Republic of the Philippines UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO- KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS Sudapin, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato Introduction & History of Arnis Intended Learning Outcome (ILO) 1. Introduce the historical background 2. Analyze the improvement of Arnis Introduction The Philippines is an island nation rich in both culture and history. The Filipino martial art of Arnis/Kali/Escrima has contributed to both the history and diversity of the Philippines. There are an abundance of styles and systems of Arnis/Kali/Escrima that are taught throughout the world to this day, that have survived and developed throughout the different regions, families and teachers who have preserved what is sometimes called a “complete” martial art. Arnis was developed by the indigenous populations of the Philippines, who used an assorted range of weaponry for combat and self-defense. Encompassing both simple impact and edged weapons, arnis traditionally involved rattan, swords, daggers and spears. Arnis can be originally traced back to native combat techniques during battles among the different pre-Hispanic Filipino kingdoms or tribes, though the present form has some Spanish influence from fencing which originally was practiced in Spain. Filipino martial artists doing a single stick drill. Arnis is originally an art that was practiced by the commoner or peasant class. Because of this, most practitioners of the system lacked the necessary education to create any form of written record or documentation. While the same can be stated of numerous martial arts, this is particularly true for Arnis martial arts since nearly all of its Arnis history is merely anecdotal, promotional, or oral. Arnis/Kali/Escrima was originally developed by the people native to the islands using simple impact and edged weapons such as kampilans, rattan, swords, daggers, spears and other assorted weaponry for combat and self-defense. These weapons were also sometimes used as farm implements. Spanish Era 1|P age WEEK 1: Introduction & History of Arnis Republic of the Philippines UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO- KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS Sudapin, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato The Spanish returned in the 1570’s and this time the Philippines came under Spanish rule unable to contend with the modern weaponry the Spanish used. Influence of other Martial Arts Styles in Arnis History It also has other influences, as traders and settlers travelling through the Malay Region brought the silat as well as Arab, Indian, and Chinese martial arts. A few of the people still localized Chinese combat methods called the kuntaw. Moreover, it has been theorized that Arnis Kali Eskrima may have Indian roots and came to the Philippines through the people who traveled through Malaysia and Indonesia to the Philippines. Silambam, a stickstaff-based, ancient, Indian martial art influenced numerous martial arts in Asia such as silat. Arnis may share ancestry with the said systems – several Arnis movements resemble the short stick (kaji or kali) and other weapon-based combat styles techniques of silambam. One prominent feature of Arnis that may point to Spanish influence is Espada y Daga (sword and dagger) method, which is a term utilized in fencing. The Filipino version of the Espada y daga is quite different from the European rapier and dagger styles; the stances are not the same as weapons utilized in are normally shorter that European-made swords. Following the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, a decree was established that banned the common people from carrying weapons such as the Kampilan and Kris. Regardless, the practitioners constantly found ways to keep and maintain the system alive, using rattan-made sticks rather than actual swords. Several arts were passed down from generation to generation. Modern Arnis History The Philippines has a blade culture. Unlike in Europe where Renaissance and Medieval fighting and self-defense blade or weapon arts have gone nearly extinct, Filipino blade fighting is still a living art. The local persons in the Philippines are considered more likely to carry bolos or knives than guns. The Philippine–American War 2|P age WEEK 1: Introduction & History of Arnis Republic of the Philippines UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO- KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS Sudapin, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato The Americans first witnessed Arnis in the Philippine–American War in such events as the “Balangiga massacre” where the majority of a US company was cut to death or severely injured by knife-wielding guerillas in Eastern Samar, as well as in Mindanao battles, where an American soldier was beheaded by a Moro warrior. World War II During World War II, many Filipinos fought the Japanese hand to hand with their blades as guerilla fighters or as military units under the USAFFE like the Bolo Battalion (now known as the Tabak Division). Culture and Traditions Arnis is otherwise known as eskrima, kali and garrote, and by even more names in different Filipino regional languages. Although Spanish influence had a pacifying effect on Filipino martial culture, the original warrior ethos has persisted and remains on the fringes of the art. Arnis “death-matches” were outlawed as late as 1945 yet, as Mark V. Wiley explains in Filipino Martial Culture, they still take place in private today. The Philippine government’s declaration of arnis as the national sport has codified a clear martial culture. This should begin to develop an accessible story of Filipino cultural heritage that the outside world can grasp, like Japan did during the Edo period (1603-1868) and as post-cultural revolution China has done with Wushu. National Sport and Martial Art Many of us still believe that Sipa, which is a game similar to volleyball only that it uses the feet instead of the hands, is the national sport of the Philippines. However, arnis was recently declared as the national sport on the 11th of December 2009 through the Republic Act No. 9850 authored by South Cotabato Rep. Arthur Pingoy Jr. It’s also a consolidation to Senate Bill No. 1424 authored by Majority leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, who himself has trained in arnis. 3|P age WEEK 1: Introduction & History of Arnis Republic of the Philippines UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MINDANAO- KIDAPAWAN CITY CAMPUS Sudapin, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato Under the law, arnis will be a mandatory course or subject in all schools in the country unlike before when arnis was only offered in a few schools as an elective physical education subject. It also institutionalizes arnis as a regular event in the annual Palarong Pambansa. 4|P age WEEK 1: Introduction & History of Arnis
