From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #133 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Sat, 3 April 1999 Vol 06 : Num 133 In this issue: eskrima: Crazy Rocky eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #132 eskrima: ED #132 Moro Silat eskrima: Dr. Gyi part 4 eskrima: Rocky & Human Behavior eskrima: Re: Rocky's comments..... eskrima: Like Sand Through an Hourglass eskrima: Re: Moro Silat eskrima: Akron ITO group eskrima: How far would you go ? eskrima: Crafty boys Dr. Gyi stuff eskrima: RE: Here we go boys and girls!! eskrima: Dr Gyi: part 5 eskrima: Re: Dan Inosanto eskrima: Dan Inosanto etc. eskrima: Easter Bunny .......................................................................... Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. 1050 members strong! Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Inayan System of Eskrima, Martial Arts Resource Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe eskrima-digest" (no quotes) in the body of an e-mail (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To send e-mail to this list use eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com See the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) FAQ and online search the last two years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! Ray Terry, PO Box 110841, Campbell, CA 95011 FMA@MartialArtsResource.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: "Grantham, Stephen" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 10:14:02 -0700 Subject: eskrima: Crazy Rocky Hello Rocky, Rocky says: SNIP when we get their I was about 18 and kind of excited to meet him, I hadn't seen him for a number of years since he visited my Wing Chun Do instructor in Monroe Michigan about 5 years prior, ( which by the way Sifu Clark lit him up good in Chi Sao (sp) ) So we get their he was kinda mingling before the seminar, I walked up to him introduced myself, told him I was one of Remy's guys, he just kinda smirked and said yea or something to the effect, then I told him Remy wished him luck, to which he more or less did the same, so I thought oh well maybe he's just busy. - ---Smirk? I have known Sifu Dan since 1989. I have trained many hours at many seminars with him, including visiting his school in LA several times a year for training. I have NEVER heard him say anything derogatory about ANYONE in that entire time. He is the most humble and self effacing man I ever met. I'm glad you respect his abilities and his accomplishments, but I believe you do him a disservice. I seriously doubt if he was singling out Remy Presas and his teaching methods to ridicule you. That is completely unlike the man. I suspect maybe you over reacted when he didn't jump up and down and thank you for coming to see him, since after all you're one of the professors' guys... Do you have any idea how many people come up to him at the seminars on every little break just to get close to him and try to get a little recognition? It's amazing! People won't leave him alone long enough to go to lunch during breaks, and he's too nice to say no to them! -- Steve So the seminar starts and the first thing he does is start with single stick and he starts explaining different counters for various strikes, but first he starts in with, " there are some people that teach this tech, and that tech. and to hold the stick this way or block this way and that way, all of which will not work, and amazingly enough every thing he showed that he said wouldn't work was a Remy Presas tech. So know I am getting a little agitated, then he starts with his little stop watch thingy, show a tech. give them 2 minutes to work on it, and move on, thus over whelming them and baffling them, and instilling and even greater, illusion of your superiority upon them, to which many fall prey to. ( Are you warming your fingers up yet Doc ) Then we do a little - ----Actually Rocky, I think he does this in order to disseminate as much information as possible to the students. Doc or someone once said that learning from Sifu Dan at a seminar is liking drinking from a firehose.. Very apt! But since I don't get to train with him but 4 or 5 times a year, I would rather he give me as much as I can absorb when I do see him.. I have rolled on the ground with Erik Paulson for 5 hours at a time, and as one of Sifu Dan's students, I can tell you he is an awesome allaround fighter. I felt his superiority to me, not just imagined it. The same with Damon Caro, Chad Stahelski, Marc Denny, Sayoshi, Joel, Yuri, etc...These guys don't baffle me with many techniques, they dominate me with their skill. That's why I respect them.. And they in turn respect the man who taught most of them. And believe me, these guys aren't robots following Sifu around blindly. -- Steve single stick and I am working with one of his top students at the time ( You guys figure it out ) he knows I am Modern Arnis, but what he doesn't know is I am also a Modified Balintawak practitioner under Remy at the time and was also playing with some PT ( 1st mistake ) then he shows me a new drill which I had a little trouble