From: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com To: eskrima-digest@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Subject: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #506 Reply-To: eskrima@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Errors-To: eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com Precedence: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest Wed, 28 Nov 2001 Vol 08 : Num 506 In this issue: eskrima: Balintawak Practitioners eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #505 eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #504 eskrima: Luzon 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). http://InayanEskrima.com 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: ginom@info.com.ph Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 16:19:02 +0800 Subject: eskrima: Balintawak Practitioners To Balintawak practitioners, there's an interesting website on Balintawak arnis at http:\\balintawak.s5.com. Check it out. Cheers! Sticks ------------------------------ From: Bladewerkrr@aol.com Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 06:40:57 EST Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #505 In a message dated 11/26/01 9:40:10 PM Pacific Standard Time, eskrima-digest-owner@hpwsrt.cup.hp.com writes: << In earlier versions, it put brackets around it. The one I sent that didn't work did not put brackets around it, but rather I had a blue line beside the copied part. >> Well, I see that AOHell 7.0 isn't much of an improvement over 6.0! After causing problems for everyone I send things to, (sorry Ray) and spending, make that wasting, a great deal of time waiting/talking to AOL, I simply went back to version 5.0. I am not sure what bells and whistles I have missed out on, but as I never had them I don't miss them. I was listening to G. Gordon Liddy the other day and it seems he did the same thing, so apparently even if you can afford big bucks consulting, onsite, you are pretty well stuck with AOL's performance. Bear ------------------------------ From: "hudginsg" Date: Mon, 26 Nov 2001 10:59:09 -0600 Subject: eskrima: Re: Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #504 > eskrima: Why not arnis? > From: Brad Hodges > Date: Fri, 23 Nov 2001 13:38:23 -0800 > Subject: eskrima: Why not arnis? > > >Why not arnis I asked? "Walang > >interesado" they responded. "No interest." So, why isn't arnis better > >promoted or more popular in its own home? > > My understanding from when I was there to train was that due to a > "colonial mentality" there is a bias against the indigenous arts. This > bias reportedly is in favor of anything foreign as being better. Other > than those I met through training the filipinos I met invariably > wondered why I would come to study Kali, when there are good Tae Kwon Do > schools. I was amazed by what treasures were being missed. My 2 pesos. > Brad My unrequested 2 cents: Why don't you see the FMA arts pushed more and more popular. Whether in their country of origin or here in the US. There is a lot of perception that interfere with the growth of the FMA's. The FMA are individual arts. By this I mean although practiced with a partner, there is no "regimental beauty" to them. (Please excuse the following, I have never had extensive or formal classes in FMA so if your school is different, please forgive me.) The Tae Kwon Do/karate dojo You enter the dojang. You hear the instructor bark out a command and 20-30-50 students in neat straight rows instantly respond in harmonious response. Even the 6, 7 and 8 year olds are in sync with adults in punches, kicks, etc. Joe Parent is impressed at how disciplined the students are and how six year old Johnny would benefit from this class. It would be impressive to have Johnny progress to black belt by 8 and work on his second degree black belt by 10. Janey parent looks and sees all the other mothers sitting watching the class reading, knitting and chit chatting. The class room (dojang) is clean with all these positive inspirational posters hanging around. The instructor is spouting out inspiration sayings and encouraging the youth and adults about the wonders of discipline, hard work and how well the kids are doing in school and to study hard. The image that produces discipline ( whether real or accurate or not real) is presented in every news article around. The parents/ adult sees what it does for our youth and automatically wants his child or wants for him self to be a part of this cohesive group. The instructor tells the audience how safe Tae Kwon Do is for the children and adults to study and how it has helped so many students. The parent adult walks into a FMA class. In many classes there is no uniform. (I know there are many that have adopted the gi) The students look like so many ants scurrining here and there. Even when they are doing the same exercise or technique, it looks like a "disorganized mess" because the group does not work as one. Each movement is not frozen before the second movement is made. The untrained eye does not follow the flow of the stick and can not really tell what is happening, even when they have seen the same move three or four times. They do not understand the significance of the technique as it is being done. As the flow drills start, the students aren't standing in line but move about. Each pair doing the same technique, but it is not in unison with the other pairs. They are going at their own speed. "Just no discipline or choreography in that, " Joe Parent thinks to himself. The instructor is not talking about the virtues of the art, discipline, health, improvement in school work, etc. This instructor works with "knives" "swords" and other instruments of