Influencial People
Friday, 21 August 2009 22:44
Instead of displaying a summary of research that anyone can find on the internet, please allow me to introduce Daniel Inosanto as witnessed by me, Ervin Quintin. Guro Dan, is a man that has maintained the doorway to culture and to artform. If it wasn't for the many lessons he teaches, I would not have any particular desire to research and learn about my own culture outside of the arts.
A story I like to tell alot is that the Filipino Martial Arts was not of high interest to me in the first days of learning any type of style or system. The only thing I wanted to do was to study Muay Thai. It was great for fitness and it had substance. As time went on and my children got older, I saw that there was potential for me to pass on my experience and knowledge to them using the arts. Then I realized that even though Muay Thai is a great art form, what can I teach them about their own Filipino heritage. I did not have a blood legacy to pass down onto them.
What could I do? What can I find? What questions do I ask in order for me to find out?
Since studying the arts for a while, it was decided that I look closer to the Filipino Martial Arts, not just as a fighting art, but as the vehicle to more answers. Listening to the terms used and the stories of people that have influenced my teacher, Guro Dan, lead me to asking the right questions. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know. Searching for teachers where they may be, Guro Dan had always had more to offer in the realm of history and growth that had little to no relationship to the fighting arts. History lessons that is not found in regular library books, stories told from another country's point of view, facts and opinions about wartime history, alliances made, friendships nurtured and learning pride. It was made clear to me that the arts helped me connect and appreciate the things around me. Technique was no longer the highest rung in the ladder. It became people and family.
Yes, we can all find articles written about his connections with world reknowned individuals and organizations or on what an extraordinary technician he is. This is who Guro Daniel Inosanto is to me.
Monday, 10 August 2009 21:40
Grand Master of Kali Ilustrisimo
Early life
Born in Bagong, Bantayan, Cebu in 1904. As a boy he studied eskrima from his father. At the age of nine he decided to travel to the United States, and stowed away on a boat he thought was headed for America. In actuality, he arrived in Mindanao, in the southern Philippine islands.
The Martial Arts
Antonio Alulud Ilustrisimo was one of the most well respected eskrimadors of the Philippines; He is famed for winning countless duels and street encounters, as well as serving as a guerrilla against the invading Japanese forces during World War II. GM Ilustrisimo was never defeated in combat, and earnt great respect as a result of his brave exploits against the Japanese.
In 1976 Antonio 'Tatang' Ilustrisimo accepted his first students Antonio Diego and Epifanio 'Yuli' Romo. After Tatang's passing in 1997, Tony Diego was elected head of KI. Other notable students include - Rey Galang, Romy Macapagal, Roberto Morales, Christopher Ricketts, Pedring Romo, Norman Suanico and Edgar Sulite.
Publications
Antonio Ilustrisimo has been featured in many periodicals and Martial Arts publications. His life and art were featured in the book titled Filipino Martial Culture by Mark Wiley. The art of Kalis Ilustrisimo had a section in the book Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice by Mark Wiley. The book titled The Secrets of Kalis Ilustrisimo was released in the United States. It was authored by two of his most prominent students, Antonio Diego and Christopher Ricketts. With a forward by Mark Wiley.
References
Mark V. Wiley (1997). Filipino Martial Culture, ISBN 0-8048-2088-0 Tuttle Publishing.
Mark V. Wiley (2000). Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice, ISBN 0-86568-180-5 Tuttle Publishing.
A.Diego/C.Ricketts (2002) The Secrets of Kalis Ilustrisimo, ISBN 0-8048-3145-9 Tuttle Publishing.
http://www.bakbakan.com
http://www.yuli-romo.com
http://www.kalisilustrisimo.com
http://www.kalis-ilustrisimo.org
Monday, 10 August 2009 21:13
Grandmaster Floro Villabrille is the undefeated champion of countless Kali and Eskrima stick fighting death-matches in the Philippines, Australia and Hawaii. In the 1930’s, Kali and Eskrima stick fighting matches were full-contact bouts where the combatants were not aided by the use of body armor, pads or headgear. Combatants used the stick in the right hand and punched with the left hand. In close quarters, grappling, sweeps and throws were used. It was similar to the no holds barred fights of today except that victory was only declared when one of the combatants was either slain or demobilized.
Floro Villabrille was born February 18, 1912 in Cebu, Philippines. He began his martial arts training at age 14, studying Eskrima from his uncles and kung fu from his grandfather.
In his hunger for more knowledge, he traveled the entire Philippines studying the many forms of Filipino martial arts from various masters. His three most influential instructors were his uncle, Leoncio Villagano, Master Pio from Masbate Isles, and Princess Josephina from Gandara, Samar.
His favorite instructor was Princess Josephina, who was the blind daughter of a village chieftain of Gandara on the island of Samar. When Villabrille first arrived on the island, he wasn’t immediately taught Kali. Only after passing a series of initiations that displayed his loyalty and sincerity to learning the art, Villabrille was assigned to the chieftain’s daughter. At first thought, Villabrille was insulted that the chieftain assigned his blind daughter to teach him, but his resentment quickly turned to respect. Blind since birth, Josephina developed an extraordinary sixth sense that Villabrille said allowed her to feel what direction and angle the strikes were coming from. Villabrille was amazed by her prowess and lived on the island for 2 years learning under her direct tutelage.
By the age of 17, he was fighting in death-matches. July 4, 1933 was Villabrille’s last fight in the Philippines. His opponent was Elario Eran, a Moro Datu (Prince) from the island of Mindanao. Elario was an expert in Silat-Kuntao; another form of Indonesian/Filipino martial art. People warned Villabrille that the Moro Prince was quick and better than him and suggested that he cancel out of the fight, but he ignored the pleas and refused to bow out. At stake was the National Grand Championship of the Philippines. According to Villabrille, the Moro Prince was highly skilled and they traded blow for blow until the 3rd round when Villabrille felt a hit bounce off his skull. At the same time, Villabrille’s bahi stick struck Eran on the neck causing instant death. At the end of the bout, then U.S Governor-General Frank Murphy of the Philippines presented Villabrille with a certificate making him Philippines’ Grandmaster of Martial Arts. That same year, he stowed away on a ship to Oahu, Hawaii, later settling in Kauai, Hawaii.
Villabrille fought several more matches in Hawaii. In 1948, he fought his last match and shortly after, the death-matches were banned. Villabrille pooled his knowledge of the various styles in the Philippines and along with his combat experience in the ring developed his own system of combat known and the Villabrille System of Kali. His foremost student and personally chosen successor, Grandmaster Ben Largusa systemized and broke down Villabrille’s System and put into place the theories philosophies that complement the art. Today, the art is known as the Villabrille-Largusa Kali System.
In some parts of the Philippines, Grandmaster Villabrille is considered a national hero. At the municipal museum on Mactan Island, Cebu, Philippines, Villabrille’s original certificate from Governor-General Frank Murphy hangs next to a statue of Lapu Lapu, the man who is credited for killing Magellan and stopping the Spanish invasion.
In 1992, Grandmaster Villabrille passed away at the age of 79. His wife Trining, and their three sons, Kenneth, Floro Jr. and Ralph survive him.
Reference: http://www.villabrillelargusakali.com/
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