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Do You Call Yourself a Knife Fighter?

KNIFE FIGHTERS

If you were able to watch western cowboy movies such as ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’, ‘The Young Guns’, ‘The Quick and the Dead’ and much more, then you know, or at least you have encountered, the term Gun Fighters or Gun Slingers.

To be a “Gun Fighter,” you need to hunt for people who are also good at killing by slinging their pistols. Then, you will engage yourself in a quick draw duel or at least exchange fire until one of you is lying dead!

Some similar movies about knife fighting and ”knife Fighters” are also available in the silver screen market, such as the famous “The Hunted”. In this movie, two knife fighters went out dueling until one of them was stabbed to dead. I can go on and on, but I think I made my point already here.

When an individual calls himself a “Knife Fighter,” then he/she must live a “cowboy-like” life in the Wild Wild West! He brings knife all the time and hunts for knife fighters like himself. The Filipinos who introduced the art of Eskrima never call themselves knife or blade fighters; I do believe that they are simply known as Eskrimadors in its sincerest meaning. One can be a knife/blade expert and yet not a knife or blade fighter/warrior.

In my opinion, the title “Knife/Blade Fighter” given to some people is over rated. I don’t want to sound mean and charlatan here. I say this because the main concept of being a blade fighter is leaving a life as an advocate of death by means of cutting someone’s gut with your blade; may it be a short knife or a long sword. The question is, do they or can they live a life like this?

In our modern society, it is rare and almost impossible that two people will be engaged in an armed conflict both using blades. On the other hand, if you are a law abiding citizen and/or a God-fearing man, you would not cut someone to death when your opponent is unarmed. Law abiding citizens and God fearing people like us only use the blade when our lives are endangered.

Please do not get me wrong here my friends; I am just worried about the moral implications of our actions and words. We, in the martial arts community, know better. We understand the philosophies of Martial Arts; we know about Bushido and all sorts of ethical codes; that is why we should be a whole lot smarter than those who do not.

X Cut - A Signature Cut

However, we must also know and learn the arts and science of knife or blade fighting in order for us to defend ourselves against a knife or blade attack. But even if we get so good at it, I think that we should still not be bothered about giving ourselves the title “Knife Fighters” because the concept carried & incorporated within the title is not applicable to our personality, lifestyle and morality. Leave the movies alone and let us live in reality.

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CASASAI Goes International

CASASAI Goes International

Since the inception of Combative and Sportive Arnis System Association Inc., three years ago with its headquarters based in the Province of Iloilo, Panay Island, Philippines, the Eskrima group has proven itself as an avenue of propagating the unique art of Arnis. Besides winning as overall champion in the National Philippine Olympic Festival Arnis championships spearheaded by Arnis Philippines Inc. for three consecutive years 2007-2009, Casasai has been instrumental in organizing Arnis group in Hongkong.Its Grandmaster and masters have taught students from Australia, Norway, and Jakarta, Indonesia.

CASASAI group in Hongkong was organized by Master Guru Eman Pamulag. Majority of her students are Filipina OFWs who practice the Filipino Martial Arts for pleasure, exercise, and self-defense.

Alexander Joco, a Norwegian and CASASAI student was promoted to black belt degree and was authorized to teach the Combative and Sportive Arnis System. He came all the way from Norway to learn Eskrima. Actually Alexander’s Father is a Filipino.Guru Alex was the first foreigner authorized by our association to teach the Art.

CASASAI has also introduced the Art of Eskrima in Jakarta, Indonesia. Guru Rey Damasco, a Filipino and a secondary school teacher in one of the International Schools in Jakarta has been authorized to teach the art.Now Arnis continues to fascinate Martial Art practitioners in Jakarta.

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A Master’s Soul Bids Goodbye but His Fighting Spirit Lives On

From left to right: Guru Art Guarnes, Father Greg Soldevilla Jr., and Master Guru Melecio O. Balberde

A Master’s Soul Bids Goodbye but His Fighting Spirit Lives On

(Written by: Master Guru Melecio O. Balberde)

On August 25, 2009, one of the Old Masters of Eskrima in Panay Island passed away at the age of 82 years. He was buried on September 6, 2009 in the Province of Iloilo.Grand Master Gregorio “Awas” Soldevilla was the originator of the Arnis style in Panay Island, Philippines called ‘Hanot Puerta’ (meaning; striking door) which is patterned from the movement of the door. It has three major strikes called ‘tres teras’ (meaning; three strikes). The major strikes are called Sera which is in Hiligaynon (Ilongo dialect) means closing the door, trangka or locking the door, and bwelta which is bouncing the door.

