ARE KATAS, JURUS, SAYAWS, AND OTHER OLD SCHOOL ETIQUETTE SUCH AS RESPECT FORGOTTEN AND USELESS? IS LEARNING ESKRIMA CHEAP? I have been a practitioner of a couple of martial arts especially during my younger days where the only activity that I would likely engage in is learning different kinds of martial arts. I was introduced in my fathers art of kuntao which he learned way back as an overseas worker in Saudi and during his vacation I would pester him in order to teach me. He taught me some forms which need to be memorized and internalized as he said but me being around 8 or 9 at that time didnt care much about that. I was only interested in the memorizing part aspect so that I could move. What the hell do I care about internalizing back then? For me it was just all about physical activity and its potential use in actual application. Then I learned from a man called Mang Inyong who just taught me some things about knife fights and what to do but it was all direct application and no forms or set patterns whatsoever. Then around 1989 I went to this famous Yaw Yan Cubao chapter and was introduced into Napoloeon Fernandezs martial art and I instantly felt that this was the martial art for me for it was very practical for the streets and it also has its weaponry that comes from Arnis. The empty hand of a true Yaw Yan form is basically derived from the powerful attacks of stick work from Arnis. I enjoyed my training under its chief instructor in Cubao Sir Orlando Lapuz. Then during the Philippine National Games in 1995 I was with a pool of fighters from that chapter to participate in the event of Pencak Silat Olahraga. At first I was observing the complicated but very beautiful Jurus that the National Team of Seni was performing and was thinking to myself that it somehow resembles something which I learned from my father. So after the PNG wherein I ended up as third place allowed me to study it further and see what is going on with this art. As I remember, I did compete without any sort of background so I ended up getting totally defeated by the throws, takedowns and sweeps I receive after facing a veteran National player who eventually also took me under his wing to teach me Olahraga (sport fighting) of Silat. He was Ferdinand Pisa, one of the few great and fearless fighters who I still admire until now. But eventually as I kept practicing the fighting aspect of the art and were engaging in a lot of sparring and participating in competitions whether it be in Taekwondo, Karate or Silat tournaments I soon got tired of doing all these. By the way, during the 80s competitions here were open to any styles who wish to participate for it was still in a stage of promotion that even someone without a background in Taekwondo could join their competitions as long as they understood the rules. Often times it was a disaster for many players for they would suddenly forget the rules and apply what they know and what they do in their respective arts. A karateka would suddenly punch the face of a TKD Jin, or a kickboxer does a thigh kick against a karateka and all sorts of technical fouls and injuries takes place. So by then I slowly started to try learning the Jurus as well as learning the Poomse of Taekwondo because I was also a varsity player and team captain for our College Universtiy for almost five years at that time. And after awhile of learning all these I started to develop a lot of mental patience for although they were movements it involves so much concentration in working on every detail of each movement. I learned to breathe properly when executing and knew when to use deep breathing when exerting a movement that requires powerful strikes and defenses. I learned to appreciate the cultural aspect of the art and somehow felt that I learned a little bit something more about its origins and the way its founders as well as its people think basing from the type of movements involved in every form. Most of all it gave me something else to do besides sparring and competing. Although I have forgotten most of the Jurus now since Im mostly involved with so many things but those that I retained I still try to practice for myself whenever there is time. And its a good way to exercise the mind and get the discipline in performing each movement correctly. Somehow it helps to also awaken our spiritual senses for some forms like Silat for example has deep meanings that relates to the creator of life which are expressed thru its movements. Even the honor to ones Master and family is involved. But I wont get further in explaining that for there are more qualified Masters who are able to articulate and dig deeper into it. So these for me are not useless just like so many think and especially now would say. Even the mere act of bowing just to give respect is not practiced anymore and even with the simple act of cleaning the Dojo or training hall are gone which have been practiced for many decades before the advent of MMA, It used to teach the student alot of respect to the Master and to fellow martial artist in the dojo back then. Now I often see how someone would just demand things from his teacher just because he or she is payed to do so. They try to impose the way they do things from where they come from and not minding