Modern Arnis
Encyclopedia
Modern Arnis is the system of Filipino martial arts
founded by the late Remy Presas
as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. The term Modern Arnis was used by Remy Presas' younger brother Ernesto Presas
to describe his style of Filipino martial arts
; since 1999 Ernesto Presas has called his system Kombatan
. It is derived principally from the traditional Presas family style of the Bolo
(machete) and the stick-dueling art of Balintawak Eskrima, with influences from other Filipino and Japan
ese martial arts.
Arnis is the Philippines' national martial art and sport
, after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
signed the Republic Act. No. 9850 in 2009. The Act mandates the Department of Education
to include the sport as a Physical Education
course. Arnis will be included among the priority sports in Palarong Pambansa
(National Games) beginning 2010.
is the use of weapons from the very beginning of training and Modern Arnis is no exception. The primary weapon is the rattan stick, called a cane or baston (baton
), which varies in size, but is usually about 28 inches (71 cm) in length. Both single and double stick techniques are taught, with an emphasis on the former; unarmed defenses against the stick and against bladed weapons (which the stick is sometimes taken to represent) are a part of the curriculum.
It is said that, originally, the cane was considered sacred by practitioners (Arnisadores), and therefore an arnis practitioner was expected to hit his cane at the hand or forearm of his sparring partner and not at the latter's cane. This had the advantage of being the preferred method in actual combat, referred to as "defanging the snake", that is, making the opponent drop his weapon so that he is less of a threat. However, it discouraged many would-be practitioners who found this training too painful and injury-inducing. The result was that the Filipino martial arts became in danger of dying out; in most areas of the Philippines, Japanese martial arts such as Karate
and Judo
were much more popular than the indigenous systems. Remy Presas' modernization of the training method was intended to help preserve the Filipino martial arts. He taught the method of hitting cane-on-cane during practice, which attracted more newcomers to the art and allowed the art to be taught in the Philippines' school system. "Defanging the snake" remains a principle of Modern Arnis, however, and in practical application, one would typically strike the hand or arm. The technique can be used empty-handed, where it is known as "limb destruction".
Training covers empty-hand self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of the Filipino martial arts. Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (sword and dagger fighting), sinawali (double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills with the stick). In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of anyo (kata
), solo forms both with and without the stick. Emphasis is placed on fitting the art in with a student's previous training ("the art within your art"), smoothly reacting to changing situations in the fight ("the flow"), and countering the opponent's attempt to counter strikes directed at him ("tapi-tapi"). Practitioners are called arnisadors or Modern Arnis players.
In addition to its Filipino influences, elements of Judo
, Shotokan Karate, and Wally Jay's Small Circle Jujutsu appear in the system.
. Beginning with a small gymnasium in Bacolod
in the 1950s, he attempted to spread the art to the local youth as both a cultural legacy and a form of physical development or sport. He taught the art at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
. His desire to reinvigorate interest in his country's traditional martial art grew over time, and he began making modifications and improvements to what he had learned. In 1969 he moved to Manila
at the request of a government official, and formed the Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines. He was assisted by individuals such as those who now are on the Modern Arnis Senior Masters Council: Rodel Dagooc, Jerry dela Cruz, Roland Dantes
, Vincente Sanchez
, Rene Tongson
and Cristino Vasquez. He continued to develop and spread his art, including via books, until political considerations forced him to relocate to North America
.
