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I Come To You
With Only Kempo
Karate,
My Empty Hands
I Have No Weapons,
But Should I
Be Forced
To Defend Myself
My Principles Or My Honor,
Should It Be A Matter Of Life or Death,
Of Right Or Wrong
These Are My Weapons
Kempo Karate,
My Empty Hands
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ARNIS DE
MANO FILIPINO FIGHTING ARTS BY
O 'SENSEI BOBBY BARONGAN
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* * * * *
Currently the best known and most
systematic fighting art in the Philippines is Arnis de Mano. It boasts long
historical development from the Kali system and is designed to train the
student to defend himself against armed or unarmed attacks. In Tagalog
provinces it is known as estocada, while in other regions it continues to be
called estoque or fraile.
Arnis de Mano is a misleading Spanish name which means "harness of the
hand". The term is said to have been derived from the Spanish word Arnes,
which meansor referred to the decorative trappings or "harness" used by the
moro-moro actors, and de Mano, refering to the "hands". The actors hand
motions used in moving the trappings around impressed the Spanish overlords
as they sat being entertained by the conquered natives peoples, In reality,
these hand motions and movements equated to Kali skills. This was not
understood by the Spanish conquistadors. The arnes became corrupted and
accepted as Arnis. With its very title a Spanish expression, arnis uses
Spanish words entirely to describe its techniques. This has led to a popular
misconception, even among the Filipinos, that Arnis is a combat form brought
to the Philippines by the Spanish invaders.
Three popular forms of Arnis are practiced today, although several other
types may be identified in the remote barrios. The original Arnis style
observed by the Spaniards had some qualities which reminds them of European
fencing. Two mock weapons were used, a wooden long sword and a wooden short
sword or dagger. It was thus appropriately named Espada y Daga ('sword &
dagger") by the Spaniards, a name by which it continues to be known. It is
the most popular Arnis style today, though the form of the weapons has been
modified. Instead of wooden sword and dagger usually two sticks (muton) are
used. The second most popular form of Arnis makes use of a single long muto
or baston. This style is the single stick (solo baston). It is most popular
with the Pangasinese and the Ilokanos as well as the vaajeros of Macabebe
and Batangas. The final form is the deadliest and the most difficult to
master because of the extreme coordination required to manipulate the two
equal length sticks. This style is called Sinawali, a native term applied
because the intricate movements of the two muton resemble the weave of a
sawali, the bamboo-rush weave pattern the natives used for their walling
matting.
ARNIS DE MANO CONT...
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