how we do things here. Which is not right. We are from cifferent cultures and since you come all the way here with the intent of learning then might as well learn and adapt to our cultures as well and not the other way around. Before, payment was just a symbol of gratitude to the master for taking the time to teach and share his/her knowledge. I have spoken to some masters on how they feel exploited and treated as such because they are poor and they need to support themselves while these certain students would say Im paying you allot of money so you teach me everything you know and certify me but the truth is theyre paying so little that its them who get the most of it when they open up their own gym. One even told me so proudly that for his $600 he has an invitation to learn from 26 Masters and Grand Masters here in the Philippines and get certification within a week! (what? 26? for $600? is that what all these masters are worth to him? Well, part of it is my fault really (lol), maybe he got pissed because I charged him $4,000 since he wants to get me out from my country and go to his place to teach 10 hrs a day for a week or two and asks me to certify him to teach . (What, That is very very very very very very high! …………. and I could almost hear him freak out and thats when the 23 different Masters who would certify him in just one week came about) Wow! That is a lot of certifications from different Eskrima styles in just one week. I could never, ever beat that! Could you? Well I know that what I said was really high and probably has all the right to complain but was I kidding? No I wasn’t. That was value for my TIME (for the knowledge itself is priceless. There is no monetary equivalent for that) and all the trouble I would have to go thru from leaving my work and dropping everything I do here in order to go overseas and teach almost non-stop and certify and all that. Although I told him that we could talk about what would be more beneficial for us both that of which he could afford and even offered him to go here which would cost him a lot less. A simple no, thank you would have sufficed but then he started ranting as I remained polite. Many people seemed to forget that here; we have to suffer a lot of bruises and healing of wounds, hematomas, even occasional bones from our fingers or other parts of our limbs in order to learn. It was almost as if we were paying our dues with our flesh and bone. On a bad day you sometimes receive a blow on the head (although unintentional) almost knocking you out of your senses. It also took us so many years of study before we are allowed to teach. So now these people are demanding us to teach everything and to be certified as Instructors for just a week? They forgot all about the days, weeks, months and years of dedication involved for us to learn and if we’re lucky then we might assist in teaching. For in the old school context a simple nod from our master allowing his student to teach is already a great honor. Titles and honors of degrees does not account as much as compared to the actual skills an Eskrimador has. Well forgive me for saying this but give our Eskrima masters some respect. The respect that is due to them for their dedication to the art and their willingness to share. Though many are indeed poor and some living below poverty line it doesnt mean they are to be exploited and treated as such. It is up to the teacher if he or she wants to impart all the knowledge that he/she has while the monetary value that comes with it is just a symbol or a gesture of appreciation in the part of the student for being accepted and entrusted with these skills and knowledge. But if you don’t feel satisfied and think that you’re not getting enough of your money’s worth then thank the instructor or master then say your goodbyes, leave and find someone else. I even heard someone says: “what the *$#@! , It’s only stick fighting who the hell really wants to learn that? You don’t carry stick around in the streets! *$#@! It” Fine, then don’t learn it if you can’t see any value in it but don’t berate it just because you don’t wish to pay right for it. The truth is , knowledge is really priceless. It is not really so much about the money, although it is needed in order to run things for I would be a hypocrite to deny it. But more than that, it is about respect. Well, as they say were now modern and living in different times so such things as respect dont have a place here anymore. So no wonder why so much physicality and egos and disrespect are going on which eventually leads to nothing more other than a pure physical pursuit. For us who still believe in the value of these would never consider it as a waste f time not unless all you care about is fighting and competition or the power of your money. But if you appreciate the art, its culture and its tradition and giving respect then learning it as a whole will gain you a lot more understanding and value of what it means to be a martial artist. That is why Do replaced Jutsu for it had to be more than just fighting. It is a way of life. Bong Abenir abenirkalis Old pictures with Pendekar Mohammad Hadimulyo, Pendekar Oong Maryono and Grand Master Antonio Diego.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 11:04:10 +0000