From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #431 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Thur, 27 Sept 2001 Vol 08 : Num 431 In this issue: eskrima: interview w/GGM Pedoy eskrima: Re: Personal Note on masters-Guro-titles-ranks eskrima: door knockers eskrima: Modern Arnis Seminar in Columbus, Ohio eskrima: Suro, we miss you... eskrima: . ========================================================================== Eskrima-Digest, serving the Internet since June 1994. 1200 members strong! Copyright 1994-2001: Ray Terry and Martial Arts Resource The premier internet discussion forum devoted to Filipino Martial Arts. Provided in memory of Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay (1944-2000). 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 the online search engine for back issues of the Eskrima-Digest at http://MartialArtsResource.com Mabuhay ang eskrima! ---------------------------------------------------------------------- From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 12:28:19 PDT Subject: eskrima: interview w/GGM Pedoy An interview with Derobio's GGM Braulio Pedoy, from 1977. (FAH = Fighting Arts of Hawaii) FAH: Where in the Philippines did you come from? PEDOY: I came from Ormoc, Leyte. FAH: When did you come to Hawaii? PEDOY: I arrived in 1924. My destination was Olaa Plantation on the Big Island. FAH: Why did you come to Hawaii? PEDOY: My friend told me, "We go Hawaii. Hawaii is good -- easy to make money." The temptation was in my mind, a conflict already with what my Master told me on how I should live my life. FAH: So you worked the plantations all your life? PEDOY: No, I spent many years as a fisherman, and during the WWII, I was a security guard for the Army. After that, I worked 11 years for Gaspro. From that time until now, I haven't worked. That is my history from the time I came to Hawaii. But if you go to my history in the Philippines, there is a whole different story to tell. I went from island to island, like my Master told me, to further my studies in Escrima. In every village, there are different movements and counters. Kali has very different movements than Derobio. FAH: How long did you go from island to island? PEDOY: Over three years. FAH: How old were you when you did this? PEDOY: I was 17 years old. I was 20 when I decided to go to Hawaii. FAH: How long had you been training with your Master? PEDOY: Since I was 6 years old until I was 17. And from there I went island to island. First, however, my Master told me to study about the ocean, and of the philosophy of the sea. If you were to climb to the top of a tree and look into the ocean, you would see different shades of blue. The darker the blue, the deeper the water. In the lighter areas it is shallow, rough, and noisy. Many are at this level, close-minded people with conflicting goals in life who tend to use their mouths loosely. We must look towards the deeper water where it is calm and peaceful, where your morals run deep and only pure thoughts come out of your mouth. Thus, you can observe for yourself what is shallow and what is deep. In every one of us the Lord provided seven gateways for us to observe the environment. Each of us has two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, and a mouth. Only the mouth can get us into serious trouble with our fellow man -- thus, one should be very careful in what one says. Give good advice, don't lie, and never gossip, for it might not be true. Then you can get your humbleness from that. FAH: When you came to Hawaii, were you a Master already? PEDOY: Yes, I had developed already. I had been all over the Philippine Islands. FAH: How did you meet your Master? PEDOY: My father was a very mean person. Everyday he gave me lickings. So, at 6 years of age, I ran away. I went along the main trail until I came to a fork in it; one way to the big city, the other to the mountains. If I was to go to town, my father might still yet catch me, so I went the other way. I just walked with no destination. I just walked, walked, and walked. For 4 days, I roamed the forest. Then I saw a small shack where someone had, at one time or another, built a fire. So I sat down and waited, for I thought to myself, someone lives in this place, thank God. Later in the evening, that man came back, and he was very surprised to see me. He asked how I had come to this place, and I pointed to the pass in the mountains I had come through. He said, "I know other people come from the opposite way to this place, but no one can pass through your way -- it's too dangerous." FAH: What was so dangerous about the pass? PEDOY: There were plenty of poisonous snakes that get bigger than men. But at the time, I didn't see any snakes during the day and at night I climbed high into the branches of the trees. My Master told me, "God guided you to me. He wanted you to learn how to defend yourself -- so he brought you to me, for that is the talent I have to give to you." FAH: What was your Master doing in this out-of-the way place? PEDOY: My Master was a wanted man with a large reward offered for him. That's why he hid deep in the forest. He was a general during the revolution against the Spanish. and again later during the Filipino-American War. When the United States won and the Filipinos were required by law to salute the American flag, he would not. To the Filipino flag, he would salute, but to no other country's flag he would show respect. Too many of his men had died fighting for independence in the battlefields. That's why the authorities put him in jail. That man had great powers -- no jail could hold him. The guards were there, yet no one saw him escape. FAH: And he went to the mountains? PEDOY: Yes, he ran away to the forest. He was a man of great powers, powers he received from heaven through his prayers. Snakes wouldn't go near him, animals wouldn't eat the rice he planted. There was plenty of wild boars, deer, and birds. But nothing touched his rice. We wouldn't chase them away