unexpected knife. On the other hand, the practitioner is assumed to be capable of quick, precise strikes.
The general principle is that an opponent's ability to attack should be destroyed rather than trying to injure and convince them to stop. Many strikes are therefore aimed at the hands and arms, hoping to break the hand holding the weapon, or cut the nerves and tendons controlling it (the concept of “defanging the snake”). Strike to the eyes and legs are also important. This is summed up in a popular mnemonic: "Stick seeks bone, blade seeks flesh".
''Mano Mano''
''
Mano Mano'' is the empty-hand component of
Filipino martial arts, particularly Arnis. The term translates as "hands" or "hand-
ohand" and comes from the Spanish ''mano'' (“hand”). It is also known as ''
suntukan
Suntukan is the fist-related striking component of Filipino martial arts. In the central Philippine island region of Visayas, it is known as Pangamot or Pakamot and Sumbagay. It is also known as Mano-mano and often referred to in Western mart ...
'' or ''panununtukan'' in
Luzon
Luzon (; ) is the largest and most populous island in the Philippines. Located in the northern portion of the Philippines archipelago, it is the economic and political center of the nation, being home to the country's capital city, Manila, as ...
and ''pangamot'' in the
Visayas
The Visayas ( ), or the Visayan Islands (Bisayan languages, Visayan: ''Kabisay-an'', ; tl, Kabisayaan ), are one of the three Island groups of the Philippines, principal geographical divisions of the Philippines, along with Luzon and Mindanao ...
, as well as ''De Cadena'', ''Cadena de Mano'' or ''Arnis de Mano'' in some FMA systems. American colonists referred to it as "combat judo" or “Filipino boxing”.
''Mano mano'' moves include
kicking
A kick is a physical Strike (attack), strike using the leg, in unison usually with an area of the knee or lower using the foot, heel, tibia (shin), ball of the foot, blade of the foot, toes or knee (the latter is also known as a knee (strike), ...
,
punching
Punching is a forming process that uses a punch press to force a tool, called a ''punch'', through the workpiece to create a hole via shearing. Punching is applicable to a wide variety of materials that come in sheet form, including sheet meta ...
, locking, throwing, and ''
dumog
Dumog is the Filipino style of wrestling while standing upright and refers to the grappling aspect of Filipino martial arts. The word ''dumog'' is most commonly used in Mindanao and the Visayas, while the word ''buno (wrestling), buno'' is used in ...
'' (grappling). Filipino martial artists regard empty hands as another weapon, and all movements of ''Mano Mano'' are directly based on weapon techniques. In Arnis, weapons are seen as extensions of the body, so training with weapons naturally leads to proficiency in bare-handed combat. For this reason, ''Mano Mano'' is often taught in higher grades after weapons training has been mastered, as advanced students are expected to be able to apply experience with weapons to unarmed fighting. This not always the case though, as some systems of Arnis start with (and at times only consist of) empty hands fighting.
Some notable masters of ''Mano Mano'' include:
*
Cacoy Canete
*
Richard Bustillo
Richard is a male given name. It originates, via Old French, from Old Frankish and is a compound of the words descending from Proto-Germanic ''*rīk-'' 'ruler, leader, king' and ''*hardu-'' 'strong, brave, hardy', and it therefore means 'strong ...
*
Antonio Illustrisimo
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo (1904 in Bagong, Bantayan, Cebu – 1997) was the Grandmaster of Kalis Ilustrisimo (KI), a Filipino martial art bearing his family name.
Early life
As a boy, Ilustrisimo studied eskrima from his father. At the ...
*
Venancio "Anciong" Bacon
*
Rey Galang
Reynaldo S. "Rey" Galang is a Filipino martial arts teacher and author. He is one of the chief founders and head instructors of Bakbakan International.
History and experience
Rey Galang was born in Manila. Losing his father at an early age, ...
*
Edgar Sulite
Edgar Sulite (September 25, 1957 – April 10, 1997) was a teacher of Filipino martial arts. He was the creator of Lameco Eskrima and trained such notables as Dan Inosanto, Ron Balicki, Larry Hartsell, Fred Degerberg, and Diana Lee Inosanto ...