Before his death, Grand Master Awas directly commissioned his son, Father Gregorio Soldevilla, Jr., a Parish priest assigned in Antique, to continue teaching his style of Eskrima to those who are interested and worthy to learn this simple and very effective form of Arnis honed in the province of Iloilo. As a result, Father Greg organized the new group of Eskrimadores called Bastoneros a traditional Hiligaynon term used to describe practitioners of Arnis in the Island of Panay with the help of Guru Art Guarnes which happened to be one of the members of CASASAI Board of Directors and also an incorporator. Eventually, the Bastoneros became the sister Arnis organization of CASASAI headed by Guru Mel Balberde.

On behalf of all the members and family of CASASAI, I would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to Our Late Grand Master Gregorio AWAS Soldevilla and to all his family members for teaching us his unique style of Arnis which becomes an integral part of the COMBATIVE and SPORTIVE ARNIS SYSTEM.

We say good bye to his mortal body but not to the man and his enduring fighting spirit! Eskrimadores, let us all together give our grandest pag PUGAY to our Grand Master Gregorio “Awas” Soldevilla!

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What Does Eskrima Mean to Me?

As a Filipino Martial Arts enthusiast, I am very fortunate to meet Master Mel Balberde. He fine-tuned my diverse and yet sporadic and frail knowledge in Eskrima. I have learned not only essential techniques but also the called for philosophy behind the art. Before I met him, I have never realized how important Arnis is to our Filipino cultural heritage; all I knew, it’s just one out of the many ways in debilitating an opponent (which is practically true to some extent).

Now, I am bound to propagate the art no matter where I go. By doing so, I believe that I would be making my countrymen proud and happy because the presence of Arnis means the presence of the Filipino culture and that we could proudly say, ‘Pinoys are here!’

In the land where people do possess extremely beautiful martial arts like Pencak Silat (read as Penchak See-lat), I teach Filipino Eskrima. To think that some of my most enthusiastic students are experts of the powerful and artistic Indonesian martial arts, I feel the pride that the Maharlika (Ma-har-li-ka (n). noble warrior clan of the ancient Philippine civilization) might have felt; as we usually say, “iba ang Pinoy!”

For me, Eskrima or Arnis is not only a martial arts or a sport, it is also the symbol of the grace, beauty and the strength of the Filipino culture. Mabuhay ang mga Pilipino! Mabuhay ang mga Eskrimador!

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Mahardikka Eskrima Indonesia

CASASAI Branch in Jakarta, Indonesia

Facebook Group: Mahardikka Eskrima Indonesia – CASASAI Philippines

From left to right: Dodit Setiyohadi (Arnis, Silat , BJJ & Kenjutsu Practioner; Indonesian Nunchaku Club National Chairman), Rey Damasco (CASASAI Instructor), Deddy Irmawan (Silat Penaga Instructor & Indonesian Nunchaku Club Captain [Tangerang]), Arry Gautama (Silat SH Terate, Krav Maga and BJJ Practitioner), Akhmad Dharmawan (Silat SH Terate Practioner), Nugy Nugraha (Silat SH Terate Instructor), Hendra B. (Krav Maga KAPAV), Esta, Shadrach Damasco and Abednego Damasco

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Kali – Debunking its Myth (Arguments by James U. Sy Jr. )

This is a response to the article written by Talibung Antike (Is “KALI” appropriate to describe an indigenous blade based Filipino Martial Arts?) for Juan Dela Cruz who wrote:

“I think you need to back up your claims with researches and citations from legitimate sources. You’re ranting all these outbursts from hand-down information and passed-by-mouth claims. First of all, try to find out the history of the Muslims, of where they came from and how are they related to the Datu you have mentioned, if you research deeper you will find out they they belong to one ancestral origins. These Datus and the Muslims in Mindanao belonged to the Malay-Indo tribe of Borneo and nearby south east asian countries. Kali is an art from the south, if you happen to know wikipedia, I hope you can look for its etymology. You also happen to criticize and claimed that the right term for the practitioners of the FMA is “eskrimador”, did you ever look up in your sources the root meaning of eskrima??? For one, the term is Spanish, so how would you back up it’s authenticity???

I’m a practitioner of FMA and a researcher as well, I hope that these claims of yours are well founded and backed -up, so as not to make anymore divisions with the practitioner of the Filipino Martial Arts. Regardless of what the term is, whether Eskrima, Arnis, or Kali, you should think that these arts belong to the Filipino culture and we should be proud that these arts are part of our heritage.

