ABENIR KALIS NEW YEAR SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH THE LATE GRAND MASTER TONY DIEGO - This is not our regular featured master of the month segment. This was an interview that took place in December 31, 1998 just a few hours before new years eve. I have many interviews which I conducted with GM Tony every time I go to him personally to train privately. The interviews which he granted very generously were done during our training and discussions were done freely but he reminded me to keep silent in some other personal matters which he might disclose with me but not to the general public. I asked him some of the most difficult questions which others felt uncomfortable asking and was answered graciously in order to clear some delicate issues and matters as well. Some have questioned his innovations in the teachings of Tatangs system and have speculated that these were due to the influences he had with other systems that he have learned prior to learning from the old man. Mang Tony only smiled and said that I did not in anyway watered down or added to the system of Tatang. It was kept pure and is taught the way I was taught by him. I might have arrange the order of teaching the system in a more organized way in order to address the needs of the new generation of students today but everything is pure Ilustrisimo. As you see I was the very first to asked Tatang to teach his system which I paid for with a lot of pleading,and almost to the point of seemingly bribing him with gifts just to teach me. At long last due to my persistence he accepted me. It was a truly intense and incredible experience witnessing him move with so much intensity, speed, grace and power in all his techniques. He was one of a kind and although I have met many Eskrima masters here in Manila and Cebu, it is my belief that no one has come close to the skill of Tatang when it comes to bladed arts. His blade work is flawless and undeniably the best. This is probably because of the vast experience which he had that can never be duplicated by any of us for he lived in a very unique era wherein he had a lot of chance to use and hone it in actual fighting which were real life and death situations. From his life during his first encounter when he was very young as an adopted son of the Sultan of Sulu up until world war two where he was known as the executioner while serving as a member of the Filipino guerrilla against the Japanese all the way to his life as a seafarer who accepted a challenge from a Silat Master to fight with swords in Singapore and finally until reaching his twilight years were all part of his life as a true swordsman.The many testaments of many masters acknowledging his skill and even police records of some arrest due to confirmed kills were enough to give him the respect and reputation as the most feared juego todo Eskrimador during his life time. The others who came in late have not seen what I have seen and experienced what I have experienced during his peak. I was indeed fortunate enough but have to admit that I have received a lot of beatings especially during our Laro-Laro or Laban-Laro training sessions which was of course everyday which went on for many years. Tatang taught the way he prefers to teach, old school. No formal structure and everything is simply direct. What innovations that I seemed to have was merely a product of my uniqueness and interpretation of the teachings of my master. I was once getting frustrated and asked Tatang as to why I cant do what he does so easily and perfectly. Tatangs simple answer was because you are not me! GM Tony then told me that in time he will get old just like the old man and it is inevitable that a lot of physical changes will take place. So when you teach remember to pass on what you have witnessed during my peak or that which when I was younger and is able to perform all this with ease. For if you insist in copying the movements of an old man then for sure you are going to pass it on to your students and your students will do the same up to the next generation which in time will surely weaken the system. Grand Master Tony passed away last year but he will be forever be remembered as the great humble master who simply prefers to be called Mang Tony and true heir to the system of AntonioTatang Ilustrisimo. Bong Abenir www,abenirkalis,com
Posted on: Fri, 02 Jan 2015 12:19:04 +0000