*
Danny Guba
Daniel "Danny" Guba (born August 11, 1952) is a Filipino martial artist and a leading practitioner of Eskrima-Kali-Arnis. Guba is a 5 time World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (WEKAF) World Champion and the founder of his own style of Doce Pares Es ...
*
Francisco Guilledo
Francisco Villaruel Guilledo (August 1, 1901 – July 14, 1925), more commonly known as Pancho Villa, was a Filipino professional boxer. Villa, who stood only 5 feet and 1 inch (154 cm) tall and never weighed more than 114 pounds ...
*
Ceferino Garcia
Ceferino Montano Garcia (August 26, 1906 – January 1, 1981) was a champion boxer born in Naval, Biliran, Philippines. He holds the most victories ever achieved by a Filipino boxer and is also the only boxer from the Philippines to become world ...
*
Gabriel Elorde
Gabriel "Flash" Elorde (March 25, 1935 – January 2, 1985) was a Filipino professional boxer. He won the lineal super featherweight title in 1960. In 1963, he won the inaugural WBC and WBA super featherweight titles. He holds the record at supe ...
Kicking
''Paninipa'', ''Pagsipa'', ''Pananadiyak'', ''Pagtadiyak'', and ''Sikaran'' (all terms for "kicking" in various regions, dialects and styles) are components of eskrima that focus on knees, tripping, low-line kicks, and stomps. ''Pananjakman'' is also a term used in
Filipino-American
Filipino Americans ( fil, Mga Pilipinong Amerikano) are Americans of Filipino ancestry. Filipinos and other Asian ethnicities in North America were first documented in the 16th century as slaves and prisoners on ships sailing to and from New S ...
-developed and Western FMA systems, usually referring to the system from the Lucky Lucaylucay, Floro Villabrille and
Dan Inosanto
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
blend lineage. Except for the distinct style of
Sikaran Sikaran is a Filipino Martial Art that involves hand and mostly foot fighting.
As Sikaran is a general term for ''kicking'' which is also used as the name of the kicking aspects of other Filipino Martial arts, this article discusses the distinct ar ...
from the Baras area of the province of
Rizal
Rizal, officially the Province of Rizal ( fil, Lalawigan ng Rizal), is a Provinces of the Philippines, province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Its capital is the city of Antipolo. It is about east of Manila. The p ...
, which also uses high kicks, kicking as a separate art is never taught by itself in the Philippines, and this practice is only done in the West with ''Pananjakman''. ''Pananjakman'' is usually taught together with
Panantukan
Suntukan is the fist-related striking component of Filipino martial arts. In the central Philippine island region of Visayas, it is known as Pangamot or Pakamot and Sumbagay. It is also known as Mano-mano and often referred to in Western mart ...
.
''Paninipa'' can be regarded as the study of leg muscles and bones and how they are connected, with the goal of either inflicting pain or outright breaking or dislocating the bones. Most striking techniques involve applying pressure to bend the target areas in unnatural ways so as to injure or break them. Such pressure may be delivered in the form of a heel smash, a toe kick, a stomp, or a knee. Targets include the groin, thighs, knees, shins, ankles, feet and toes. The upper body is used only for defensive maneuvers, making pananadiyak ideal for when combatants are engaged in a clinch. When used effectively, the strikes can bring an opponent to the ground or otherwise end an altercation by making them too weak to stand.
Fundamental techniques include kicking or smashing the ankle to force it either towards or away from the opposite foot (severe supination or pronation, respectively), heel-stomping the top of the foot where it meets the lower leg so as to break or crush the numerous bones or otherwise disrupt the opponent's balance, and smashing the opponents knee from the side to break the knee (with severe supination and pronation as the desired result).