There he met Wally Jay, George Dillman
, and other martial artists who influenced his development of the art of Modern Arnis. In particular, many locks from Small Circle Jujitsu
were added to Modern Arnis. The art continued to grow and change, in technique and in emphasis, though it always retained a focus on the single stick and on general self-defense. Those who trained with Remy Presas in the United States
in the 1970s and early 1980s experienced the art differently from those who began training in the late 1990s. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he traveled extensively for seminars – the principal form of instruction in the system was through weekend training camps held around the world but especially in the U.S. – and produced books and videos. During this time he experimented with different forms of titles and leadership in the art. The International Modern Arnis Federation Philippines would come to be the lead Modern Arnis organization in the Philippines, and the Deutschen Arnis Verband of Germany
would be the lead organization in Europe
. In the United States, the International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) was the principal organization as far as certification was concerned, but the founder created a variety of titles that indicated some level of organizational or leadership authority in the art (as opposed to titles such as guro ("teacher") or Punong Guro ("Head teacher") that recognized teaching and/or technical ability). Most prominent among these titles were Datu
, meaning a chieftain or leader, awarded in this order to Shishir Inocalla
, Kelly Worden and Ric "Bong" Jornales (of Arnis Sikaran) (all in the 1980s), Dieter Knuettel (1996), Tim Hartman
and David Hoffman (both in 2000); and Master of Tapi-Tapi, awarded to Jeff Delaney, Chuck Gauss, Jim Ladis, Gaby Roloff, Randi Schea, Ken Smith, and Brian Zawilinski. The Masters of Tapi-Tapi titles were created to provide leadership and steerage for the IMAF following Remy Presas' passing; the Datus were expected to take leadership roles that might see them move in different, and perhaps less conventional, directions. Through 2001, however, the art remained largely united under the founder.
In the wake of the 2001 death of Remy Preas, there has been a splintering of the remaining leadership of Modern Arnis. The IMAF, previously the organization of record for North American Modern Arnis practitioners, split into two subgroups, one headed by Randi Shea and one headed by Jeff Delaney; the remaining five Masters of Tapi-Tapi continue to be associated with the former group. Remy Presas' son Remy P. Presas
and his siblings formed a group following his father's death, and Tim Hartman
and Dieter Knuettel increased the independence of their organizations (the WMAA and DAV, respectively). Other groups, such as that headed by Kelly Worden, had become independent well before the founder's death (and with his support). Dan Anderson formed another branch of the art which he calls "MA80 System Arnis/Eskrima" which adds influences from Balintawak Eskrima and Integrated Eskrima. He heads this group out of Gresham, Oregon. While both IMAFs have claimed that rank must be certified through them to be valid, other individuals feel that the dynamic structure of the art, Remy Presas' frequent instructions to "make the art your own", their rank or title, and/or specific authority granted to them by the founder, mean that they are entitled to head their own organizations or groups that teach their own interpretation of the art.
In many ways, the situation is analogous to what occurred in the Jeet Kune Do
and American Kenpo
communities following the deaths of their popular and charismatic founders. In particular, the question of how high-ranking arnisadors should test for higher rank has been settled by different organizations in different ways. In some cases this has caused controversy. However, the fact remains that several groups are promoting what they see as 'traditional' Modern Arnis, while others are promoting variations of Modern Arnis, in keeping with its "modern" approach. The art is healthy and continues to attract students.
Current practitioners of Modern Arnis or arts strongly influenced by Modern Arnis who head their own organization or group or are otherwise prominent include: Jeff Delaney, Tim Hartman
and Dieter Knüttel.
:
Many groups use a "zero-degree" black belt rank as a probationary stage that comes before Isa. The actual name of the ranks is gender-specific. For men the rank is referred to as Lakan (Tagalog
for male) while for women it is referred to as Dayang (Tagalog for "female"). Thus, a first degree black belt in Modern Arnis would be referred to as either a Lakan Isa or a Dayang Isa, depending on his or her gender. The "zero-degree" rank, if used, is referred to as simply Lakan or Dayang. The black belt is traditionally bordered with red; however, some groups use a plain black belt.
In addition to rank, titles such as Datu
, Commissioner, Master of Tapi-Tapi, Senior Master, Punong Guro, etc., have occasionally been granted to certain high-ranking individuals. The title Guro
is typically given to all Lakans and Dayangs.
, the International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) under Randi Schea, and the World Modern Arnis Alliance (WMAA). Countries where the art is most popular include the Philippines, the United States, Canada
, and Germany, but there are practitioners in many other nations.
