Last week I watched a Youtube video created by one of the most popular Karate Enthusiasts in the world - Jesse Enkampf. It is entitled “Why Karate is Actually a Filipino Martial Art (Kali)” which featured FMA (Kali – represented by Modern Arnis). Though the video will be criticized by some FMA practitioners and Silat practitioners for some misconceptions in the showcase of FMA (one part of the video shows clearly another Southeast Asian Martial Art which was branded as Kali though I would say that the practitioners were really demonstrating Silat), I would say that the video should be watched by all practitioners of Martial Arts, be it FMA, Karate, Silat or other arts because there are insights that could be drawn from the video with regards to the origins of Martial Arts.
Jesse is commendable for having an open mind and not boxing karate within the bounds of what is familiar. Karate, one of the most popular martial arts, have been heavily guarded by its old masters.
I only imagine how some masters are now reacting to the video because pride sometimes cloud even the sharpest of eyes. From what I know, the information that Jesse is trying to give will raise some eyebrows in the circle of the old karate masters.
However, that is not what this essay is about. I would like to point out that the video taps into the greater issue of “origins” of martial arts. With my little background in the study of language, culture and arts, I would like to say that the question of “origins” is a very volatile topic. It is a difficult topic even for students of culture because of the nature of culture itself. In discussing culture and ownership of culture, tensions will surely rise but questions will not be answered.
There will only be speculations. Therefore, with regards to the statement that “Karate is actually FMA,” care should be given in delineating one over the other. Again, it is beneficial for us to recall Bruce Lee’s words “Unless humans will have six arms and four legs, we will have a different form of fighting.” This implies that all martial arts knowledge are only arbitrary, like language.
We only use what we have created and learned and what is beneficial for our immediate milieu. Nonetheless, this doesn’t mean that we should dismiss the topic of origins because it will give us an insight on what our arts have.
When watching the video, certain speculations that we, in the Kinaadman Kali Group, have discussed already, have risen and was now back in the table. Watching thousands of youtube videos, researching a lot of martial arts styles and practicing on some, we arrived at an understanding that, it is not that “this culture/practice came from that,” but rather “this is a more practical and appropriate practice so we retain it.” Reflecting again on the influence of trade and culture, we could say that it is not necessary that a whole art came from another whole art but rather, a portion of the more practical art was integrated into the receiving art to enhance the practicality. That is the nature of culture and arts.
So it is possible, if we would really like to ask the question of origins, that the hubud practice was the only portion that was “passed or traded” rather than being Karate as a boiled down descendant of Kali or the other way around. This is because the hubud practice gives more benefit to practitioners of the two arts in a way that surpasses the other aspects. However, other portions of the practice were not integrated for some reasons for example; why there is a difference in strength training, or why in the Philippines-drilling is practiced more than kata or forms.
These intricacies give us a hint on what kind of cultures spawned these arts and it is important to know if we are to deepen our understanding of martial arts.
Please watch the video and enjoy!
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