with cause it was new I never did it before, but then he said something off color about my foot work and how I wouldn't be able to move or generate power, this come from guys who at that time trained with sticks so thin that I have had thicker bamboo chutes in my chop suey, ( mistake #2 ). Then we started to play just a little and all of a suddenly wham!!, he takes my sick away and fires a shot towards the head simulating a head shot, and says see you can't move the way you are standing, well I didn't know he was going to go from basically very slow and mild free flowing to a fast paced, hey I got you situation ( Mistake # 3 ). So then we started again, ( mistake #4 on his part ) cause this time I SSSSMMMOOOKED him like he wasn't even worth my time, we broke for lunch, I walked over to the guy who put the seminar on, told him to take his little group of wanna be Bruceeees and shove them up his ass!!!!! Oh yeah we did a few boxing drills but I learned from the Kronk Gym in Detroit, Need I say more!! - --- Rocky, it sounds to me like your ego got in the way here.. The guy's job was to go around help people understand the material they were teaching, not to compete with you to see if he could beat you. Some people won't take your word for it when you correct their position for that particular move, so sometimes you demonstrate that why a particular body position or whatever won't work on that line. I don't know who you are talking about, he could have been cocky, I don't know. Maybe he was out of line. Everyone sees things said and done to them through the window of their own ego, for good or bad. ---Steve So it seems that while your beloved Danny may not directly ever say any thing to someone he is not beyond poking at anyone indirectly, as with most of us. In fact I have heard it said many of times on the BL/DI digest, I mean Eskrima digest, that he will quite often say things like Boy I would sure hate to get hit by that tech. and what he really means is boy I would sure hate to be so ill trained that someone could actually hit me with such a tech. Hell why talk in riddles, say what you mean man. All Of the above is true I witnessed it and it happen directly to me so if you don't like it or don't believe me. BL*W me. - --- Not reading anything into his comment are you? And by the way, I'll pass on your kind offer, but I'm heterosexual and married. Thanks anyway..--Steve Now the following ( man I am gonna get hammered I can feel it ) is he said they said stuff, but I figure since I wanna make #1 on that list I might as well go all out!!! ( You BLW's and DIW's don't carry guns do you?? ) back in 1973 or 4 Remy Presas gave one of the largest Arnis demos ever at Madison Square Garden in NY, and according to more than one Eskrima Master Danny was there, and he and Remy chatted and Remy urged him to us his BL connection, to publish a book on Fma, ( oh by the way I think he got Remy's autograph too ) any ways Danny did, and of course he mentioned every Filipino Master in the world just about except the biggest name of all Remy, lets see would you consider this a slap in the face????? Again this I was not there for, but hey why not ask Danny??? - --I was not there either, but my understanding was that Sifu Dan only put people in that book who were his direct instructors, not every Filipino Arnis instructor. I get the impression that Master Johnny LaCosta referred him to various instructors in the FMA community. I think Sifu Dan said that he had trained under some 25 instructors of Kali, and was certified to teach around 15 of their arts. Whether he included Remy Presas in that number I couldn't tell you. --Steve - --All in all, I don't worship Sifu Dan. I respect him tremendously as a martial artist, and even more as a person. I'm sure he has his faults, as he is indeed just human, but I'm not sure what they would be. I have seen people take advantage of his good nature and innate kindness, while they were thinking only of themselves. Perhaps he's not the best judge of people, always trying to find the good in them.. He gives information freely, even though many people turn around and stab him in the back. His biggest fault may be that he lives the martial arts, not just trains it like most of us do. I remember several years ago, when I went with Sifu Fong to pick up Sifu Dan and Simo Paula at their hotel to take them to the airport, around 5:00 am. We were waiting in the cars downstairs for Erik Paulson, when all of a sudden Sifu Dan gets out of the van to walk around, and starts doing djurus! I could barely stay awake, and he's doing forms! And keep in mind this was on the east coast, some 3 hours ahead of his usual Pacific Coast time. Jeez! Steve Grantham sgrantham@microage.com Francis Fong Martial Arts Academy ------------------------------ From: Bob Manalo Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 09:43:58 -0800 (PST) Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #132 Guro Sachetti, Just my opinions: You wrote: > > First of all I am not in any way looking for trouble. > What I reading > led me to believe that someone was