Filipino martial arts
Filipino Martial Arts refers to ancient and newer fighting methods devised in the Philippines, the most popular of which are known as Arnis/Eskrima/Kali. The intrinsic need for self-preservation was the genesis of these systems. Throughout the ages, invaders and evolving local conflict imposed new...
founded by the late Remy Presas
Remy Presas
Remgio Amador Presas was the founder of Modern Arnis, a popular Filipino martial art. Born in the Philippines, he moved to the United States in 1974, where he taught his art via seminars and camps. In 1982 he was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as Instructor of the Year...
as a self-defense system. His goal was to create an injury-free training method as well as an effective self-defense system in order to preserve the older Arnis systems. The term Modern Arnis was used by Remy Presas' younger brother Ernesto Presas
Ernesto Presas
Ernesto Presas was the founder of Filipino martial arts system Kombatan.Kombatan, which includes training with the stick and with bladed weapons in addition to empty-hand work, was developed from the Modern Arnis system. Ernesto Presas assisted his older brother Remy Presas in developing Modern...
to describe his style of Filipino martial arts
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
; since 1999 Ernesto Presas has called his system Kombatan
Kombatan
Kombatan is a Filipino martial arts system. The head and founder of the system is Ernesto Presas. The style is known for its double stick techniques but features other stick and blade techniques, as well as empty-hand methods....
. It is derived principally from the traditional Presas family style of the Bolo
Bolo knife
A bolo is a large cutting tool of Filipino origin similar to the machete, used particularly in the jungles of Indonesia, the Philippines, and in the sugar fields of Cuba...
(machete) and the stick-dueling art of Balintawak Eskrima, with influences from other Filipino and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese martial arts.
Arnis is the Philippines' national martial art and sport
National symbols of the Philippines
The national symbols of the Philippines consist of symbols that represent Philippine traditions and ideals and convey the principles of sovereignty and national solidarity. Republic Act 8491, known also as Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines, stipulates the code for national flag, anthem,...
, after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
signed the Republic Act. No. 9850 in 2009. The Act mandates the Department of Education
Department of Education (Philippines)
The Department of Education , is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for the management and governing of the Philippine system of basic education. It is the chief formulator of Philippine educational policy and is responsible for the Philippine primary and secondary...
to include the sport as a Physical Education
Physical education
Physical education or gymnastics is a course taken during primary and secondary education that encourages psychomotor learning in a play or movement exploration setting....
course. Arnis will be included among the priority sports in Palarong Pambansa
Palarong Pambansa
The Palarong Pambansa is an annual multi-sport event involving participants from the different regions of the Philippines....
(National Games) beginning 2010.
Training
One of the characteristics of Filipino martial artsFilipino martial arts
Filipino Martial Arts refers to ancient and newer fighting methods devised in the Philippines, the most popular of which are known as Arnis/Eskrima/Kali. The intrinsic need for self-preservation was the genesis of these systems. Throughout the ages, invaders and evolving local conflict imposed new...
is the use of weapons from the very beginning of training and Modern Arnis is no exception. The primary weapon is the rattan stick, called a cane or baston (baton
Club (weapon)
A club is among the simplest of all weapons. A club is essentially a short staff, or stick, usually made of wood, and wielded as a weapon since prehistoric times....
), which varies in size, but is usually about 28 inches (71 cm) in length. Both single and double stick techniques are taught, with an emphasis on the former; unarmed defenses against the stick and against bladed weapons (which the stick is sometimes taken to represent) are a part of the curriculum.
It is said that, originally, the cane was considered sacred by practitioners (Arnisadores), and therefore an arnis practitioner was expected to hit his cane at the hand or forearm of his sparring partner and not at the latter's cane. This had the advantage of being the preferred method in actual combat, referred to as "defanging the snake", that is, making the opponent drop his weapon so that he is less of a threat. However, it discouraged many would-be practitioners who found this training too painful and injury-inducing. The result was that the Filipino martial arts became in danger of dying out; in most areas of the Philippines, Japanese martial arts such as Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
and Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
were much more popular than the indigenous systems. Remy Presas' modernization of the training method was intended to help preserve the Filipino martial arts. He taught the method of hitting cane-on-cane during practice, which attracted more newcomers to the art and allowed the art to be taught in the Philippines' school system. "Defanging the snake" remains a principle of Modern Arnis, however, and in practical application, one would typically strike the hand or arm. The technique can be used empty-handed, where it is known as "limb destruction".