I hope one day that all these “pagalingan” and “pataasan ng ihi” will be eradicated from and within the different systems of FMA. I hope that one day we would be united by our differences and appreciate what each of us has to offer, so that… that one day would be a glorious day for the FILIPINO MARTIAL ART and the FILIPINO PEOPLE….

RESPECT- an essential characteristic of a FMA practitioner… RESPECT…”

Juan de la Cruz, or whatever is your real name, as you are very interested in SCHOLARLY RESEARCH, let me share with you what I have uncovered in my years of research about the Kali Myth.

What follows is a partial summary of my detailed and well documented findings which you can find in my upcoming book that will be debunking the Kali Myth.

I would be interested if you can refute my findings point by point with LEGITIMATE RESEARCH AND CITATIONS as you have required from Talibung Antike. If your arguments are strong and logical enough, I would be more than glad to include it in my book in defense of your belief.

1. The Wikipedia you have mentioned, by academic standards, would not constitute as a legitimate source of info unless it is used as a supplement to primary sources. Anybody, especially Kali advocates, can manipulate contents of Wikipedia by editing articles. We all know that.

2. One of the, if not the, best primary sources is the people who speak the particular Filipino language from which Kali supposedly originated. Taibung Antike, a native speaker of Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon, had just affirmed that there is no Kali as a name for Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), in his languages. What more citation could validate that affirmation?

3. Juan de la Cruz, are you a native speaker of Kinaray-a and Hiligaynon? If so, can you please show us that Kali does exist in said languages as a name for Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).

4. If not, why would you be so infuriated with Talibung Antike’s assertion? What is the scholastically researched basis of your outrage?

5. Also, what is your native tongue? Is it any of the Filipino languages? If yes, did you find Kali as a name for Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) in your native tongue? If you didn’t find it, why do you think so?

6. If your native tongue is not any of the Filipino languages, what then is your basis of disagreeing with somebody who is a native speaker of the Filipino languages?

7. There are 171 living and 4 extinct languages in the Philippines today. Of these, 8 are major languages and none of them have Kali as a name for Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).

8. The 1960 Philippine Census tells us that 7 of these 8 major languages comprise 83% of the Philippine population. More recent census showed that Cebuano and Tagalog comprise 50% of the Philippine population. How can Kali be the Mother Art/Term for all Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) if we can’t find it in the 8 major languages of the Philippines?

9. If you, as you have claimed, have also researched Kali, then pinpoint to us exactly from which Filipino language did it came from. An inability to do so in your part would show that it is you who did not do your homework. 

10. If Kali came from Malay then why can’t we find Kali as a name for a Martial Arts in the Malay language?

11. If Kali is Muslim, as you imply indirectly in your post, then why can’t we find it in the various languages of Mindanao such as Ta’u-sug, Maranao, Mandaya, etc.? I’ve interviewed people who speak these languages and they affirmed the absence of such word in their languages.

12. The Ta’u-sugs have their own Martial Arts but they call them Silat and Kuntaw, not Kali. Those that practice these arts have told me that nowhere in their lexicon would you find Kali as a synonym to Silat and Kuntaw.

13. If Kali the Mother Art/Term is the contraction of the Cebuano words Kamot Lihok, does that mean that all pre-Hispanic Malays spoke Cebuano? Highly unlikely.

14. Kamot in Tagalog means to scratch. There is no Lihok word in Tagalog. Does this mean that Tagalogs don’t have Filipino Martial Arts (FMA)?

15. If Kali has anything to do with Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) then we will find it together with the pre-Hispanic words Bangkaw, Kampilan, etc. But we don’t.

16. Juan de la Cruz, you’re confused with the word EsKrima. EsKrima may have Spanish roots (EsCrima) but it is already a Filipino adoption of the word. I have consulted not less than 10 Spanish dictionaries and they all agree that EsCrima is “Fencing.” However, you will not see EsKrima in any Spanish dictionary, only in Filipino dictionaries.

17. If you can produce a legitimate Spanish dictionary which will have EsKrima as an entry, then I have to concede that it is a Spanish word. Otherwise, your assertion that it is a Spanish word is nothing but conjecture and emotionally motivated.

18. Now, if Kali is Filipino, why can’t we find it in LEGITIMATE Filipino dictionaries, especially those dictionaries published before the Kali-Boom Era, with the meaning of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA)?