offending someone > that I regarded > highly and my reaction was sincere and approriate. > My point was that it seemed like you were getting off on words you heard second hand. In my opinion, even if I thought someone was a pretty cool person, I wouldn't solicit or accept a physical challenge based on my reactions to second hand opinions, no matter how scathing or otherwise they may be. Ask yourself, would that person that you were going to defend do the same thing for you?? The next point is that since Danny didn't really teach you anything, why would you risk life and limb for him, even if he is "Christ-like"?? Again, would he do the same for you?? My fellow instructors have heard second-hand a few unpleasant comments made about our Master. But, no one seems to be willing to say it to his face, or ours, to that extent. We all would stand up for him, because we owe it to him since he's given us so much. We carry the art that he taught us, and that's worth fighting for, in my opinion. I know he'd do the same for us without a doubt. > As for DANGEROUS Bob I lived in the Philippines for 3 > Years where I > was attacked more than a few times and in China PRC > for a year in 1989 > when they were shooting the students. I cannot tell > you how unpopular > it was for me to stick up for the students. > Well, I gotta give you your props for being there and doing what you did. > I do what I think is right, plain and simple and as > for DANGEROUS, > Talk is not dangerous, seeing the Knife comming at > your face is > dangerous and I will not shriek from it. > But if talk is not dangerous, then why get stirred by a few words?? > My offer to accept the challange (which now is clear > did not exist) > was to stop the talk. > You opened the door for any psycho who dislikes Dan Inosanto to come up and openly challenge you, even if they don't like Dan because he didn't acknowledge them at a seminar, or someting minor like that. > If someone is mad enough to come at me with a Knife, > Stick or Whatever > I will deal with it without regrets. My soul is > completely prepared > but I don't know about theres. > There's a difference between someone saying things about a person you know and someone openly attacking you. Sure, if someone came at anyone on this digest threatening bodily harm, they'd do all they can to take that person out quickly. It's just the way things are. We've all read things that maybe insulted us at the most on the digest, but you don't see challenges issued. Heck, if we were all insulted by a statement, we'd all be going after each other. > I will not be silent when I think something is wrong > no matter what it > is. Too many people compromise their principals and > just talk crap > without ever backing it up. You must walk it like you > talk it. > You have the right to speak your mind and to believe what is right in your opinion. And, it's easy to talk when the person you're speaking about isn't right there in front of you to rebutt/defend themselves. It's just human nature. But if you "walk it like you talk it", does that indicate to me that you'd step in to defend anyone you thought well of?? To me, there's a fine line between being a "hero" and being dead, especially in this day and age. This art is used to preserve culture and preserve life--my life, my family's life, my closest friends' lives (including those you learn from and whom you train with). I'm for peace at all costs, too. But if push came to shove, then you have to do what you must. Like I said, just my opinions. You say "escrima", I say "eskrima". Peace, Bob Manalo, Jr. IESA _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com ------------------------------ From: Elrik Gubisch Jundis Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 09:39:12 -0800 Subject: eskrima: ED #132 Moro Silat Is Guro Tanadjalan the same person that was featured in one of Guro Allen's "The Real Thing" tapes? - - -bernie Yes. He actualy saw the video for the first time last week and was quite amused. ------------------------------ From: "Marc Denny" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 11:30:16 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Dr. Gyi part 4 A Howl of Greeting to All: Allen wrote: "I do what I think is right, plain and simple and as for DANGEROUS, Talk is not dangerous, seeing the Knife comming at your face is dangerous and I will not shriek from it." Sorry, I can't shrink from wondering did Monica shriek when the President was "comming" at her face? We're glad to know that you won't when a knife comes at you. I know I might. ;-) And now, back to more substantive matters , , , "Under the cover of our steady mortar barrage and the thick mist, the platoon began to scale the ladders , , , This time we succeeded in reaching the top with only light casualties. We immediately fanned out and charged the two forward bunkers with grenades, then kukris, killing some 32 defenders. , , ,(to replace their killed Jemadur) Jemadur Kharkabahadur Rai from 1st Platoon of B Company took charge and divided the men into three assault teams. I remembered this tactic, which we had used