The truth about the Filipino Martial Arts Tradition is beautifully discussed by Pedro Reyes in his article in RAPID Journal Vol. 4 No. 1, 1999 entitled ‘Filipino Martial Tradition’. In the article he articulates and I attempt to summarize his points:
1) Arnis is a Military Art, not Civilian. In part because in the practice of arnis (or FMA), weapon based fighting comes first before empty hands, and in part because this kind of martial comes from people who, at one point have been in war contrary to what other martial arts which originated from monks for self defense and enlightenment purposes.
2) Arnis Adapts to Civilian Weapons. In a brief summary, arnis adopts to civilian weapons such as but not limited to the use of sticks in fighting to represent blades or just simply fight bladed weapons. Arnis also has a variety of weapons to choose from and some of them are simple everyday materials.
3) Arnis is Tribal, not Familial. Here, Pedro Reyes discusses probably one of the most important insights in FMA vs other Asian Styles. Chinese and Japanese students would like to trace their origins and establish authenticity of their styles and be proud of it. But the practice of arnis requires a different view – a view rooted in our own culture, that is, if we think it deeply, any able bodied man, as Reyes said, in a barangay, who has to protect his barangay which composes of families, must learn how to fight. This connects to the first one which is that arnis is a Military Art, since its utilization involves not just a family but a community.
4) Each Arnis Master is Sui Generis. Masters in arnis, the real masters, were badass. They were honed through battles and duels, almost all of them. In contrast to some styles where the power lies in the name, and the family rather on a battle tested skill. However, this is not to look down on other martial arts but just a description on how Philippine Society formed Masters, and how these Masters reflect the conditions of Philippine Society.
5) A Student Becomes a Master. If we look up the history of arnis, many fighters (not yet teachers or masters) were reluctant to teach their skills to students for the fear that these skills may be used against them. Almost all of the old masters share this same pattern of stories. That’s probably why arnis schools were absent when other cultures proudly presents their own brands of fighting.
6) Arnis Tradition is Open. In the words of Pedro Reyes: Arnis masters are not afraid to change. This is due to the military origin or arnis. In war, one utilizes even alien techniques if they are effective. That’s what make this martial arts dynamic, effectient and devastating.
7) A Different Enlightenment: Finally, Arnis is the search for one’s unique self, I shall let Mr Reyes sum it up for you: If you are an arnisador, you begin by imitating your teacher. Then you find that the only way you can master the techniques is to make them your own, adapting them to your own build, temperament and reflexes. Now go back and forth between those two states, the conditioned and the unconditioned consciousness, until you realize that your self has always been and is always free.
Then shout in exultant freedom.
The martial artist who is a Buddhist awakens the non-attached heart; the Taoist, the harmonious heart. The arnisador enjoys the free, creative, unconditioned heart.
So what about arnis in a modern era ‘where we utilize the art not just for fighting but also as forms of cultural identity?’ (Jocano, The Bladed Hand). I think, because of FMA’s openness, we can adopt our own personal motivations in practicing the art. Yes it is important that we look at this art as a means of advancing our cultural identity as Filipinos but it must not just end there because if we rigidly think like this then there will be a tendency that it will lose its meaning. What’s important is that as a practitioner, what meaning do you attach to your practice of FMA? As for me, outside the cultural motivations and the like, FMA is a path for self-improvement. Pedro Reyes didn’t say that we keep FMA as different from the other arts (although it would be better if it is different), in fact, he says that the tradition is open. So let us claim it. If we make this martial art a path to spiritual enlightenment why not? And it really is a path to spiritual enlightenment a path more free than the others.
What I mean is, FMA is not just for fighting. It has its own philosophy. A Philosophy born of history, struggle and service. But most of all, practitioners of FMA should come out and realize what FMA means, on a personal level. Once we dig this, it will be worth it.
For Pedro Reyes full article, please visit: http://www.rapidjournal.com/Articles/pdf/Filipino_Martial_Tradition.pdf
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