Kali Owes No Ancestry to Any Fighting Arts
By Fred Lazo

It was mentioned in an article entitled “ Classical Eskrima” that ancient kali declined and relegated to simple folklore in Spanish-dominated region and newly educated Filipinos from Luzon and Visayan Islands brought back to the Philippine Islands various techniques of European fencing forms and integrated it with their kali forms that resulted in the newly evolved single-stick, double-stick and sword and dagger.” By the statement alone, it can be concluded with reason that the statement is obviously deceiving and far from being true.

If kali was relegated to simple folklore, it means that it had banished and turned to just a mere legend and no longer being practiced. How was it possible for an occidental fencing form to be integrated to a Filipino kali form that no longer existed in the minds of Filipinos? The trick of the writer is simple. He made it appear that there was integration, when in fact there was none. If kali had turned into a mere folklore then there was no integration but replacement. Here we can see the distorted line of thought of the article. For the readers, this claim of the author can possibly be interpreted as really integration carried by the leading tricky thought of the author when in fact it is not because it is clear otherwise.

If kali had turned into a simple folklore, why is it still in existence today and stronger than ever?  This is an outright lie and a trick to turn the Filipino martial arts into a Caucasian art. Not all Caucasians will embrace this claim especially the smart ones. Let us take a true example of an art that had turned to a mere folklore to clarify things that the article is trying to turn into a truth when in reality is not. The great fighting arts of the Roman gladiators had been relegated as mere folklore. The fighting arts that they had developed and used in countless death matches to entertain the emperors of Rome and the Roman people are now extinct and nobody knows anymore about those fighting arts.

If an integration of European fencing with this now unknown gladiator art is to be done, is it possible? Of course, it is impossible! They cannot integrate European fencing with a gladiator’s art that no longer exists in the minds of people that are presently living.  Of course, it is impossible. This is the same scenario that the article is trying to point out which is a contradiction to what the author claims to have happened. If there will be an integration of the European fencing with the Roman gladiators art, European fencing will stand alone. So, if we accept the Filipino martial arts that it had turned into a mere folklore, European fencing will stand alone and there will be no more Filipino martial arts but a Caucasian martial art.

Comparing kali and European fencing also indicates two totally different arts if there is a deeper understanding and in-depth practice of the Filipino arts.  In the single stick, there is trapping, take down, disarming, twelve angles of attack and flowing technique which is not present in the European fencing. In the double stick, there is checking, disarming, sophisticated footwork, body relationship and flowing which are not found in European fencing. In the sword and dagger fighting art, the European fencing used “X” block for defense.The Filipinos on the other hand used checking which is entirely different from the “X” block.  This analysis proves that what the article is trying to portray is entirely wrong and what is only seen is the shallow part of kali or arnis that looks similar to the European fencing.

Many educated Filipinos were already fencers even before they went to Europe. Jose Rizal, the famous Filipino hero learned it from the Ateneo College, a popular Jesuit school.

Antonio Luna and Juan Luna and other Filipinos like Apacible and Llorente were already fencers too before they went to Europe. If these educated Filipinos already knew fencing before heading to Europe and had not made any effort to integrate fencing with their local arts what influence did fencing have on thousands and thousands of kali practitioners. How can a few educated Filipinos who did not have the interest to influence kali could have integrated fencing with their local fighting arts. What did they bring back from Europe then? The reason why Filipinos tried to learn fencing is due to racial prejudice that made them get treated as inferior race. The insults that they received while in Spain were unbearable.

The Spaniards were not kind enough to tell them that they were horrible looking like the Igorots, Chinese and the utterance of the degradable prejudice name Indio. The Filipinos wanted to prove that they can be better than the Spaniards even in their own fencing. Beating the Spaniards in their own game and excelling them in academics will show that they were more intelligent and that move was the only way to nullify racial prejudice. That move of the Filipinos worked and the answer of the Spaniards was denying educations to Filipinos, persecution, tyranny and execution as had been done to our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal.

Filipinos that pursued education went to France and other nations that were more advance in education than Spain. Spain was fifteen years behind the French in education and Filipinos who studied in countries ahead of Spain were not appreciated because they cannot keep them in the dark regarding their rights. Filipinos struggled to be treated humanly and with dignity. This was the aspiration of many Filipinos, to be called “Ilustrados” which meant enlightened. This attitude of Filipinos extended even to the present time. Parents will sacrifice to send their kids to college to give them better future. The statement that says Filipinos lack general literacy is a statement made out of ignorance.

A census was made one time about educated Filipinos and compared with the USA. The United States had more educated people compared to the Philippines but when they compared the rate of educated people compared to the total population, the Philippines was higher. Yet, there is no educational assistance in the Philippines like here in the United States. Educated Americans also included immigrants that were not educated in the U.S.A.. The University of Santo Tomas, the oldest university in the Philippines is even older than the prestigious Harvard University in the United States which I do not believe is known widely in America. If Filipinos lack general literacy, why do most Filipinos speak English that is taught only in school of literacy?

 Another reason why Filipinos tried to learn fencing is due to the propaganda movement which is a peaceful campaign for reforms done by speeches and writings. Adverse effects of speeches and writings sometimes ended in challenges. Members of the “Indios Bravos” answered this as had been done by Antonio Luna and Dr. Jose Rizal. When Spaniards called them all kinds of names regarding their writings they challenged the Spaniards to a duel. A Spaniard named Celso Mir Deas insulted Antonio Luna, so he challenged the Spaniard to a duel. The former went into hiding.
  The aims of the propaganda movement were the following;

1. Equality of Filipinos and Spaniards under the law.
2. Assimilation of the Philippines as a regular province of Spain.
3. Restoration of Philippine representation in the Spanish Cortes (Spanish Court.)
4. Filipinization or secularization of the Philippine parishes.
5. Individual liberties for Filipinos, such as freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom to meet and petition for redress of grievances.

Members of the propaganda movement were writers such as Marcelo H. del Pilar, orators such as Graciano Lopez Jaena, well-schooled in academics and self-defense  like Dr. Jose Rizal, Antonio Luna, Juan Luna, and others. All were “ilustrados” to show that they were not inferior race. Here you can see that the Filipinos learned fencing only as status symbol. Only Antonio Luna ended teaching for a short period to a circle of friends and none of his students ended up teaching.

All kept fencing only for themselves relative to the aims of the propaganda movements. If fencing was not taught to others, how was this possible for a small portion of Filipino fencers to influence millions of kali practitioners and made them integrate fencing in their art of kali? It is ridiculous and an insult to the sacred standing of kali especially to those who gave their lives to develop and perpetuate it.

It is sad for a Filipino that he woke up one day and his beloved art had turned into another art and he turned up a copycat.  The Filipinos resorted to all kinds of gimmicks to call the attention of authorities to achieve their aims in the propaganda movement. Antonio Luna engaged even a fencing master into a public exhibition but all the referees were aides of Governor-General Ramon Blanco. The Spaniards did not want a stereotyped inferior race to be better than a Spaniard so they gave him a draw, although Antonio Luna showed a better performance.

The claim that the Spanish method of maneuvering the rapier and dagger, which led to the evolution of eskrima, and said to be the art employed in 1898 in the revolution against Spain by the members of the Katipunan is a lie. No history book in the entire Philippine National Library mentioned anything about that. This is a fabrication of the written article that gives credit to western fencing instead of Filipino martial arts which is an insult to the Filipinos who gave their lives to the  cause of the revolution using their martial arts, as well as an attempt to turn the Filipino martial arts into Caucasian martial arts. Many have voiced their dismay about this cheap shot to steal the goodwill of kali that was built by sacrificing life and blood into its development.  

Many members of the Katipunan society were peasants who never had the blessing to learn fencing. These peasants were not well-to-do to be able to go to the College of Ateneo to learn fencing as a physical education. What was used in the revolution was kali, baptized as arnis or eskrima by missionaries who used it in stage play to attract people to listen to their boring sermons about indoctrination into Christianity.

The claim of the article that Bolognese fencer Archille Marozzo laid the foundation of Philippine-fencing form is another lie. If the Italians conquered the Philippines and widely introduced fencing, there could have been a possibility. But the Italians did not set foot in the Philippines. How did an Italian fencing lay the foundation of Philippine-fencing form? Among the educated Filipinos, none so far went to Italy to study fencing.

The national hero Dr. Jose Rizal went to Spain, France and Germany but no account about him being in Italy. Antonio Luna was in Spain, France, Belgium and Germany but none was mentioned about him being in Italy studying fencing. Juan Luna was in Spain and France and stayed in prison in France and when released went back to the Philippines. If no educated Filipinos went to Italy, how did Archille Marozzo fencing laid the foundation of Philippine fencing form? It is easier then to accept this as a lie. No Philippine history book supported this fabricated claim. In the northern Philippines, kali or arnis was also known as “estoque” as was called by Spaniards that ran the provincial government. However, “estoque” was just a loan word.

I myself was born in Northern Philippines and was introduced to northern arnis. Yet, the “kabaroan” Ilocano style of arnis does not show fencing qualities like lunging. It is more of an evasive art and not force to force art. Again this is a careless claim made only to serve the purpose of the article. I never knew what fencing was till I saw it in the movies. Neither were the Morozzo angle of attacks called, mandritti, rovers, tondo, montante, fendente and squalambrato copied by Filipinos.

The Filipino 12 angles of attack are expressed in numbers as well as the targeted area and also called by names like, buhat araw, tabas talahib, saboy, salungat or aldabis, etc,etc. Marozzo had only six angles while the Filipino martial art has 12 which are six angles better than Marozzo. If we copied the six angles from Marozzo, where did we copy the remaining six angles? Does this not probe that the claim is false? The claim that the numbered angles of attack and wearing of uniform was a transplanted and assimilated Spanish culture was another ridiculous claim. First of all, the Arabic numeral is not a Spanish culture. It is an Eastern culture.

The Arabic numeral was a transplanted and assimilated Arabic culture embraced by Spain during the 850 years of Arab domination that deteriorated the old Spanish culture except the race. The numbering system in Southeast Asian martial arts had been in existence since 1000 years B.C. The Indian stick fighting of lathee and farigadka had been in existence since 1000 years before Christ. How can the numbering system of the Filipinos happen to be copied from the Spaniards when the Spaniards don’t even have one for themselves. Spaniards do not have numbering system.

Only the French have numbering system in fencing. They only revived fencing in the late 1800 because they were isolated from Europe by the 850 years domination of Spain by the Arabs or Umayyad Caliphates. It has been said that everything in Spain deteriorated during this time except the race. The numbering system of the Filipinos was a local creation and probably just as old as lathee and farigadka if not older.

The word kali was in the Austronesean language that was once spoken in the Philippines about 5000 to 3500 years before Christ. Kali, in the Austronesean and Polynesian language means “stick.” If there was an influence on kali, only Southeast Asian countries that were tributaries of the three major empires (Shri-Vishaya, Madjapahit and Malaccan) could have made it possible. Close relation of Southeast Asian countries during the height of the Majapahit Empire was evident by the yearly invitation to the festival court by Emperor Hayam Wuruk where martial arts presentation was made for spectators’ entertainment.

The Philippines was one of the tributary countries of the Majapahit Empire. India could be a possible influence because Filipino royal families were accepted to study in the Nalanda University. The 11 angles of attack in their “lathee and farigadka” stick fighting shows closeness in nature with kali, just one angle less than the Filipinos. They have 32 target areas in their knife fighting however.      

There is no kali or arnis category called classical eskrima. None whatsoever! This was a fabrication of the creator of the article. There are only two categories of kali or arnis in the Philippines. These two are the old kali and new type of arnis. Classical means “old” in the Philippines, like old cars. There is no recognized arnis category called classical eskrima in the Philippines. This was purposely created to establish a lie that there is an integration of European fencing with Filipino fighting arts. Classical arnis was first mentioned by GM Ernesto Presas in his first published book and he clearly meant “old arnis.” The article claimed that through repression and rebellion, the ancient kali was altered. Kali was not altered by repression and rebellion.

In repression, kali can only be slowed down in practice in the Spanish area of control which was 15 kilometers away from the shore but they can still practice in discreet places. Beyond the 15 kilometers, Filipinos were free to practice their kali since Spaniards did live beyond this boundary for fear that they may end up getting killed. If Filipinos can practice kali freely beyond the 15 kilometers area of Spanish control, how can kali be turned to a mere folklore?  Neither can rebellion alter kali because it is passed on though family blood line even if the rebel family member was killed in the rebellion using kali, or by execution. Kali remained as is. When the Spaniards tried to suppress the practice of kali, the stubborn culture of the Filipinos only encourage its secret practice. Repression only built a boiling desire to practice kali free.

The success of the revolution against Spain that led to the proclamation of the first Philippine Republic in Kawit, Cavite proved the raging desire of the Filipinos to be free that exploded like a Volcano.  Again the statement is contradictory. If there was a suppression of the practice of kali why will they be allowed to practice it to alter it? Does that statement carry any sense or truth to it?
These ridiculous claims however caused a stain in the integrity of the elite magazine that published it. Most of the people who involved themselves in this magazine are people with PhDs.. Yet, what was written did not meet PhD. Standard.    

One question that the article did not even consider is the reason why an educated and well-to-do Filipino have to endeavor and try to integrate European fencing with kali and waste time to make the thing spread out. During those times many desperate and poverty-stricken Filipinos as a result of excessive payment of tributes to the Spaniards resorted to highway robbery. Head hunters were also present and had always been dangerously active during mating season seeking heads for a dowry in wedding rituals. Relentless Moro raiding was also prevalent to destroy Spanish interest in the Philippines With all these dangers, a rich and educated Filipino will not expose himself to unnecessary danger when he can stay at home safe and sound. The article did not have the sense to consider these dangers that can take the life of an educated Filipino for a purpose that has no value relative to his own culture.       

The truth is, the Philippine martial art is a local development created by Filipino ingenuity that owes no ancestry to any other arts. It is like the Ancient Filipino Alphabet that was locally developed. The Filipino martial art is one of the proud cultures of the Filipinos. However, what made the art as one of the proud culture of the Filipinos was due to the bravery of the Filipinos to develop it in field of battles. During the time of slavery, Filipinos used to go to war every three months to plunder hostile kingdoms and their rewards was to take the slaves that was supporting the kingdom as well as its riches.

Back then there were so much land and not much manpower. The more slaves a kingdom had, the stronger the kingdom was. Weaker kingdoms usually joined stronger kingdoms to be free from being plundered. If a warrior survived a war of plunder he had three months again to practice to be ready for the next monsoon wind that signaled the time to make a plunder expedition. He received a tattoo for every successful return from war. When he had tattoo all the way to his face, enemies usually just surrendered knowing that they don’t have a chance.

The goodwill of kali or arnis gained through the sacrifice of life and blood makes people envy it. This is what makes people try to subjugate it without paying the price of life and blood that the Filipinos gave to place kali or arnis to where it is now. Is this fair however? The great Caucasian cultural teaching says, “Give to Ceasar what is Ceasar and to God what is God.” What a great teaching!! This great teaching is not always followed however when selfish motive dominates the heart of some people.