19. If you will point out Wikipedia or any of the overseas websites as your proof, the question is where did they get the info? More importantly, are the info correct? You yourself had stressed for a scholastic and legitimate research.

20. The most comprehensive Hiligaynon dictionary written in 1934 had 10,000 entries, none of which referred to Kali as a name to Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).

21. The earliest works, such as the Artes y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala (1610, the first published Tagalog grammar) and the first Panay Visayan grammar (1637), do not show Kali as a name for Filipino Martial Arts (FMA).

22. Nor did Antonio Pigafetta, Ferdinand Magellan’s chronicler, recorded Kali although he did record Kampilan, Bangkaw, etc.

23. We would be interested if you can show us even just one pre-Hispanic, or even Spanish, document that mentions Kali by name. But I doubt that, otherwise we will find Kali in all Philippine history textbooks.

24. No archaeological finds either in Palawan, Butuan, Cebu, or other archaeologically rich places in the Philippines had shown even a shadow of the mythical Kali.

25. No legitimate historical documents, either written by a Spaniard or Filipino, mention Kali. Even Spanish decrees disallowing the carrying of weapons had not mentioned Kali. By legitimate what I mean is that the material was written only after checking primary sources such as pre-Hispanic or Spanish records. Copying and pasting from one website to the other does not count.

26. If the earliest you can go back is Mga Karunungan sa Larong Arnis, wouldn’t Florante and Laura by Francisco Balagtas (later half of 1800s) have come first, in mentioning Arnis? I doubt if you can find any document earlier than 1957 which will mention Kali.

27. And while you’re clamoring for citations, Mirafuente should be questioned for his lack of citations when he mentioned Kali in Yambao’s book. That despite the fact that he was a member of a local historical association!

28. If Kali is Muslim, why then is it also explained as representing the Hindu God Kali?

29. If you continue to stick to your assertion that Kali is Muslim, my question is how compatible are the practices in Kali with the 5 pillars of Islam? True Muslims would have none of Kali because it does not conform to the teachings of the Qur’an.

30. And maybe you can show us a Muslim grandmaster from Mindanao, not influenced by outside sources, who teaches Kali.

31. What particular Muslim tribe are you referring to? Filipino anthropologists had not identified any tribe called Kali or that practice an art called Kali.

32. The renowned anthropologist Felipe Landa Jocano of Cabatuan, father of Master/Prof. Felipe P. Jocano Jr. of the university of the Philippines Diliman, had not revealed any remnants of Kali or any Kali tribe in his anthropological works.

33. Or better yet a Muslim pre-Hispanic, or even Spanish, document that mentions Kali in detail.

34. Grandmasters Villabrille, Largusa, Gaje, Ilustrisimo…they were not Muslims but they used Kali. The senior students of Tatang Ilustrisimo had already publicly announced that there is no Kali and that certain individuals had advised Tatang before to use the term Kali. Originally he used Eskrima and Olisitrisimo to call his art.

35. If you research deeper, you will see that all the people using Kali in the US can trace back the word to GM Villabrille while those from the Philippines can trace it from the US.

36. I personally know at least 4 people with varying degrees of association with kali here in Negros and I can tell you they were originally Arnis people!

37. GM Villabrille originally used Eskrima as did GM Inosanto. GTs Gaje and Tortal originally used Arnis. These are all documented. You just need to find the right sources. You will find these scattered all over cyberspace in different forums.

38. True, the Maragatas has been invalidated as a historical document. However, what you failed to discover is that the original writer of Maragtas did not claim it to be historical but made it clear that it was based on stories gathered from many sources. Most likely you have only read a translation of the Maragtas, if you have read it at all. The various translations had chosen for one reason or the other to exclude certain portions of the original work.

39. Even Sir Henry William Scott who disproved Maragatas as a historical document did admit that it must be considered as a combination of folklore and history for we do not know which is which. The Code of Kalantiaw, however, was the one branded as a fabrication.

40. If you turn back you will realize that it is the Kali Myth blowers who had made divisions in the Filipino Martial Arts by making unvalidated, unhistorical, and commercial claims that downgrade Arnis/Eskrima just to market Kali the supposed Mother Art.

I can go and on but I don’t want to consume so much space here. I’m hoping that you can refute point by point my findings with legitimate proof.

For those who would like to add their own research, experiences, etc. to my upcoming book, I would be glad to include them, provided proper citation of sources and the like.

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CASASAI Goes To Australia

Earlier of December 2008 a family from Australia represented by Elaine Wilson told us that her husband and three children were very interested in learning Arnis/Eskrima system of Panay being promoted by the Combative and Sportive Arnis System Association Inc.