destruction. Joe Parent thinks to himself. "Gee! I won't let Johnny run around the house with a stick or even let him handle anything sharper than a butter knife. If I let him come here, he might start playing with those things at home." He also thinks, "Even I might get hurt if I took this martial art. If Johnny accidently or purposely kicks a playmate nothing serious will happen at his age but if he picks up a knife?" " Right about that time, Joe Parent hears. " Ow!, a student drops his stick and clutches his hand. The instructor comes over and tells the student, "Shake it out and put ice on it when you get home. I don't think it is broken". Joe Parent looks around. He does not see the mothers waiting on their children. He looks at the students. Some of these guys look rough. (Maybe its because there is no uniform or because they don't wear the bleached white uniform, but the initial impression is just not the same that he got at the tae kwon do/karate school. "I want to be proud of my son/daughter in his white uniform marching/kicking/punching in unison with the other 50 students. " I can tell that he improves when he can keep up with the other students in time, " thinks Joe Parent. Joe parent watches some more. His impression is that using a stick to defend your self is cheating. (Hey remember before Billy Jack (for some of you oldies out there) everybody thought that kicking somebody was dirty fighting) And he certainly doesn't want some one to think his son (or himself) is a hood from west side story (or a terriost) because he plays with knifes or swords. I image even in the Philippines that the knife culture is not thought of highly by the upper elite. Joe Parent/Adult leaves the school thinking, "Well I have made my choice. While I might join this group, I don't want my son doing this. I want a group where my son and I can do this together. I don't want him (or myself) to associate with this group. What am I going to tell my friends. They know what Tae Kwon Do is and Karate is, they will think I am nuts if I tell them I take Arnis/escrima. Or I will have to explain what it is or that it is not the blood thirsty art they think it is. The preception is: Karate/Tae Kwon Do --"good" FMA -- "bad" just some thoughts. GH ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 21:16:09 PST Subject: eskrima: Luzon Luzon, where Metro Manila is situated, is the largest island. Because of its solid mass and the availability of roads and infrastructure, Metro Manila's environs and the many provinces a few hours' drive away are perfect weekend getaways. An overland tour is the most insightful way of getting to know Luzon. North of Manila lies the mountain haven of Baguio, its crisp, cool air redolent with the scent of pines and flowers. Near this summer capital are the strawberry fields and vegetable farms of Bontoc and the Trinidad Valley, and the splendor of the Banaue Rice Terraces, dubbed the eighth wonder of the world. Lining the northern coasts are the provinces of La Union, its winding beaches lined with tiny resorts and fishing villages, Pangasinan, with its wondrous Hundred Islands, and sleepy, rustic Ilocos. The Old World unfolds dreamily in Vigan, a town of Baroque churches, horse-drawn carriages and Antillan houses. Surrounding Metro Manila are provinces of specific interest such as Pampanga, the culinary capital of Luzon; Bulacan, known for its colorful fiestas and home-made sweets; and the artists' towns of Rizal. Moving down south from Manila, the coastal road winds through the historic towns and hundred and one resorts of Cavite. Across the Bay looms the island fortress of Corregidor, a tribute to the last bastion of freedom in the Pacific during World War II. Further south, the breathtaking length of Tagaytay Ridge affords a view of the world's smallest active volcano, TaaI-a volcano within a lake within another volcano. In the towns of Laguna, artists' communities embrace tradition and religiosity under the shadow of the mystic Sierra Madre ranges. Waterfalls, hot healing springs and a general abundance of water resources characterize these fertile plains which circle Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. Ragged southern coasts make Batangas province a diver's paradise. Sheltered coves and coral islets harbor divesites with stunning underwater vistas. Due west are the coconut plantations of Quezon, where folk festivals are enacted with ritualistic pageantry. Extending southeast along this land of plenty is Albay and its Mayon Volcano, magnificent with its near-perfect cone. On the other side of Luzon, an island extends across the South China Sea towards the Philippine Deep-Palawan, the last frontier. Explore the subterranean caverns of St. Paul's Underground River, dive the depths of Tubbataha Marine Reserve or go on an African safari on the island sanctuary of Calauit. West of Palawan in the South China Sea is a cluster of 53 tiny coral islands, islets, reefs, shoals and cays known as the Spratleys. Scattered over an area of about 61,876 square miles, these islands are said to be rich in oil and other mineral deposits, and are being claimed by Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Brunei and the Philippines. The Philippines occupies eight islands -- Pag-asa, Kota, Panata, Parola, Patag, Lawak and Rizal-known collectively as the Kalayaan Group. ------------------------------ From: Ray Terry Date: Tue, 27 Nov 2001 21:17:06 PST Subject: eskrima: . ------------------------------ End of Inayan_Eskrima/FMA-Digest V8 #506 **************************************** 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. Copyright 1994-2001: Ray Terry and the Martial Arts Resource Standard disclaimers apply. Remember 9-11!