History of Arnis

in the Philippines
Two definitions of arnis
● Arnis/ Kali/ Eskrima was a Filipino Martial Art developed to defend one's life and family
members from attack, using daggers and knives.
● “Kali” means a uniform body of techniques and it was used by those living in the
Southern Philippines, but the art developed into multiple styles of Escrima (originally
Eskrima, which means "skirmish") which was the name used by practitioners in Central
Philippines. The word originated from the term ‘Escrima,' which, again, originated from
the Spanish word ‘Esgrima'; a term used for fencing.

Tribal era
● Arnis can be related to native combat styles used during battles between the numerous
Pre-Hispanic Philippine tribes or kingdoms.
● Kaliripayat is a full fighting style that uses a variety of weapons and empty-hand combat
employing both striking and grappling with its origins in Indian and Southeast Asian
migration.
● The name Kaliripayat comes from the Malay word "Kali," which refers to the Hindu
goddess of death as a six-armed lady holding a sword in each of her hands.
● It was created by the Philippines' indigenous people, who employed a diverse range of
weapons for self-defense and battle equipped within 1521 nothing except bladed weapons
and their terrifying arnis abilities.
● The Spanish arrived in the Philippines in the 16th century, led by Ferdinand Magellan.
The Spaniards were unprepared for the natives' Martial Art, which used bamboo spears,
blades, and fire-hardened wooden stakes. It was said that natives used this kind of Martial
Art in fighting with the colonizers.

Spanish era
● The Spanish colonized the Philippines in 1764 and banned the practice of martial arts, but
this did not stop the progress of the arts, which were preserved for over a hundred years
in ritual dances and plays. The Spanish were unaware that what they were seeing was not
only martial arts practice, but a means of instruction as well.
● The theory of Filipino martial arts training with respect to weaponry is that the skills one
develops while using weapons are equally applicable in situations where only a different
weapon is available or where no weapon is available at all.
● Practitioners of Arnis or Kali adopted the use of sticks rather than knives to deceive the
Spanish. Weapons were preferred for the battle for the simple reason that they were
believed to be more effective than empty hands.
● The Spanish had a direct influence on Filipino martial arts, as elements of traditional
Spanish fencing were incorporated into Filipino techniques and Arnis-derived systems
used Spanish terminology.
 ● Kali was a standard fighting technique in hand-to-hand combat of the Filipinos when they
revolted against Spain. Filipinos created plays such as the Moro-moro to entertain the
colonizers. and to be able to practice their craft, The practice of kali techniques was
hidden in the choreographed fights and skirmishes, which took on the meaning of fencing
or a sword fight.

American era
● The arrival of the Americans in 1900 led to the revival of Eskrima, which had been
banned by the Spaniards during 300 years of Spanish rule.
● Eskrima resurfaced and began to blossom again in early 1900 under the American
regime.
● Filipinos fought side by side with the Americans as "Guerillas" who were front liners and
sent on commando missions for reconnaissance against the Japanese.
● The war veterans during this period migrated to the United States later and introduced
this form of art to the Americans. It was also passed down, their styles and techniques,
along their family line to keep their skills alive.
● Major Favian Ver formed the National Arnis Association of the Philippines
(NARAPHIL) in 1975 to unite all Arnis groups in the Philippines, but the effort was
unsuccessful due to the association favoring one group and ignoring the request for
recognition of the existing clubs.

Modern & Present era

● At the present time, NARAPHIL and ARPHI, a government-sanctioned group, and
PIGSAI, a non-governmental organization, are working together to promote, preserve,
propagate, and regain the popularity of Arnis throughout the country. This is important as
Filipino Martial Arts earned its popularity in different parts of the world.
● Grandmaster Remy Presas and his peers spread Filipino Martial Arts in the 1950s and
60s, making it a popular art form. It is now used by law enforcement officers around the
world due to its practicality and effectiveness. Art utilizes a person's natural abilities and
is molded around the person and not the person to the Art.
● Arnis was declared as the Philippine National Martial Art and Sport on December 11,
2009 through Republic Act 9850 signed by Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
● It was promulgated by inscribing the symbol of arnis in the official seal of the Philippine
Sports Commission and making it the first competition to be played by participating
teams on the first day of the annual Palarong Pambansa. The Philippine Sports
Commission is the lead agency to implement the provisions of this Act.
● Arnis was also taught in schools and universities as it was a culture and history that
ancestors can inherit from the next generation.
List of facilities/equipment (From traditional to modern)

1. Empty Hands

2. Sticks
● Short Sticks -Also known as palm sticks or Tabak Malii. Short sticks training is done in
twos – that is, the trainee grips one in every hand, at the center portion of the stick.
● Kamagong Single Stick - The stick is constructed from rattan, as well as from other
dense hardwoods, like Yakal.
● Double Stick - The Double sticks, especially in sparring, develop body movement, and
footwork, and also instruct imperative empty-hand applications for in-fighting and
sparring. Double stick movements are interchangeable with dagger and stick, also
empty-hand and stick exercises.
● Long Stick - Training in staff or long stick develops certain traits for empty-hand kick
defenses, as well as knee locks and takedowns.