Elaine was actually a native of Iloilo and was married to Tom Wilson a Scottish and now living in Australia. When they came to Iloilo for a vacation her husband and three kids namely Rupert, Margaret, and Isabel learned the basics of Eskrima under The President and co-founder of CASASAI Guru Mel O. Balberde. The Wilson’s family has expressed their gladness of being a part of the CASASAI family based in Australia.

Above is the Wilson’s family together with the members of CASASAI, Iloilo.

See Pictures of Arnis/Eskrima Training below:

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Thunderbolt Arnis Martial Arts Association – HONGKONG

In my life, I have never dreamed that I could go to the beautiful places in HONGKONG because of Eskrima. Then one day the founder and leader of the Thunderbolt Arnis Martial Arts Association Guru Eman Pamulag approached me after our Arnis martial arts exhibition in SM city Iloilo to tell that she will sponsor me to go to HK to help her in sharpening the Eskrima skills of her students there.

When I arrived in HK, I was cordially welcomed by some of the Philippine heroines- the Pinay overseas Filipino workers who are working in HK for several years already. Their newly organized martial arts group called Thunderbolt Arnis Martial Arts association is now affiliated to CASASAI. As a founder and president of CASASAI, I was inspired by their dedication and commitment to practice the Filipino martial arts. In the midst of the busy life style in HK, they still find time to gather together to fellowship with one another and practice the exotic Filipino Martial Arts called Eskrima or Arnis. It became part of their lifestyle to gather from time to time to practice Arnis. For them, practicing martial arts is a good form of exercise as well as to be able to learn self-defense techniques and it was a great honor and privilege of having the opportunity to share my knowledge and skills in Arnis to them. I am looking forward to be there again soon.

Shown in the pictures below are the members of Thunderbolt Arnis Martial Arts Association during the Filipino Martial Arts seminar in Happy Valley HK.

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The Striking Door Technique Explained

The striking door technique or in Hiligaynon (an Ilongo dialect) is called Hanot-puerta. Hanot means strike and puerta means door. This unique system of striking was developed by Grand Master Gregorio “Awas” Soldevilla, a resident of Jaro, Iloilo City, Philippines. He is now 81 years old. GM Awas has taught arnis for many years. He has students from all walks of life: priests, doctors, military men, lawyers and many ordinary people who want to know his unique style of Eskrima. He has also experienced teaching Arnis in Guam. In fact all his children practice Arnis even his son who is now a Roman Catholic priest serving in the province of Antique in Western Visayas, Philippines.

When he taught us his style, I was really amazed by the simplicity and effectiveness of the striking door technique. He really mastered his style! We in CASASAI are really blessed to know him and letting us to learn his skills and for giving us the authority to continue sharing his knowledge and skills in Arnis.

The striking door technique is a technique patterned from the movement of the door. So the practitioner should imagine the cane as the door. GM Awas is an experienced fighter. He has tested his skills in real fight and he never shunned challenges. One time GM Awas was attacked by sixteen people when he tried to settle the two groups who were fighting during their Barangay fiesta. In Hiligaynon (native dialect of Iloilo), “Awas” means missing the target. He has earned that nickname maybe because he is hard to hit. He just simply used his Arnis skills to rout his opponents. Most of his attackers during that incident landed in the hospital. GM Awas has a very strong grip too. At the age of 81 though he is not in good physical condition anymore he can make u kneel down or make you lie flat on the floor if he applies his empty hand locking techniques.

His refined striking techniques are composed of only three strikes. The Sera or closing the door strike, the trangka, or locking the door strike and the bwelta or bouncing the door strike. These three strikes can be applied as blocking or striking techniques. It can be used against any angle of strikes. The initial position of the baston or cane is in the abierta or open door position. The sera is an inward strike usually done horizontally but it can also be delivered diagonally downward or upward. The trangka is delivered from a close door position in a downward circular vertical motion aimed to the centerline of the opponent. The bwelta is delivered from an open door position. The motion is like a bouncing door. It begins and ends as an open door. The strike is actually a reverse diagonal circular strike and can be aimed to any part of the body of the opponent.

In the first picture above is Grand Master Gregorio “Awas” Soldevilla (right) with the Author Master Guru Mel O. Balberde. In the second picture, Grand Master Gregorio received a plaque of recognition as one of the Grand Masters of Eskrima in Panay during the CASASAI launching program held in SM City, Iloilo.

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