on Gibraltar Hill. Our team was assigned to follow the trench line, and the other two were to flank the bunkers on the summit. "The heavy mist made visibility poor. We could not see more than 20-25 yards. We were ordered not to fire our weapons for fear of killing our own men. We drew our kukris. As soon as the mortar fire was lifted, Jemadur Kharkabahadur yelled "Gorkhali ayo!" and led the charge. Our assault team ran along the trench line. The Japanese opened up with automatic weapons. We jumped into a trench from which an enemy squad was firing. They were quickly silenced. " We advanced on to the main bunker. The trench was filled with water and mud, slowing our movement. We saw several retreating Japanese in front of us. Three of them slipped and fell in the mud and were quickly decapitated. As we jumped out of that trench, we ran into a group of Japanese who charged us with fixed bayonets. Several of our men fell to them. As one Japanese soldier pulled his bayonet from a Gurkha's throat, I sprang and cut him down. Then a Japanese and a Gurkha, locked in a life-or-death struggle, lost their footing and rolled on the ground. I ran to them and impaled the enemy with my kukri. "At another point, I parried a man charging with a bayonet and stepped in to kill him, but missed because of poor footing and accidentally cut the arm of the Gurkha next to me who was dodging an attacker of his own. My attacker then hit me with his rifle butt and knocked me into the trench. I was unconscious for several minutes. As I was pulled out of the trench by my men, I heard the Gurkha victory cry. The men from Companies A and B had finally secured the hill (Doubting Dave, please note so you can go look this up in "military archives") Many Japanese escaped under the cover of the heavy mist and smoke, leaving behind more than 100 dead. Unfortunately our casualties were equally high. Later Jemadur Kharkabadahur Rai from B company was awarded a medal for his leadership and gallantry in recapturing Scraggy Hill. The men of the 3/10th saluted him" (More data for Doubting Dave) And this just for Doubting Dave: "On 27 July, Gen. William Slim, commander of the victorious British 14th Army, visited our area. We cleaned and polished for this very special occasion. Lt. Col. Cosens, the proud commander of our 3/10 Gurkha Regiment, presented his battle-tested men to the visiting general. We stood at attention with drawn kukris. Gen. Slim slowly walked along the lines, looking at each man and his kukri. He stopped in front of my Jemadur, Bakhatbahadur Rai, leader of the 1st Platoon of A Company, and praised him for his courageous leadership in retaking Scraggy Hill." Dave, please let us know the results of your research into "military archives." Woof, Crafty Dog ------------------------------ From: "Brian A. Meyer" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 13:29:15 -0600 Subject: eskrima: Rocky & Human Behavior Rocky, I have attended one of Inosanto's certified instructor's seminars, here = in Wisconsin. The gentleman is from Beliot, Janesville area, I want to = say his name is Pete Hentrick. But anyway, I think that you have to = understand what context the seminar was put on. Was this an = introductory seminar? Was it geared to people who had no martial art = experience or FMA expereince. Because the ones that I attended were set = up that way. We ran them as a self-defence seminar, and offered it on = the UW-Platteville Campus. They went over great. But you have to = remember they are introducing concepts to allow for the person who is = not an avid practitioner an understanding of what it is to fight back. As far as hero worship goes, come on really. Look at every major world = religion, and "most" of the martial arts of today. What do you see. = Students following someone they have branded as a master, someone to = emulate. People don't want to hear the "message" that these masters try = to send. people want to be led. They son't want to have to make = decisions for themselves (NOT ALL PEOPLE, BUT MOST). So what happens, = people idolize the figurehead, and forget to follow what the teacher was = trying to say. Sit back and watch, how many people really go out and = research, and find out for themselves if the master tells them = something. Not many, or enough of them thats for sure. Bruce Lee = himself (seeing as how you used him in your thread) said that the = molment that we start to idolize him and stop looking for ourselves, to = burn everything he had written, and that we had forgotten because of = this phenomenon, he knew it would happen way back then. So what we are = really talking about is human behavior. So go easy on the masses they = arn't ready for you to destroy their illusions. =20 I really hope that someday I will have the opportunity to meet both Dan = I. and Remey P. I would find the knowledge that they have to offer in = whatever form worth any time I had to spend. So that was pretty painless I hope, I'm not disagreeing with you. And = some people will, and some won't but, remember when it comes to human = behavior, and the need to be led. There