3. Short Blades
● Single Dagger
Balisong -To the inexperienced, it is more frequently known as the “butterfly
knife.” The term means “broken horn,” and came from the terms “bali” (to break)
and “sung” (horn).
● Double Dagger

4. Long Blades
● Kris - It has a double-edged blade, and is undulating, permitting an easy flow of blood
from a wound.
● Swords - Drills including swords are frequently medium-long range and can highlight on
sliding to a rival's hand or controlling a rival's bladed weapon.
● Maguindanao and Iranun warriors Kampilan – It is a single-edged weapon, with a
cutting edge about thirty inches long, with a tiny flared spikelet close to the tip. It was
popularized by the pirates of Mindanao and is the longest killing tool the Moros utilized.
● Barong – It is a leaf-shaped blade about fifteen inches long and almost three inches wide
at the center.
● Sundang - The Sundang, based on the Kris, is doubled edged as well. It is a bit longer
than the Barong, having a 20-inch blade length.
● Pinuti - Visayan weapon that has a single blade only. The Bolo, another Visayan weapon,
is larger, and machete-like, although still single-edged.
● Golok - The Golok is, in fact, a machete, with a huge, wide cutting edge that looks like a
butcher knife, with a single blade.

5. Combination of Weapons
6. Flexible Weapons
7. Projectile Weapons

Modern arnis

1. Wooden Stick -The wooden stick shall measure not less than 60 cm and not more than 90 cm
in length with a diameter of not less than 1.3 cm and not more than 3.8 cm. It must not have
sharp edges or pointed ends.

2. Wooden Replica of a Bladed Weapon -The wooden replica shall measure not less than 60 cm
and not more than 90 cm in full length and should be Ethnic Asian in origin. It must not have
sharp edges or pointed ends.

3. Foam -cushion material- should be foaming the padded sticks and shall have a maximum grip
diameter not greater than 3.81 cm.

4. Head Protector -refers to a pair of protective head gear to include an impact-worthy face mask.

5. Body Protector -Both body protectors shall be color coded to match the color of the player.
Forearm and skin guards are compulsory.

6. Scoreboard – A pair of scoreboard, either manually or electronically operated.

7. Flags -two sets of red and blue flags, the size of which is 30cm by 25cm, are used by the
judges in declaring decisions or asking for consultations.

Other types of equipment:

● Stopwatch
● Gong and mallet or buzzer

Cardinal Rules (Guidelines & Principles)

● Respect. Respect for one's opponent as a person and as a fighter, and as a sportsman. It
should always be remembered that an opponent is a human being with dignity as you
have and worthy of respect. Also do not underrate his fighting ability overconfidence
would be costly, if not fatal, therefore never underestimate the ability of an opponent.

● Sportsmanship. sportsmanship on the other hand is the measure of a fighter or player.

The laurels of victory should never be worn with superiority but with humility. Victory is
not a stamp of invulnerability but rather a reason for magnanimity.
● Character. a violent person has no place in Arnis. Refinement in character is important.
A student must be taught the moral (and religious) values of everything. It is an
obligation of the teacher of Arnis to mold the character of the student in such a way that
his behavioral structure would be motivated by righteous desire.

● Sincerity. sincerity for victory's sake is not the all-consuming end of an Arnis player. It is
the sincerity in him to his fellowman and to his art that makes him shine in the array of
men. The will to win may be inculcated, but such tutelage should never end after the tick
of the ultimate second in the game but beyond the canvass and the arena of competition.
The martial art of Arnis, it should be remembered, is a good medium for developing
man's sense of dedication in all his everyday endeavors and involvement.

● Discipline. Arnis is a molder of discipline. Proper behavior in the sport and in life itself
will be the gauge of success. Personal discipline is important. The kaleidoscopic
invitations and temptations of life should never undermine man in his obligation to his
art, to himself, and to his fellow man. A student should learn to control himself in the
pursuit of his goal, not only to his art but also for life in general.

● Self-control. losing one's head means defeat. One should learn to control his temper if he
hopes to achieve success in every endeavor. In Arnis, self-control is important for without
it, life and the good health of another may be lost. The possession of the ability to kill or
main a person should be handled with extreme caution and prudence. Man's clear
perception of things is anchored on his ability to control the outbursts of his inner self.
Provocation is dishonorable, and a hasty reaction to it is just as dishonorable, if not
despicable.

● Students’ loyalty. loyalty should be emphasized to the student, loyalty to the art, to a
fellow player, and to his teacher. Ingratitude to one is ingratitude to the other. A student
should be loyal to a fellow player because any disloyalty to him is disloyalty to the art
itself. More importantly, a student should be loyal to his teacher. Everything one has
learned is owned by him to his teacher. Personal whims should never cause one to be
ungrateful to whom he owes everything he knows. Even if the ultimate aim of art is
already achieved by a student that he can now manage on his own, he should never forget
the teacher who labored for him. In the skirmishes of things, the student should be always
loyal to him.