either, just leave them alone. And when it was time to harvest, we would thank the Lord for our food. See what power's he had? FAH: So when you were 17, you left your Master? PEDOY: Yes, but before I was to return to civilization, I was told to study the movements of the trees and of the ocean, to observe carefully the motions of the branches in the wind. You must be able to get away from the force of the blow and return to an equal, balanced position. Thus, to be an Escrimador you have to carefully study the land and sea while also searching for those unusual things in nature God has created. After 11 years, I went back to my father's place. FAH: Did your father recognize you after 11 years? PEDOY: Yes, he tried to hit me with a stick. I just took it away. I didn't hit him back. He asked me how I survived all these years. I told him I found a man and we lived together in the forest. I stayed two or three weeks with my father, then I went away. I didn't tell him that I was going from island to island to practice, I just left. He never learned anything of what I had learned. FAH: Didn't you regret leaving your Master after 11 years? PEDOY: My Master told me that this was no place for me to live all of my life. He said I would have to leave after my examination. FAH: What examination? PEDOY: My final test to become Master of the Derobio system of Escrima. Each of us had two sharp bolo knives. We were to fight in actual combat. My Master told me, "If you can kill me, kill me. I in turn will try my best to kill you. If either of us gets wounded badly, the other has to kill him because there is no doctor, we would only suffer. So better defend yourself well, or else." Before the examination, I prayed for days, asking my Lord Jesus Christ, to protect me. The battle was long and tiring; each of us used our best fakes and counters. When it was over, he was unhurt, whereas I suffered cuts on my hands and face. But only the tip of his bolos cut me, not deep enough that I let down my defense. FAH: When was the first time anyone knew you were a Master in Escrima? PEDOY: Oh, I never showed anyone I knew Escrima. But when there was trouble, my neighbors found out I knew how to defend myself. Especially with newly-arrived Filipinos, when there was trouble, out came the knife. When they would use it, I would take it away. That's how they know I know Escrima. But I never taught anybody before, only Eddie (his son). FAH: And that was the first time you taught? PEDOY: Yes, the first person I taught was my son, and only after he had taken Karate. One time, however, some officers of the Honolulu Police Department asked to learn. I showed them how easy it was for me to hit them with my sticks. Soon they stopped coming over. Do you know why I started training Eddie? Because I thought to myself about the Chinese martial art of Kung Fu, about the Japanese with their Judo and Karate, and about the Americans with their boxing. I know the Filipino community in Hawaii has some good Escrimadors, but they never show or share their talent. That's why I began teaching Eddie -- so that we could preserve a valuable part of the Filipino culture and heritage, and to give an opportunity to the younger Filipinos who don't have Escrimadors in their families a chance to learn Escrima, thereby increasing their pride in themselves and their heritage. I then told Eddie to find instructors and to teach them well. Teach them to pray, because that is also an important part of being an Escrimador. And when you get your instructors ready, open a public Filipino Martial Arts School. That is how our school began over five years ago, when we first opened in Waipahu. Today I have nine full instructors under my son, who of course is my chief instructor. ------------------------------ From: "johnaleen" Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 15:13:16 -0400 Subject: eskrima: Re: Personal Note on masters-Guro-titles-ranks Personal Note: on masters-Guro-titles-ranks ( these perceptions apply to me, they may make sense to others as well though, but there not set in stone or am i implying they should be everyone else's ideals.) I have found at times titles can limit you, they draw boundary's, and if not taken with care can close your personal growth pattern. Being a Master in something to me tends to give the impression that you have Mastered something and are the Master of it. again sort of closes the doors for growth. the paper-titles-ranks-belts, have always just been my educated right to go out and learn your trade by applying it. sometimes they are needed because of government legality's and have to be taken off the shelf and shown about. other wise Its just your " License to Learn" though i have said this before, reading the digest reminds me of this and helps me keep it all in perspective for myself... Each of my teachers have been hugely different, many have had the same teachers in common along their paths as i have, and still even though there are traits and similarity's from each of there Mentors-Educators-teachers they are still individuals. some feel the need to show there teachers respect by using the title or rank that applies to them. i tend to call my teachers by what they seem to expect and what others follow suit in, i do this not only as a sign of respect but out of acceptance. the respect part for me comes from the experience i gained by learning under them on a personal level. i dont tend to judge or expect based on what others say or do.. i am there to learn as a new student each time i train with any of my teachers. no matter how long they have been my teacher or how long i have trained or worked on educating myself. for my students, i tend to toss the paper out the door and have given the designation of just me.... Ms. J.. a number of my traditional Japanese hard core instructors have told me that without the master title being used they have had some students take advantage of the personal side of them, again if this is the case mastery