Drills
![Kali seminar drills](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/Kali_seminar_drills.jpg)
Several classes of exercises, such as ''sombrada'', ''contrada'', ''sinawali'', ''hubud-lubud'' and ''sequidas'', initially presented to the public as a set of organized drills by the Inosanto school, are expressly designed to allow partners to move quickly and experiment with variations while remaining safe. For example, in a ''sumbrada'' drill, one partner feeds an attack, which the other counters, flowing into a counterattack, which is then countered, flowing into a counterattack, and so on. The ''hubud-lubud'' or ''hubad-lubad'' from Doce Pares is frequently used as a type of "generator" drill, where one is forced to act and think fast. Initially, students learn a specific series of attacks, counters, and counter-attacks. As they advance they can add minor variations, change the footwork, or switch to completely different attacks; eventually the exercise becomes almost completely free-form. Palakaw, from the Balintawak style, are un-choreographed and random defensive and offensive moves. Palakaw in Cebuano means a walk-through or rehearsing the different strike angles and defenses. It may be known as ''corridas'', or striking without any order or pattern. Disarms, take-downs, and other techniques usually break the flow of such a drill, but they are usually initiated from such a sequence of movements to force the student to adapt to a variety of situations. A common practice is to begin a drill with each student armed with two weapons. Once the drill is flowing, if a student sees an opportunity to disarm their opponent, they do, but the drill continues until both students are empty-handed. Some drills use only a single weapon per pair, and the partners take turns disarming each other. ''Seguidas'' drills, taken from the San Miguel system, are sets of hitting and movement patterns usually involving stick and dagger.
Rhythm, while an essential part of eskrima drills, is emphasized more in the United States and Europe, where a regular beat serves a guide for students to follow. To ensure safety, participants perform most drills at a constant pace, which they increase as they progress. The rhythm, together with the southern Filipino attire of a vest and sashed pants, is commonly mistaken for some sort of tradition when practising eskrima in the Philippines – perhaps incorrectly derived from traditional rhythm-based dances or an attempt to add a sense of ethnicity. Eskrima is usually practised in the Philippines without a rhythm, off-beat or out of rhythm. The diversity of Filipino martial arts means that there is no officially established standard uniform in eskrima.
The live hand
The ''live hand'' is the opposite hand of the practitioner that does not contain the main weapon. The heavy usage of the ''live hand'' is an important concept and distinguishing hallmark of eskrima. Even (or especially) when empty, the ''live hand'' can be used as a
companion weapon
The term companion weapon is used in historical European martial arts to refer to an item used in conjunction with the larger weapon in the non-sword hand while fencing with a rapier or sword. The popular companion weapon forms include:
*sword and ...
by eskrima practitioners. As opposed to most weapon systems like
fencing
Fencing is a group of three related combat sports. The three disciplines in modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also ''saber''); winning points are made through the weapon's contact with an opponent. A fourth discipline, s ...
where the off-hand is hidden and not used to prevent it from being hit, eskrima actively uses the ''live hand'' for trapping, locking, supporting weapon blocks, checking, disarming, striking and controlling the opponent.
The usage of the ''live hand'' is one of the most evident examples of how Eskrima's method of starting with weapons training leads to effective empty hand techniques. Because of ''Doble Baston'' (double weapons) or ''Espada y Daga'' (sword and
parrying dagger
The parrying dagger is a category of small handheld weapons from the European late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. These weapons were used as off-hand weapons in conjunction with a single-handed sword such as a rapier. As the name implies ...
) ambidextrous weapon muscle memory conditioning, Eskrima practitioners find it easy to use the off-hand actively once they transition from using it with a weapon to an empty hand.
Doble baston
''Doble baston'', and less frequently ''doble olisi'', are common names for a group of techniques involving two sticks. The art is more commonly known around the world as ''Sinawali'' meaning "to weave". The term ''Sinawali'' is taken from a matting called ''sawali'' that is commonly used in the tribal Nipa Huts. It is made up of woven pieces of palm leaf and used for both flooring and walls.
This technique requires the user to use both left and right weapons in an equal manner; many co-ordination drills are used to help the practitioner become more ambidextrous. It is the section of the art that is taught mainly at the intermediate levels and above and is considered one of the most important areas of learning in the art.