are more "blinded devoted = followers" than there will ever be good leaders, and this is not always = the instructors fault. And allways remember all it takes is one nut "crazed fan" or whatever to = "prove" his point with a gun. Good luck, I hope that someday our paths = will cross, and to have the opportunity to train with you. No matter = what opinion you wish everyone to have of you. Everyone's entitled to = their's, but when we cross the training hall door, we leave our personal = differences behind and work together to accomplish our mutual = objectives, and to attain whatever brief molment of enlightenment we can = muster. I wish you luck, and for everyone who replys to Rocky and has = managed to read this long reply, go easy on him, he might not be getting = enough. I'll appologize for that slander now Rocky, I couldn't resist. If = that last statement has in any way offended your or hurt you, I = appologize, but at least ask yourself why it hurt.. To all on the digest, have a great holiday weekend. Sincerely, Brian A. Meyer - ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01BE7D0C.CDBDCC40 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" [ 125 lines deleted. Do NOT send HTML to the list!!! ] - ------=_NextPart_000_0020_01BE7D0C.CDBDCC40-- ------------------------------ From: "Mike aka Shugendo" Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 11:40:44 PST Subject: eskrima: Re: Rocky's comments..... Greetings all! I have been a memeber of this list in a number of guises and have refrained from commenting on a number of topics... in this case I feel that I have to. Rocky, I've been with Guro Dan Inosanto for over 10 years and I don't think he walks on water. I do think he is one of the most knowledgeable martial artists I have met in the 25 years I have been involved in the MA's. To read your 'war story' only makes me wonder what you could possibly gain from passing it on. I've stood beside Guro Dan on more than one occasion and listened to some overinflated sack of manure claim he was the greatest martial artist of all time... and Guro Dan respected that persons assessment of themself while I could barely control my laughter... maybe you wee one of those people(!). He has exhibited tremendous self-control when he has been challenged... more so than I could have honestly exhibited. As the target for lances and spears for many years, Guro Dan has learned to take comments like yours to heart... although I know he is still hurt by them. If you are in search of some much needed attention, you now have it. I would suggest that if you want more, that you find a venue that suits your needs; possibly a list where Guro Dan isn't held in such high regard. I understand that Jerry Beasley is looking for an eskrima instructor for the his Karate College... you might want to try there. Michael A. Krivka @ Martial Arts Koncepts Home Page: http://home.earthlink.net/~makoncept/ Email: koncepts@bellatlantic.net Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com ------------------------------ From: Peter Sampogna Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 16:11:12 -0500 Subject: eskrima: Like Sand Through an Hourglass - ------------------------------ Subject: eskrima: Here we go boys and girls!! Everyone give credit where credit is do. Here is a guy who pulls no punches. Rocky I still love you! BTW Anyone ever feel like crying and you don't know why? Peter Sampogna ------------------------------ From: Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 16:43:57 EST Subject: eskrima: Re: Moro Silat "Is Guro Tanadjalan the same person that was featured in one of Guro Allens the "real thing" tapes?" Yep. ------------------------------ From: "Kevin Davis" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 17:27:33 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Akron ITO group Greetings All, Suro Mike Inay was in Akron, Ohio last weekend and gave an outstanding seminar on Kadena-De-Mano Level 3. All those in attendance really enjoyed the empty hand drills, knife work (an intense drill from Serrada was taught), lock flow drills (every joint was sore for several days) and kicking / anti-kicking drills. As always Suro delivers with high quality content whether hands-on or lecture on the history of our art. I always look forward to the informal material that is dispensed during breaks. Suro is interested in expanding his student base in northeast Ohio and will gladly accept new students of good character. Our group which has a large law enforcement representation meets and trains at the University of Akron. Suro hopes to be back in Akron in August for a De Querdas seminar. Suro is also willing to do seminars on a variety of areas for non-FMA martial arts training schools in Ohio. This is a great opportunity for you to expose your students to top quality FMA from the one of the best. If you are interested in attending the Kadena-De-Mano Level 4 seminar to be held in Akron in September or October please send me a private e-mail. Best wishes, Kevin Davis Private e-mail: kd@sssnet.com ------------------------------ From: Michael