● Etiquette. etiquette is allied to the main cardinal rules in Arnis. One's norms and
standards should never be imposed upon others. One should learn how to respect others.
Giving credence to the standard and ability of another person should or will best prepare,
 anybody in any endeavor. The Pacific waters of human understanding will stay unruffled
if the exercise of proper etiquette and respect whether it be in sporty competition or in life
itself is observed.

3 from self-made (c explanation and discussion)

1. Humility -A student must learn to accept his/her strengths and limitations without
defensiveness or judgment. The laurels of victory should never be worn with superiority but with
humility. Also, even if the ultimate aim of art is already achieved by a student that he can now
manage on his own, he should never forget the teacher who labored for him.

2. Commitment - Arnis requires the discipline to attend training sessions regularly and to
practice the techniques again and again to fully sharpen their skills. Students must persevere and
overcome complacency and physical limits. Training does not only happen inside the gym but
also outside. It demands patience since mastery does not come overnight.

3. Accountability -Students need to model the behaviors that they want to see in the organization
to which they belong. They need to walk the talk if they want others to follow the same path.
One must be accountable for any failures, as well as any successes that his/her organization may
have.

Benefits of practicing Arnis

1. Physical
● It makes your body stronger as we will move a lot.
● It helps you to improve your stamina, muscle tone, flexibility, balance, and strength.
● It helps you to improve your cardiovascular health.
2. Mental
● Arnis teaches us discipline and control.
● It helps you to make good strategies.
● It can make you conquer your fears and working through pressure.
3. Emotional
● It relieves your stress.
● It boosts your self-confidence.
● It gives you the courage to face any challenge.
4. Social
● It teaches us to be respectful of our opponents.
● As you build strong bonds with your teacher and fellow students, you feel like you
belong to a community.
● Training with different partners enables you to learn more about other people’s styles,
biases, and attitudes.
5. Spiritual
 ● It increases your sense of purpose in life.
● It helps you to understand what you're capable of.
● Through Meditation, it can help us to find our own identities.

1-50 Terminologies (English to Tagalog)

1. Arnis Practitioner - Arnisador/ Escrimador
2. Backward - Atras
3. Block - Sanga
4. Chaining - Cardena
5. Cross Arm Throw - Labai
6. Dagger – Daga
7. Distance (Long Range) – Largo
8. Distance (Medium Range) – Medio
9. Distance (Short Range) – Corto
10. Expert - Dalubhasa
11. Fan - Abanico
12. Fight - Laban
13. Footwork - Langka
14. Forward - Abante
15. Founder - Pundador
16. Give respect - Pugay!
17. Goodbye – Paalam
18. Grappling or Wrestling – Dumog
19. Handle/grip of weapon – Puño
20. Harnass - Arnis
21. Hello – Mabuhay (or) Kumusta
22. How are you? – Kumusta?
23. Instructor – Guro
24. Line - Hanay
25. Long-distance - Largo
26. Machete – Bolo
27. Mano y Mano - Hand to hand combat
28. Medium range - Medio
29. On guard - Pangadam
30. Palm Stick - Dulo - dulo
31. Poke – Tusok
32. Pommel - Punyo
33. Respect – Pugay (a form of salutation/greeting between practitioners)
34. Rotate - Paikot
 35. Salutation - Saludo
36. Stab or Thrust – Saksak
37. Stance - Panukad
38. Slash - Hapos
39. Stick (Single) – Solo Baston
40. Stick (Double) – Doble Baston
41. Stick Weapon – Yantok
42. Strike - Patama
43. Sword – Espada
44. Sword and Dagger – Espada y Daga
45. Thank You – Salamat
46. Trust kick - Tadyak
47. Unarmed Combat – Mano Y Mano
48. X-strikes - Ekis
49. You Are Welcome – Walang Anuman
50. Weaving (Weapon Movement) – Sinawali

References

Home. (2019, April 11). YouTube. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from
https://www.arnisphilippines.com/about/history-of-arnis

Lim, L. (2018, November 23). Arnis History - the Evolution of Filipino Martial Arts throughout
the Centuries. Stick Fighting Sport. Retrieved March 24, 2023, from
https://stickfightingsport.com/brief-arnis-history/

(n.d.). PHYE 232 – Martial Arts Basic Arnis Terminology. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from
http://homework.sdmesa.edu/jbenedito/documents/PHYE%20232-Basic%20Arnis%20Terminolo
gy.pdf

Modern Arnis Cardinal Rules or Principles in ARNIS. (n.d.). Modern Arnis. Retrieved March 23,
2023, from https://modernarnis.com/cardinal-principles

Musashi, M. (n.d.). Eskrima - Terminology. Black Belt Wiki. Retrieved March 23, 2023, from
https://blackbeltwiki.com/eskrima-terminology