Kali, Escrima, Arnis
Filipino Martial Arts History
The Philippines is an island nation in the West Pacific of almost 70 million people where more than 70 dialects are spoken. Over the centuries, the Philippines have a crossroad for various cultures, trading, and fighting.
Kali is the mother art of the modern Filipino Martial Arts. Records from the Malay Sri-Vishaya empire dating to the 8th century A.D., refer to Kali as the art of the Philippines. According to historians, the Ten Datus of Borneo brought their fighting methods to the island of Panay. Here, basic reading, writing, and Kali were taught in the schools.
On April 27, 1521, Magellan died on Mactan Island at the hands of Chief Lapu-Lapu, a Kali practitioner. Due to the loss of written records, the exact techniques of Kali remain a mystery today. Although, elements of Kali remain alive in the foundation of today's Filipino Martial Arts.
The Spanish began a 400 year occupation of the islands late in the 16th century. To suppress opposition to their rule, the Spanish banned the teaching of Kali. Elements of the art were hidded in folk plays and native dances. However, over time, Spanish fencing methods were blended into the indigenous fighting framework. Under Spanish influence, the native art became known as Escrima, Estocada, Arnis De-Mano, or Arnis.
The Filipino Martial Arts assume different names in different regions. In Manila, the art is known as Arnis or Pananandata. In Pangasinan as Kalirongan. In the Ilocos region of Luzon as Kabaro-an, and in the Visayas as Escrima.
Arnis historian have cited as many as 200 systems or styles of Arnis-Escrima-Kali. Names describing the range of fighting include Largo (long-distance), Medio (medium-range), and Corto or Serrada (close-range). Names based on movement such as Abaniko (fanning), Palis-Palis (go with force), Sungkiti (flicking), Ocho-Ocho (figure eight), doble baston (double sticks), espada y daga (swordn and dagger), mano-mano (or de kadina (empty hands).
Some of the most well-known styles of Arnis-Escrima-Kali are Illustrismo Kali, Pekiti Tirsia, Doce Pares, Escrima, Marinas Pananandata, Balintawak, Cabales Serrada, Villabrille Escrima, and Presas Modern Arnis.
Modern Arnis was developed by both Grand Master Remy Presas and his brother Grandmaster Ernesto Presas of Negros Occidental Province in the Visayas. Remy was a well known Balintawak champion in the 1950's. Remy imigratedto the US in the early 1970's, and was one of the first Arnistadors to introduce the art outside of the Philippines. Ernesto, founder of Filipino Mano-Mano, resides in Manila and teaches at the University of Santo Tomas and the Lyceum as well as Condu.
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