From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V7 #493 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Sat, 21 Oct 2000 Vol 07 : Num 493 In this issue: eskrima: le canne eskrima: Critique of current FMA eskrima: . ========================================================================== Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. 1100 members strong! Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource An open FMA discussion forum provided in memory of Suro Mike Inay, Founder of the Inayan System of Eskrima. Replying to this message will NOT unsubscribe you. To unsubscribe, send "unsubscribe eskrima-digest" (no quotes) in the body (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail 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 five years worth of digest issues at http://www.MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ray Terry Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 7:29:49 PDT Subject: eskrima: le canne Forwarding... Ray - ------------------------------------------------------------------- Hello, I foward a message from fr.rec.sport.divers about a Canne de combat camp in Paris for beginners. Paris is, after Bordeaux, one of the two biggest places in France to learn the noble ancient art of the Canne de Combat. Be ready to cross the Channel to learn the art of fencing with sticks which was already practised in France, England few centuries ago. I've translated here the short message of monsieur Pasquier. If you want some informations, contact Christophe PASQUIER. Jacques Week end 28 and 29 october in Paris. Canne de combat camp for beginners. Saturday 1 PM - 6 PM Sunday 9 AM - 6 PM Gymnase Paul VALERY 15, rue de la Nouvelle Calédonie 75012 PARIS Cost : about 250 francs (more or less 25 £). Informations : contact pasquier.christophe@free.fr ------------------------------ From: Sidney525@aol.com Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 15:31:03 EDT Subject: eskrima: Critique of current FMA I saw this on Pekiti-Tirsia digest and I thought it was important and relevant, so I am passing it on. Sid FKEAC Thu, 5 Oct 2000 20:28:17 -0700 (PDT) From: Leo Salinel Subject: PTK: Why FMA/Kali must be pure and original The surge in popularity of the FMA in western circles has brought revitalized interest in it among Filipino circles, who sad to say, wouldn't pay attention to the elements of their heritage on their own unless a westerner would come forward and praise it himself. Kudos are in order to those who do their own searching and stay on the path of pursuit and learning despite the odds. However, the surfeit or proliferation of FMA wannabes and instant instructors, as well as the rise of some masters or instructors who are sad to say, out for a fast buck, has also compromised the quality of the Kali/arnis that Americans and other foreigners are exposed to. And recently, also Filipinos. Some arnis styles have diluted their martial art techniques with movements, stances, and other elements that derogate from their Filipino-ness, from their original, intrinsic effectivity that had been proven time and again both in war as well as in personal duels and also in street encounters both in past history and in recent times. Some arnis styles make use of static stances that make even the uninformed observer conclude that arnis/Kali is just "karate with sticks". Aside from static stances, there are blocks and strikes that obviously show karate and jujitsu influences that were artificially grafted (not naturally, over the evolutionary processes of time and history) by these newcomer masters who unfortunately, rode on the upsurge of interest in FMA in the early 80s and late 70s. These would-be masters have the audacity to proclaim themselves as having saved Kali from extinction in its own homeland. But in the process of modifying arnis/Kali, they have painted a very big misimpression or mistaken notion of Kali and FMA in the western eye. Unfortunately, even Filipinos have also been misled by the watered-down teachings and improper modifications made by these persons. Myself included. There was a time when I thought arnis or kali was "baduy"--a Filipino term for crass or ridiculous, or not worth it. Who would care for an art that was said to proclaim one's heritage when it made use of ridiculous stances and movements that were patently karate or jujitsu moves? Who would be impressed with a martial art that always grafted itself into karate schools and styles in order to promote itself? That assumed that in order to make FMA glossy and acceptable to impressionable, upwardly mobile young Filipinos was to feature in its demo photographs scruffy Americans who were obviously weekend mall dojo martial artists? Then I read PG Ed Sulite's and Dan Inosanto's books on the FMA. I was impressed and was hooked from then on. FMA must be taught pure and original, the way it has always been done for the ff. reasons: 1. It does injustice to my ancestors who fought hard to preserve Kali despite persecution from the Spaniards and despite the influences of Hollywood and the increased demands of modern living. 2. It paints a wrong idea in western minds that Kali/arnis doesn't have an indigenous, intrinsic base of techniques that possess their own unique visual and technical character....that when one sees a Kali move/technique, he would no longer say "OK, so what else?" but rather "Wow! That's a cool move and it looks damn real effective! What fighting style is that?" 3. It misleads young Filipinos into thinking that there is nothing to be proud of in their own heritage, especially in light of the never-ending reverses my country has had since colonization. With all these things happening to the Philippines, can't we at least in one field have something to be proud of that we can use by ourselves in daily application? 4. People both here and abroad are deprived of realistic, practical techniques of self-preservation when they are taught Kali moves that are more chopsocky than genuine. They are being cheated of their tuition when they sign up for martial arts instruction that only teaches them watered-down Kali/arnis moves that look more like karate and jujitsu. This is not to say that karate and jujitsu won't work; they also work and are impressive in their own right. But to pass off as Kali/arnis moves that are more properly karate or jujitsu is to cheat people who have made the shift from these arts into the FMA. They miss out on techniques that could very well save their lives and limbs; hence they are fooled. Lately however, several authentic FMA styles have made impressive strides in popular consciousness, especially in the Philippines itself. Thanks to the pioneering efforts of the manongs of Stockton, California and of masters like Grand Tuhon Gaje, Dan Inosanto, and several others, FMA has won its place in the awareness and respect of today's generation of aimless, searching Filipinos. ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2000 13:47:07 PDT Subject: eskrima: . ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V7 #493 **************************************** To unsubscribe from the eskrima-digest send the command: unsubscribe eskrima-digest -or- unsubscribe eskrima-digest your.old@address in the BODY of an email (top line, left justified) addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. Copyright 1994-2000: Ray Terry and the Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply.