PHYSICAL

EDUCATION
ASSIGNMENT

PREPARED BY:
CHRISTIAN DELA PENA
BSA- 1A
 Arnis

Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima, is the national sport and martial art of the Philippines. The three are
roughly interchangeable umbrella terms for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines ("Filipino
Martial Arts", or FMA) that emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and
various improvised weapons as well as "open hand" or techniques without weapons. It is also known as
Estoque (Spanish for rapier), Estocada (Spanish for thrust or stab) and Garrote (Spanish for club). In
Luzon it may go by the name of Arnis de Mano.

The indigenous martial art that the Spanish encountered in 1610 was not yet called "Eskrima" at that time.
During those times, this martial art was known as Paccalicali-t to the Ibanags, Didya (later changed to
Kabaroan) to the Ilokanos, Sitbatan or Kalirongan to Pangasinenses, Sinawali ("to weave") to the
Kapampangans, Calis or Pananandata ("use of weapons") to the Tagalogs, Pagaradman to the Ilonggos
and Kaliradman to the Cebuanos. Kuntaw and Silat are separate martial arts that are also practiced in the
Philippine Archipelago.

Arnis also includes hand-to-hand combat, joint locks, grappling and weapon disarming techniques.
Although in general, emphasis is put on weapons for these arts, some systems put empty hands as the
primary focus and some old school systems do not teach weapons at all.

Arnis comes from arnés, Old Spanish for "armor" (harness is an archaic English term for armor, which
comes from the same roots as the Spanish term). It is said to derive from the armor costumes used in
Moro-moro stage plays where actors fought mock battles using wooden swords. Arnes is also an archaic
Spanish term for weapon, like in the following sentence from Ilustracion de la Deztreza Indiana by
Francisco Santos de la Paz in 1712

Origins

As Arnis was an art usually practiced by the peasant or commoner class (as opposed to nobility or warrior
classes), most practitioners lacked the scholarly education to create any kind of written record. While the
same can be said of many martial arts, this is especially true for Arnis because almost all of its history is
anecdotal, oral or promotional. The origin of Arnis can be traced back to native fighting techniques during
conflicts among the various Prehispanic Filipino tribes or kingdoms, though the current form has Spanish
influence from old fencing which originated in Spain in the 15th century. It has other influences as well,
as settlers and traders travelling through the Malay Archipelago brought the influence of silat as well as
Chinese, Arab, and Indian martial arts. Some of the population still practice localized Chinese fighting
methods known as kuntaw.

It has also been theorized that the Filipino art of Arnis may have roots in India and came to the
Philippines via people who traveled through Indonesia and Malaysia to the Philippine islands. Silambam,
a stick/staff-based ancient martial art of India influenced many martial arts in Asia like Silat. As such,
Arnis may share ancestry with these systems – some Arnis moves are similar to the short stick (kali or
kaji) and other weapon based fighting styles of Silambam.

When the Spaniards first arrived in the Philippines, they already observed weapons-based martial arts
practiced by the natives, which may or may not be related to present-day Arnis. The earliest written
records of Filipino culture and life, including martial arts, come from the first Spanish explorers. Some
early expeditions fought native tribesmen armed with sticks and knives.[29] In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan
was killed in Cebu at the Battle of Mactan by the forces of Datu Lapu-Lapu, the chief of Mactan. Some
Arnisadors hold that Lapu-Lapu's men killed Magellan in a sword-fight, though historical evidence
proves otherwise. The only eyewitness account of the battle by chronicler, Antonio Pigafetta, tells that
Magellan was stabbed in the face and the arm with spears and overwhelmed by multiple warriors who
hacked and stabbed at him:

Katipunan

Opinions differ on the degree to which Spanish rule in the Philippines affected Arnis. The fact that a large
number of techniques and the names of the arts themselves (arnis/arnes, eskrima/esgrima, garrote,
estoque, etc.) have Spanish names suggest an influence. Some argue though that Spanish names in the
martial art simply reflect the fact that Spanish was the lingua franca of the Philippines until the early 20th
century, and that actual Spanish martial influence was limited.

What is certain is that the Spaniards brought with them and used their bladed weapon arts (including the
system of Destreza developed by Carranza) when they started colonizing the archipelago in the 16th
century. What is also known is that the Spaniards recruited and trained mercenaries and soldiers from
local people like the Pangasinenses, Kapampangans, Tagalogs, Ilonggos, Cebuanos and Warays to pacify
regions and put down revolts. Of the Kapampangans, Fray Casimiro Díaz relates in 1718:

The first who decided to experiment with their fortune (revolt) were the Pampangos, the most warlike and
prominent people of these islands, and close to Manila. And it was all the worse because these people had
been trained in the military art in our own schools in the presidios (fortified outposts) of Ternate,
Zamboanga, Jolo, Caraga and other places where their valor was well known; but this needs the help of
ours, and so they say that a Spaniard plus three Pampangos equal four Spaniards.

One of the more prominent features of Arnis that point to possible Spanish influence is the Espada y Daga
(Spanish for "sword and dagger") method, a term also used in Spanish fencing. Filipino espada y daga
differs somewhat from European rapier and dagger techniques; the stances are different as weapons used
in Arnis are typically shorter than European swords.[34] According to Grandmaster Federico Lazo†
(1938–2010), unlike in European historical fencing, there is no lunging in the Northern Ilocano Kabaroan
style of Arnis – it is more of an evasive art. On the other hand, it is present in some Visayan styles
documented by FMA researchers Celestino Macachor and Ned Nepangue such as Yasay Sable Estocada
from Bago City.[35] Having done comparative studies, Kalis Ilustrisimo archivist Romeo Macapagal also
estimates that 40% of the blade-oriented style of Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo† (1904–1997) descends
from European styles, brought by the Spanish.[36]

After the Spanish colonized the Philippines, a decree was set that prohibited civilians from carrying full-
sized swords (such as the Kris and the Kampilan). Despite this, the practitioners found ways to maintain
and keep the arts alive, using sticks made out of rattan rather than swords, as well as small knives wielded
like swords. Some of the arts were passed down from one generation to the other. Sometimes the art took
the form choreographed dances such as the Sakuting stick dance[37] or during mock battles at Moro-
moro (Moros y Cristianos) stage plays. Also as a result, a unique and complex stick-based technique
evolved in the Visayas and Luzon regions. The southern Mindanao retains almost exclusively blade-
oriented techniques, as the Spaniards and Americans never fully conquered the southern parts of this
island.[38]

Modern history

Various Filipino knives.

The Philippines has what is known as a blade culture.[39][40] Unlike in the West where Medieval and
Renaissance combative and self-defense blade arts have gone almost extinct (having devolved into sport
fencing with the advent of firearms),[41] blade fighting in the Philippines is a living art. Local folk in the
Philippines are much more likely to carry knives than guns. They are commonly carried as tools by
farmers, used by street vendors to prepare coconuts, pineapples, watermelons, other fruits and meats, and
balisongs are cheap to procure in the streets as well as being easily concealed. In fact, in some areas in the
countryside, carrying a farming knife like the itak or bolo was a sign that one was making a living
because of the nature of work in those areas.[42] In the country of Palau, the local term for Filipino is
chad ra oles, which literally means "people of the knife" because of Filipinos' reputation for carrying
knives and using them in fights.[43]

Philippine Revolution

Contrary to the view of some modern historians that it was only guns that won the Philippine
revolutionaries against the Spaniards, blades also played a large part.

During the 1898 Battle of Manila, a report from The Cincinnati Enquirer went:

The Philippine native, like all the kindred Malay races, cannot do any fighting as a rule except at close
quarters, slashing with his heavy knife. The weapon is called machete, or bolo, or kampilan, or parang, or
kris. The plan of action is the same – to rush in unexpectedly and hack about swiftly, without the slightest
attempt at self-preservation.

The Mauser rifle, too, in hard work is found to be a mistake. It has a case of five cartridges, which have to
be all used before any others can be inserted. That is, to say, if a soldier has occasion to fire three
cartridges he must go on and waste the other two, or else leave himself to meet a possible sudden rush
with only two rounds in his rifle. Perhaps it may be the fault of the men, or their misfortune in being
undrilled, but they are often knifed while in the act of reloading their rifles. Whatever be the explanation
there is something wrong in troops with rifles and bayonets being driven steadily back by natives armed
with knives. The insurgents have some guns, but most of the wounded Spanish soldiers seen in the streets
have knife wounds.

Philippine–American War

Americans were first exposed to Arnis during the Philippine–American War in events such as the
Balangiga massacre where most of an American company was hacked to death or seriously injured by
bolo-wielding guerillas in Balangiga, Eastern Samar – and in battles in Mindanao, where an American
serviceman was decapitated by a Moro warrior even after he emptied his .38 Long Colt caliber revolver
into his opponent. That and similar events led to the request and the development of the Colt M1911
pistol and the .45 ACP cartridge by Col. John T. Thompson, Louis La Garde and John Browning which
had more stopping power.

World War II

During World War II, many Filipinos fought the Japanese hand to hand with their blades as guerilla
fighters or as military units under the USAFFE like the Bolo Battalion (now known as the Tabak
Division).

Some of the grandmasters who are known to have used their skills in World War II are Antonio
Ilustrisimo, Leo Giron, Teodoro "Doring" Saavedra, brothers Eulogio and Cacoy Cañete,[50] Timoteo
"Timor" Maranga, Sr, Jesus Bayas and Balbino Tortal Bonganciso.

Spread

With regards to its spread outside the Philippines, Arnis was brought to Hawaii and California as far back
as the 1920s by Filipino migrant workers.[54] Its teaching was kept strictly within Filipino communities
until the late 1960s when masters such as Angel Cabales began teaching it to others. Even then,
instructors teaching Arnis in the 1960s and 70s were often reprimanded by their elders for publicly
teaching a part of their culture that had been preserved through secrecy. The spread of Arnis was helped in
Australia through Terry Lim (founder of Loong Fu Pai martial arts academy) who also holds a 4th Dan in
International Philippine Martial Arts Federation. He ran seminars with the help of other masters such as
Maurice Novoa Ruiz (a Wing Chun instructor).

In recent years, there has been increased interest in Arnis for its usefulness when defending against knives
in street encounters. As a result, many systems of Arnis have been modified in varying degrees to make
them more marketable to a worldwide audience. Usually this involves increased emphasis on locking,
controls, and disarms, focusing mainly on aspects of self-defense. However, most styles follow the
philosophy that the best defense is a good offense. Modern training methods tend to de-emphasize careful
footwork and low stances, stressing the learning of techniques in favor of more direct (and often lethal)
tactics designed to instantly end an encounter.

In the Philippines, the spread is more significant due to the efforts of Richardson "Richard" Gialogo and
Aniano "Jon" Lota, Jr. through the Department of Education (DepEd) Task Force on School Sports
(TFSS). Arnis was first introduced in 1969 to some public and private school teachers when Remy Presas
taught his personal style of Arnis which he called "Modern Arnis". He taught his own style to the students
of the National College of Physical Education (NCPE) when he was given the chance to teach there. The
style "Modern Arnis" is not synonymous with the concept of modern or contemporary Arnis, where it has
become a full blown sport embraced by the Department of Education, although there are some
similarities. There was no formal program for Arnis from 1970s to 1980s. Although some schools taught
Arnis, these were not official nor prescribed.

The earliest historical record was the DECS Memorandum No. 294 Series of 1995 which entailed the
Arnis Development Program Phase I. This was a joint effort of the Department of Education, Culture and
Sports or DECS and the Office of then Senator Orlando "Orly" Mercado who awarded a budget from his
pork barrel for the implementation of a national Arnis program. The Office of Senator Mercado was given
the authority to designate the Arnis instructors for the said program.
Duels

One of the most important practices in classical Arnis was dueling, without any form of protection. The
matches were preceded by cock-fighting and could be held in any open space, sometimes in a specially
constructed enclosure. Arnisadores believe this tradition pre-dates the colonial period, pointing to similar
practices of kickboxing matches in mainland Indochina as evidence. Spanish records tell of such duelling
areas where cock-fights took place. The founders of most of the popular Arnis systems were famous
duelists and legends circulate about how many opponents they killed. In rural areas throughout the
Philippines today, modern Arnis matches are still held in dueling arenas. In bigger cities, recreations of
duels are sometimes held at parks by local Arnis training-halls. These demonstrations are not
choreographed beforehand but neither are they full-contact competitions.

In modern times, public dueling with blades has been deemed illegal in the Philippines due to potential
injury or death. Duelling with live sticks and minimal protection still occurs during barrio fiestas in some
towns such as in Paete in Laguna.

Organization

After decades of lobbying and overdue recognition, Arnis/Eskrima/Kali was proclaimed as the official
National Martial Art and Sport of the Philippines in January 2010.

There are two main types of Arnis practiced as a sport. The most common system used internationally is
that of the WEKAF (World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation), established 1989. The earlier Arnis
Philippines[56] (ARPI) system, established in 1986, was most prominently used during the 2005
Southeast Asian Games.

WEKAF

The WEKAF system works on a 10-point must system similar to boxing where participants spar with live
sticks while wearing a long padded vest with skirt and sleeves and a helmet similar to Kendo headgear.
Hitting below the thigh is prohibited. This format has sometimes been criticized because it emphasizes a
heavy offense at the expense of defensive techniques sometimes with players raining blows on each other
without defending, giving rise to the impression that combatants are merely hitting each other in a
disorganized way. This has been tackled by introducing a "four second rule"[clarification needed], to
prevent constant and unrealistic attacks, and judges do not to score the same strike if the fighter uses it
more than twice in succession. Judges warn fighters and remove points if they continue after two
warnings. However, fights can easily come down to an unrealistic attack from an unskilled fighter who
impresses judges with many body hits after taking two or three clear, strong hits to the hands and head.

This is, to some, an antithesis to traditional training methods, where training in footwork and arm/weapon
movements are intricate and precise and any part of an opponent's body is fair game. As a consequence,
WEKAF tournaments may be seen as not promoting the original art. Moreover, participants have been
known to suffer broken bones and injured tendons due to the fact that live sticks are used, so the older
system is considered more 'hardcore' and less safe. Another complaint about the WEKAF system is that it
uses the 10-point must system, which is more subjective depending on who is judging.

ARPI
Safety equipment used in Modern Arnis tournaments with padded vests, sticks, headgear and groin guards

The Modern Arnis system uses foam-padded sticks about an inch in diameter with thin rattan cores
roughly a centimeter in diameter. These sticks are meant to break before serious injury occurs. For
protection, the same headgear used in the WEKAF system, and a large groin guard is required for males.
Vests (optional for men, required for women), optional armguards, shinguards and leg wraps are used.
Scoring is more similar to fencing where fighters are separated after solid clean hits are made (observed
by multiple judges stationed at different positions to observe if hits were clean and unblocked, and
determine the strength of the strike by the loudness of the impact). Alternative ways to score are to disarm
one's opponent or to force him to step outside the ring.

Any part of the body, from head to toe, is fair game as a target – except for the back of the head, which
the headgear does not protect. Stabs to the face are not allowed, because the thin rattan core may
penetrate the padding and slip through the grills of the headgear into the player's eye. Thrusts to the body
score points, but are harder to present to judges for scoring because they make less noise and it is difficult
to determine impact.

Punches, kicks and throws are not allowed. Prolonged clinching to prevent the opponent from striking is
not allowed (similar to Western Boxing) to keep the game moving and more interesting for audience that
may not appreciate the fine and practical aspects of grappling. Disarms must be performed quickly and
cleanly to count. Because the legs are fair targets, in lighter weight divisions, complex evasion and deep
lunges where players lie horizontal with the torso almost touching the floor to extend reach are often seen.

The emphasis of the ARPI system is on player safety, as proponents are applying to become a recognized
Olympic sport like judo, karate, taekwondo, wrestling, boxing, and fencing.

Like the sayaw (meaning "dance") in the WEKAF system, the ARPI system has a separate single and
team choreographed division called Anyo (Tagalog for 'forms'). Aside from the visual appeal, practical
combative applications must be clearly seen so as to avoid looking like just majorettes in marching bands
who just twirl batons and dance (a concept similar to the Floreio ("flourish") aspect of Capoeira and to
Tricking which are more for show than practicality). IMAFP Standard Equipment is being used in the
international Arena.

Others

In another variation that simulates knife fights, competitors use false blades edged with lipstick to mark
where an opponent has been struck. These matches are considered more similar to traditional duels than
the WEKAF point-system.