Sinawali
![Sinawali](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Sinawali.jpg)
''Sinawali'' refers to the activity of "weaving", as applied Eskrima with reference to a set of two-person, two-weapon exercises. The term comes from "
Sawali
Amakan, also known as sawali in the northern Philippines, is a type of traditional woven split-bamboo mats used as walls, paneling, or wall cladding in the Philippines. They are woven into various intricate traditional patterns, often resulting ...
", the woven material that typically forms the walls of
nipa huts.
''Sinawali'' exercises provide eskrima practitioners with basic skills and motions relevant to a mode of two-weapon blocking and response method called ''Doblete''. ''Sinawali'' training is often introduced to novices to help them develop certain fundamental skills – including: body positioning and distance relative to an opponent, rotation of the body and the proper turning radius, recognition of one's center of gravity, eye–hand coordination, target perception and recognition, increased ambidexterity, recognition and performance of rhythmic structures for upper body movement, and muscular developments important to the art, especially, the wrist and forearm regions. It helps teach the novice eskrimador proper positioning while swinging a weapon.
Cross-training
![Kali seminar 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/Kali_seminar_1.jpg)
The Chinese and Malay communities of the Philippines have practiced eskrima together with
Kuntaw
Kuntao or kuntau (wiktionary:拳, 拳wiktionary:道, 道, Pe̍h-ōe-jī: kûn-thâu, Tagalog language, Tagalog: kuntaw) is a Min Nan, Hokkien term for the martial arts of the Chinese community of Southeast Asia, specifically the Malay Archipelag ...
and
Silat
is the collective term for a class of indigenous martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philip ...
for centuries, so much so that many North Americans mistakenly believe silat to have originated in the Philippines.
Some of the modern styles, particularly doce pares and
Modern Arnis
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino fighting arts founded by Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. ...
contain some elements of
Japanese Martial Arts
Japanese martial arts refers to the variety of martial arts native to the country of Japan. At least three Japanese terms (''budō'', ''bujutsu'', and ''bugei'') are used interchangeably with the English phrase Japanese martial arts.
The usage ...
such as joint locks, throws, blocks, strikes, and groundwork, taken from:
Jujutsu
Jujutsu ( ; ja, link=no, 柔術 , ), also known as jiu-jitsu and ju-jitsu, is a family of Japanese martial arts and a system of close combat (unarmed or with a minor weapon) that can be used in a defensive or offensive manner to kill or subdu ...
,
Judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
,
Aikido
Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...
and
Karate
(; ; Okinawan language, Okinawan pronunciation: ) is a martial arts, martial art developed in the Ryukyu Kingdom. It developed from the Okinawan martial arts, indigenous Ryukyuan martial arts (called , "hand"; ''tii'' in Okinawan) under the ...
as some of the founders obtained black belt Dan grades in some of these systems. Some eskrima styles are complementary with Chinese
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Chinese: 詠春 or 咏春, lit. "singing spring"), sometimes spelled Ving Tsun, is a concept-based fighting art, form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu and close-quarters system of self-defense. In Mandarin, it is ...
because of the nervous system conditioning and body mechanics when striking, twirling or swinging sticks.
In Western countries, it is common to practice eskrima in conjunction with other martial arts, particularly
Wing Chun
Wing Chun (Chinese: 詠春 or 咏春, lit. "singing spring"), sometimes spelled Ving Tsun, is a concept-based fighting art, form of Nanquan (martial art), Southern Chinese kung fu and close-quarters system of self-defense. In Mandarin, it is ...
,
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a primarily wing chun kung fu inspired eclectic martial arts philosophy heavily influenced and adapted by the Taoist personal life philosophy and experiences of martial artist Bruce Lee.
Overview and philosophy
Jeet Kune ...
and silat. As a result, there is some confusion between styles, systems, and lineage, because some people cross-train without giving due credit to the founders or principles of their arts. For example,
American Kenpo
American Kenpo Karate (), also known as Ed Parker's Kenpo Karate, American Kenpo and Kenpo Karate, is an all-inclusive system of martial arts based on ancient martial arts methods applied to solve modern-day violent scenarios using logic and pract ...
and
Kajukenbo
Kajukenbo (Japanese: カジュケンボ) is a hybrid martial art from Hawaii. It was developed in the late 1940s and founded in 1947 in the Palama Settlement of Palama, Hawaii.