is not there anyway. some have said but what if you face disrespect and treated poorly by a student because your not forcing titles on your name. my answer was, i dont have to teach them and can toss them out the door. Respect should be by action and deed more then by word or fraise. and yes i have tossed a few students out the door...... only 2 though one woman and one man, not many there are not that many that have disrespected me in a way that it was necessary to go that far. that's not bad really considering i have been teaching and have been an educator in a verity of fields for over 20 years. the world is a place filled with mixed messages and deeds, i find it much easer to filter out the messages others give and instead sit and look at the actual actions and deeds of the person that i am trying to base my judgment on. instead of what others say, or there perceptions of the person. why is it this way for me? well because i have had some really awesome teachers, and life was a huge one......... Ms. J... bows deeply to you all...... ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 13:32:36 PDT Subject: eskrima: door knockers from the web... Ray ========== Headhunting was practiced for three reasons: revenge, prestige, and the sacrificial power that a head was thought to have had with the gods or anitos. The revenge motive is obvious: where a murder or similarly serious crime occurred, it was impingent? on the pride of the victim's family to form a war party and take a compensatory head from the family of the offender; extended blood feuds were often the result. Prestige hunting was largely a way for young warriors to show their prowess; they often descended on a distant villages in bands, and while some spared the lives of women and children, others showed no such discrimination. The religious motive is more complex, and varied greatly from place to place. The most widespread belief was that taking the head of a stranger would aid a recently deceased relative in the afterlife. Religious rites and feasting usually both preceded and followed a headhunting expedition; the latter were apt to last for several days. The leader of the particular expedition usually received the head or heads, along with the right to wear prestige ornaments: an earring among the Ifugao, a red head-scarf or ornamentation thereof among the Visayans. The head was buried beneath the house until the flesh was gone; the skull was then dug up and used to decorate the house. The Bontok used the jaw as a door knocker. Of course, on the other side the story was different. The family of the victim would hold a war dance and formally vow revenge before burying the headless corpse in a sitting position, spear in hand, near the path from which the invaders were thought to have come. Later, divination rituals would be held to select a warrior to lead a revenge party. Since there was little concentration of power, and weapons were inefficient, the actual carnage and suffering that resulted from headhunting and warfare in the Philippines was naturally quite limited when compared to places like Europe and China. From his experience with the Bontok in 1902, Alfred Jenks reported: "Frequently a battle ends when a single head is taken by either side, the victors calling out: "Now you go home, and we will go home; if you want to fight some other day, all right." In this way battles are ended in an hour or so, and often in half an hour. However, they have battles lasting half a day where ten or a dozen heads are taken. Seven pueblos of the lower Quiangan region [Bontok] went against the scattered groups of dwellings in the Banawi area [Ifugao] of the upper Quiangan region in May, 1902. The invaders had seven guns, but the people of Banawi had more than sixty - a fact the invaders did not know until too late. However, they did not retire until they lost one hundred and fifty heads. They annihilated one of the groups of the enemy getting about fifty heads, and burned their dwellings. This is by far the fiercest Igorot batttle of which there is memory, and its ferocity was largely due to firearms." The headaxe has been replaced by the bolo in general use since the former was outlawed by the Americans in the early 20th century. However many people still prefer to use their headaxes as tools. ------------------------------ From: BillyJa695@aol.com Date: Wed, 26 Sep 2001 17:23:18 EDT Subject: eskrima: Modern Arnis Seminar in Columbus, Ohio Folks, On behalf of Guro Dan McConnell, I would like to announce that there will be a Modern Arnis seminar in the Hilliard Budo Center (Columbus, Ohio) on Saturday, November 10, 2001. The seminar will be from 12pm to 4pm. Topics to be covered will be single stick concepts, knife concepts, tapi tapi, and groundfighting. Cost will be $50 in advance and $60 at the door. More information about this seminar will be forthcoming. You can reach Guro McConnell at mccfamily@plexis.net or me at BillyJa695@aol.com to get more information or to get flyers for the seminar. Thanks. Brian Johns Columbus, Ohio ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 01:04:03 PDT Subject: eskrima: Suro, we miss you... One year ago today (Sept 27) at ~7:40 PM we lost Suro Mike Inay. I still find it difficult to accept that he is gone, my instructor and my friend. He left us so very suddenly, it was such a huge shock. Suro, we miss you. Ray Terry raymail@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Thu, 27 Sep 2001 7:27:43 PDT Subject: eskrima: . ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #431 **************************************** To unsubscribe from the eskrima-digest send the command: unsubscribe eskrima-digest -or- unsubscribe eskrima-digest your.old@address in the BODY (top line, left justified) of a "plain text" e-mail addressed to majordomo@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com. Old digest issues are available via ftp://ftp.martialartsresource.com. 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