 Escrima.
Although the spanish word Arnis De Mano translates as "art (harness)
of the hand", it describes a self-defense system from the Philippines
that, in the main, revolves around the use of bladed weapons or
sticks. Empty hand techniques are important but are secondary in
this art. Formerly known as Kali, the fighting system nowadays is
called Arnis De Mano or by another spanish word Escrima, meaning
skirmish". Whatever name it goes under, the art has had a long and
savage history, dating back to 1521 when Spanish rule first came
to the Philippines. Before colonization by Spain, Arnis De Mano
was taught as a recreational activity, along with reading, writing,
religion and Sanskrit. For children of the native warrior class
it was also a form of combat training. The Spaniards had a hard
time imposing their rule on the inhabitants, who wielded their bolos,
daggers and sticks with deadly effectiveness. Not until they brought
in reinforcements and firearms could they effect any semblance of
order. In the seventeen hundreds, when Spanish rule was firmly secured,
the teaching and study of Arnis De Mano was banned (in the same
way as the Japanese overlords banned the ownership of weapons on
Okinawa). The carrying of a bolo (a long bladed weapon similar to
a machete) or dagger was also forbidden. These orders were imposed
in an attempt to "civilize" the spirited Filipinos. Arnis De Mano
then became a clandestine art (as did the art of Karate on Okinawa)
and was practiced in secret. When it re-emerged it went unnoticed
by the Spaniards. It had been set to native music and performed
as it was, without weapons, the movements resembled only a harmless
dance. This "dancing" even became popular with the rulers and demonstrations
were given in public at fiesta time. The real Arnis De Mano had
not died though, as the Spanish soldiers found out every time there
was a revolt. From generation to generation, the many different
regional styles, collectively termed Arnis De Mano, were kept alive,
being handed down from father to son over the centuries. When Spanish
rule ended and the Americans took over in 1898, the ban on the art
was lifted. Friendly competitions were then conducted in public
at fiesta's but the teachers never "opened their doors", so to speak
and Arnis De Mano remained a semi-secretive activity. The country
was to see a lot more martial arts action in the ensuing years.
When the war came, the Japanese invaded the Philippines and a lot
of Filipinos worked alongside the Americans in guerilla units. Many
of these owed their lives, in countless close-quarter engagements,
to their Arnis training--the custom issued machete closely resembled
their native bolo. Theirs is an art that has been well and truly
tested, over a long period of time in actual combat. Even after
the war, the Philippines remained a very violent prone contry. The
town of San Juan was the first place to ban the Nunchaku weapon
(or Chako, as it was called there) back in 1967. Only the Presidents'
imposition of martial law in September 1972 put an end to the carrying
and extensive use of guns, blades and variety of other lethal weapons
to settle disputs. After the war, many Filipinos had emigrated to
the USA--needless to add, Arnis De Mano went with them. Most of
the immigrants went to Hawaii and California. Of these that went
to California the majority settled in Stockton and it is from there
that Arnis / Escrima has surfaced onto the American martial arts
scene. The "discovery" of Ecrima, along with the widespread use
of the Nunchaku weapon, must be credited to the late Bruce Lee.
His portrayal of the use of the "double sticks" in the movie "Enter
the Dragon" and the unfinished "Game of Death" brought the art of
Filipino Stick Fighting out into the open. Bruce Lee was taught
Escrima by his student and friend, Danny Inosanto who had in turn
been trained by a distinguished escrimador (the title given to practitioners
of the art) in Stockton, California. |