The name Kajukenbo is a combination of the various arts from which ...
cross-training traces back to the interactions between Chinese, Japanese and Filipino immigrants in territorial/pre-statehood Hawaii, and to a lesser extent in other parts of the United States. In the United States the cross-training between eskrima and Jeet Kune Do Concepts as headed by
Dan Inosanto
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoir ...
of the Inosanto Academy in Marina del Rey, California, goes according to the maxim "Absorb what is useful, reject what is useless".
Proponents of such training say the arts are very similar in many aspects and complement each other well. It has become marketable to offer eskrima classes in other traditional Asian martial arts studios in America but some practitioners of other eskrima styles often dismiss these lessons as debased versions of original training methods.
Notable styles and practitioners
Legislation
In the Philippines, Arnis is recognized as the country's national sport and martial art by virtue of Republic Act No. 9850. The legislation was approved on December 11, 2009. There were many versions of the Arnis Bill but the version chosen was drafted by Richardson Gialogo which was submitted to the Senate. Because of this law, Arnis becomes a pre-requisite for P.E. classes in most colleges in the Philippines.
In popular culture
Records
More than 4,200 students and athletes performed Arnis in the Cebu City Sports Center during the closing ceremonies of the Batang Pinoy 2015, to set a record for the largest arnis class in the world for
Guinness World Records
''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...
.
See also
*
Filipino martial arts
*
Doce Pares
Doce Pares (Spanish language, Spanish for ''Twelve Peers'') is a Filipino martial art and a form of Arnis, Kali (martial art), Kali and Eskrima, that focuses primarily on stick fighting, knife fighting and hand-to-hand combat but also covers grap ...
*
Balintawak Eskrima
Balintawak Eskrima or Balintawak Arnis is a Filipino martial art created by Grandmaster Venancio "Anciong" Bacon in the 1950s to enhance and preserve the combative nature of arnis which he felt was being watered down by other styles of Philippi ...
*
Modern Arnis
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino fighting arts founded by Remy Presas as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. ...
*
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is a style specific to Filipino martial arts. Pekiti-Tirsia Kali was founded in 1897 and is the system of the Tortal family. The sole heir and guardian of this system is Leo Gaje. Pekiti-Tirsia is strictly a combat-oriented sy ...
*
Suntukan
Suntukan is the fist-related striking component of Filipino martial arts. In the central Philippine island region of Visayas, it is known as Pangamot or Pakamot and Sumbagay. It is also known as Mano-mano and often referred to in Western mart ...
*
Sikaran Sikaran is a Filipino Martial Art that involves hand and mostly foot fighting.
As Sikaran is a general term for ''kicking'' which is also used as the name of the kicking aspects of other Filipino Martial arts, this article discusses the distinct ar ...
*
Kinamutay Kinamutay ( ceb, kinamutay, lit. "effeminate hand fighting"; tl, kinamotay; Baybayin: ᜊᜒᜈᜋᜓᜆᜌ᜔), commonly but incorrectly orientalized kino mutai, is a specialized subsection of some martial arts that emphasizes biting, pinchi ...
*
Yaw-Yan
Yaw-Yan, also called Sayaw ng Kamatayan (English:''Dance of Death''), is a Filipino martial art developed by Napoleon A. Fernandez and based on older Filipino martial arts.
Since its inception in the 1970s, it has dominated the kickboxing scene i ...
*
Juego del palo
''Juego del palo'' or banot (, ''game of the stick'', in Guanche language ''banod'') is a traditional martial art/folk sport of stick-fighting practiced in the Canary Islands. It involves the combative use of a slender stick from long, wielded i ...
*
Silat
is the collective term for a class of indigenous martial arts from the Nusantara and surrounding geocultural areas of Southeast Asia. It is traditionally practised in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Southern Thailand, Southern Philip ...
References
External links
The Arnis Philippines organization websiteIKAEF – International Kali Arnis Eskrima Federation
{{Philippines topics
National symbols of the Philippines
Philippine martial arts
Stick-fighting
Swordsmanship