Koblic Date: Fri, 19 Feb 1999 11:03:11 -0800 Subject: eskrima: How far would you go ? >><< There isn't much I wouldn't do in the way of self preservation, but >>threatening >> to >> rape my opponent's girlfriend isn't among the tricks in my bag. Shame on >you. >>>> >> >>Moi? Shame... >> >>Hey it worked to keep him from attacking... >> > >I get the feeling here, that Animal's threats were designed purely to >distract the guy and maybe get his girlfriend to help calm matters down.... >A little psychological ploy me-thinks ??? (mixed quotes above) This brings out a philosophical question: How far would you go to save your life? How many out there would rather die than rape opponent's girlfriend? Mike Koblic, Quesnel BC ------------------------------ From: Rocky Pasiwk Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 20:06:56 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Crafty boys Dr. Gyi stuff Hey Marc, your Dr. Gyi stuff is good Sh*T Man, keep it coming!!, I have not trained with him yet but I will be soon. Most of what I have seen I like and of course to learn from someone who really did it for real is a rare treat, anyone who has worked with the man should consider them selves lucky Rocky ------------------------------ From: "Allen Eastwood" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 19:12:51 -0600 Subject: eskrima: RE: Here we go boys and girls!! > -----Original Message----- > From: Rocky Pasiwk > Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 01:12:53 -0800 > Subject: eskrima: Here we go boys and girls!! > > Ok BLW's and Danny Boys, loosen up you fingers and get ready to type!! > Cause uncle Rocks about to piss you off. So what's new!!! I am already > in the top 10 most hated people on the list, and this should put me > right over the top and possibly right into my very own > category. Well I > always wanted to be number one at something. I think this sort of thing has been one of the aspects that's bothered me most in all the time I've been involved in martial arts...that is, the tendency of some people to literally idolize some of these masters. While I have every respect for their accomplishments and what they've contributed and taught, I also can't see according anyone sainthood when the plain truth is that they are as human as any of us. And some of the best instructors and masters I've ever known are people that no one has ever heard of. It's my opinion that we all have something to contribute, not the least of which is our own critical and independent thoughts. - -Allen mixal@onramp.net ------------------------------ From: "Marc Denny" Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 19:14:14 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Dr Gyi: part 5 A Howl etc: From the intro to the piece in Command #26: "Issue 16 featured "Gorkhali Ayo!" Gurkha soldiers in the Battle for Imphal, 1944. The following account of his later experiences as a medical orderly in the 111th Chindit Brigade is based largely on detailed entries from his wartime diary." "On July 3, 1944 I visited my brother (in the hospital where he was recovering from wounds). I confided to my brother that I had lost my desire to kill Japanese after witnessing so many deaths and so much suffering during the battles for Imphal. I grieved every time I saw a dead soldier, his life snuffed out by a bullet, grenade, mortar shell, bomb, bayonet, sword or kukri. I was sick of killing. , , , with my brother's blessing , , , I got transfer papers , , , into the 136th Field Ambulance and Medical Unit of the 3rd Indian Division on July 9, 1944 , , , and assigned to the 111th Chindit Brigade. I felt then I had a new mission in life: not to kill Japanese, but to ease the pain of the wounded and honor the dead, friend and foe alike. ", , , (after the battle) we made a small campfire, and we sat around in small groups, removing bloated leeches from each other's arms, necks, backs, and legs. Dr. Singh had 20 leeches on his legs alone; I had 16 on me , , , ", , , By accident, the Kachin scouts discovered a cave about 10 feet high and 20 feet wide hidden behind dense bushes and the thick bamboo in the ravine. The jemadar and his men went in. After a few minutes they came back out and he said there were many dead and wounded Japanese soldiers inside. Dr Singh and I entered the cave. The stench was unbearable. There were several rows of decomposing bodies with thousands of crawling maggots and insects. We covered our noses with our spare socks. Deeper in the cave we found about a dozen Japanese soldiers barely alive. They were in horrible shape, just skin and bones, lying among rotting bodies. "The Kachin scouts said to Dr. Singh in broken English: "You no help them! No help them!" Then they drew their dhas and ended the miseries of the Japanese with quick strokes. I saw Dr. Singh begin to cry and I cried with him. We could not stay in the cave too long because the stench of death was overpowering. I did not count the number of the dead in the cave, but there were many. We realized the Japanese forces were facing enormous difficulties. They were being