ARNIS

The History of Arnis dates back before the colonization of the Spaniards, during those periods it was called Kali and the techniques of the art is focused on bladed weapons fighting. Kali was widely practiced throughout the archipelago; both nobleman and commoners were enthusiast and practitioners of the said art. Also during those days Kali is being taught in a school like training grounds, which was called Bothoan along with military tactics, Alibata (Native Alphabet), and herbal medicines. On the dawn of April 27, 1521 the Portuguese navigator and warrior named Ferdinand Magellan was defeated by a native warrior chief named Lapu-lapu this was the recorded incident which Kali was used against foreign invaders. Forty years after that event, on April of 1564 another warrior navigator from Spain named Miguel De Legaspi landed in Abuyog Leyte Philippines. He was aware of the unfortunate fate of Magellan so took a non-hostile approach to avoid battle with the native. He befriend the warrior chief Malitik, it is at this point he witnessed the deadly fighting skills of the natives through a demo to entertain them. Afterwards he traveled to the nearby island of Sugbo and met another warrior chief named Tupas, he took a non-hostile approach to again avoid confrontation. For the second time he witnessed the formidable fighting techniques of the natives through a demo. Years have passed by Spain was able to colonize the Archipelago thru the use of religion and what was then regarded as modern weapons such as Muskets and cannons. The Spaniards claimed the Archipelago and named it Philippines in honor of the King Philip of Spain. This was the start of the dark age of Kali, in the year 1764 the Spanish overlords banned the practice of Kali to the natives. Using the alibi that the natives were wasting time practicing it instead of tilling the fields. However the natives knew too well that their colonizers were just afraid that such skills would be used in a revolution against them because due to oppression the revolutionaries were gaining support from the natives. The natives, hidden from the watchful eyes of their colonizers, practiced Kali secretly. Due to some cultural influence of the Spaniards the term Escrima, Estoque, Fraile, and Kaliradman were used to regard the native fighting system. It was also during these period when the natives were able to develop the stick fighting techniques of the art, which was proven to be as versatile as the bladed weapons technique. Even the Moro-Moro stage play to entertain the colonizers was utilized as an excuse to practice the fighting system. In 1873 the fighting system was renamed Arnis derived from the word Arnes which means colorful trapping on defensive armors used on the Moro-Moro plays. Some of the heroes of the Philippine revolution were also practitioners of Arnis namely Andres Bonifacio, the spouses Diego and Gabriela Silang, and the

young General Gregorio Del Pilar. The National Hero Jose Rizal was also reported to practice the fighting system. As well as the founder of Aglipayan Church Rev. Gregorio Aglipay was also recorded as a practitioner of the art. After hundreds of years with Spanish colonization the Japanese invaders took their place to invade the Philippines during the World War II, again experts of the native fighting arts were called upon to fight for the countrys freedom. Kali, Escrima or Arnis whichever term the individual prefer to use was once again employed on the battlefield. Its efficiency was put to a test again but this time against the Japanese invaders. The Filipinos fought side by side with the Americans. Natives with skills in the fighting art signed up to be freedom fighters known as Guerillas. It is also these Guerillas who were usually front liners during the encounter and they were usually sent on a commando mission for reconnaissance against the Japanese. After the war ended and peace took its path in 1975 then Major Favian Ver also noted enthusiast and practitioners of Arnis formed the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL) with the objective to unite all Arnis group in the Philippines, but unfortunately according to records the Generals effort was futile, some claimed that the association that the General led tends to favor only one group and ignored the request for recognition of the majority of the existing Arnis clubs. After the Historical EDSA revolution General Favian Ver was exiled and NARAPHIL as a dominant Arnis grouped ceased, eventually another brotherhood of Arnis was formed by a group of great Masters on Arnis. July of 1986 Arnis Philippines (ARPHI) was established with the same objective as NARAPHIL, at present time the government sanctioned groups NARAPHIL and ARPHI exist together with a non-governmental organization PIGSAI, these organizations share a common goal which is to promote, preserve, propagate, and regain the popularity of Arnis throughout the country because economically even though the Filipino Martial Arts be it Arnis, Escrima, or Kali earned its popularity in the different parts of the world. It is less popular in the Philippines. Its birthplace, probably due to strong colonial mentality influence or just plain negligence of the Filipinos to their Cultural Heritage, but these noble groups are striving to ensure that the next generations of Filipinos will be able to claim their cultural heritage and once again have these Filipino Martial Arts as the national system of fighting art.