attacked from all sides; their supply lines were repeatedly being cut the chindits. Still they fought on with unmatchable tenacity. "With the permission of the jemadar and Dr. Singh, I built a small shrine from loose stones in front of the cave. I cut three bamboo trees and formed a pyramid with them over the stones. I knelt and prayed that the spirits of the unknown Japanese warriors be freed to join their ancestors. The Kachins looked on my ritual in complete amusement, but Dr. Singh and the jemadar knelt behind me." Howl, Crafty ------------------------------ From: John Frankl Date: Fri, 2 Apr 1999 22:36:45 -0500 (EST) Subject: eskrima: Re: Dan Inosanto The word Christ-like bothered me a bit too. I find it strange that many people need to conflate their martial arts teachers with their spiritual gurus/saviors. Beyond that, however, I felt Rocky's rant had very little to do with Dan Inosanto and was in fact a much more personal statement. Whatever Dan Inonsanto did or did not do 20 to 30 years ago I cannot say, but in my not insignificant personal interaction with the man I never once heard him say anything negative about any group or style. As this, together with his prodigious achievements and abilities, speaks for itself, I hope list members follow Guru Inosanto's own example and don't start issuing mindless challenges, as those who know will take little notice of the above-mentioned diatribe. John Frankl ------------------------------ From: Paul Hopkins Date: Fri, 02 Apr 1999 19:48:40 -0800 Subject: eskrima: Dan Inosanto etc. Although I am 38 I do not have much martial arts training, about 1 year, so I hesitate to participate in the digest preferring to observe. I decided to take a martial arts class and one of the main criteria I set in my quest for a place to train was that there be a non-ego environment. I wanted to train hard, and I do, but wanted to avoid a macho aggressive atmosphere. O.K. after several phone calls I found my current instructor who had trained under Tom Cruse and others. I have had the pleasure of training with many wonderful men and women in the last year and through seminars, workshops, camps and competitions have been able to meet some of the teachers who are highly regarded by many, criticized by a few and greatly respected by me. I was pleased when I heard Matt Thornton make a clear distinction between honorable combat and streetfighting. When we go out on the mat or in the arena there are no egos. The Dog Brothers' Gathering has one main rule, that they will be friends at the end of the day. Hey, a chance to make a few friends? Count me in, I'll be there May 1. When I questioned my Capoeira instructor on the functionality of a particular technique she said, "Hey, if it's not fun you might as well get a gun." We work on timing, deception, body mechanics, footwork etc. All for what? For me the pleasure lies in the playfullness of the game. For some it may be self esteem, self defense, self perfection etc. FMA were developed as a matter of life or death. I have not met Remy but I had the pleasure of meeting and training with his brother Ernesto Presas. He commented that I had a nice stick technique and asked where I trained. I told him I had been to a couple Inosanto seminars. He nodded his head and with a big smile said, "ah, Danny." GM Presas spent alot of time working with me and I found him to be a fantastic instructor. He was very easy to be around and seemed quite humble, these are the same words I would use to describe Dan Inosanto. The first time I saw Dan Inosanto was in Canada. Loki introduced him as Master or Guro Inosanto. Dan commented that he prefers to think of himself as a martial arts enthusiast (student). I heard that when he first started training with the Machados Dan Inosanto was out on the mats rolling with and tapping to some of his own students as he learned. I was at a Thai seminar with Ajarn Chai recently, who is big on discipline, and he said that he had recently had Dan doing pushups because he had forgotten to say "TANG" sp? when he threw a knee during a class. This just doesn't sound like a man that one could help but like. At 62 he is out here in the trenches with us learning and developing and I for one have great respect for him and all martial artist who continue to grow. I hope martial arts allow us to learn from and support one another regardless of our differences. Namaste, Paul Hopkins ------------------------------ From: Date: Sat, 3 Apr 1999 06:56:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: eskrima: Easter Bunny Be good, or you might not see the Easter Bunny tomorrow... Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V6 #133 **************************************** To unsubscribe from this digest, eskrima-digest, send the command: unsubscribe eskrima-digest -or- unsubscribe eskrima-digest your.old@address in the BODY of email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com, directory pub/eskrima/digests. All digest files have the suffix '.txt' Copyright 1994-99: Ray Terry, Inayan System of Eskrima, Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.