Training covers empty-hand self-defense (striking, locking, throwing, etc.) as well as the trademark single and double stick techniques of the Filipino martial arts. Other aspects of the art include espada y daga (sword and dagger fighting), sinawali (double stick weaving patterns), and tapi-tapi (locking drills with the stick). In addition to partner drills, Modern Arnis includes the use of anyo (kata
Kata
is a Japanese word describing detailed choreographed patterns of movements practised either solo or in pairs. The term form is used for the corresponding concept in non-Japanese martial arts in general....
), solo forms both with and without the stick. Emphasis is placed on fitting the art in with a student's previous training ("the art within your art"), smoothly reacting to changing situations in the fight ("the flow"), and countering the opponent's attempt to counter strikes directed at him ("tapi-tapi"). Practitioners are called arnisadors or Modern Arnis players.
In addition to its Filipino influences, elements of Judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, Shotokan Karate, and Wally Jay's Small Circle Jujutsu appear in the system.
History
Remy Presas studied his family's system from an early age. He went on to study the Japanese systems of Shotokan Karate and Judo, achieving high rank in each; but he simultaneously studied a variety of other Filipino systems, most notably Venancio Bacon's BalintawakBalintawak
Balintawak, also known as Balintawak Eskrima or Balintawak Arnis, is a style of Filipino martial art developed by Venancio Bacon in the 1950s from earlier tutelage of Lorenzo Saavedra. It is named after Cebu City's Balintawak Self Defense Club, where it was originally taught...
. Beginning with a small gymnasium in Bacolod
Bacolod City
The City of Bacolod , is a highly urbanized midsize Philippine city. It is the capital of the Negros Occidental province. Having a total of 499,497 inhabitants as of August 1, 2007, it is the most populous city in the Western Visayas Region. It is currently ranked as the 17th most populous city in...
in the 1950s, he attempted to spread the art to the local youth as both a cultural legacy and a form of physical development or sport. He taught the art at the University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
University of Negros Occidental-Recoletos
The University of Negros Occidental – Recoletos, commonly referred to by the short form "UNO-Recoletos" and by the acronym "UNO-R", is a private, Catholic university founded on 1941 in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines...
. His desire to reinvigorate interest in his country's traditional martial art grew over time, and he began making modifications and improvements to what he had learned. In 1969 he moved to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
at the request of a government official, and formed the Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines. He was assisted by individuals such as those who now are on the Modern Arnis Senior Masters Council: Rodel Dagooc, Jerry dela Cruz, Roland Dantes
Roland Dantes
Rolando Pintoy Dantes was an actor, champion bodybuilder and Filipino martial artist who trained with Remy Presas for over 30 years.He was born on June 15, 1943 in the Philippines....
, Vincente Sanchez
Vincente Sanchez
Vicente Sanchez is a Filipino martial artist and long-time student of Remy Presas.Sanchez and Presas met through Roland Dantes on the film set of "Pacific Connection" . The two became fast friends, as they were both very impressed with each other's martial skills...
, Rene Tongson
Rene Tongson
Rene Tongson is a Filipino martial artist and is one of the two most senior masters of the International Modern Arnis Federation, Philippines ....
and Cristino Vasquez. He continued to develop and spread his art, including via books, until political considerations forced him to relocate to North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
There he met Wally Jay, George Dillman
George Dillman
George Dillman is a martial arts instructor who is controversial due to his claims regarding the use of pressure points and "Knockout" Chi. He refers to the art of using pressure points as Kyusho jitsu. He calls his style of karate Ryukyu kempo karate....
, and other martial artists who influenced his development of the art of Modern Arnis. In particular, many locks from Small Circle Jujitsu
Small Circle JuJitsu
Small Circle JuJitsu is a style of jujutsu developed by Wally Jay that focuses on smooth transitions.- History :Jay primarily studied Danzan-ryū jujutsu under Seishiro Okazaki in Hawaii. He was awarded a Certificate of Mastery from Okazaki on 1948-02-22. Previously he had studied boxing, judo and...
were added to Modern Arnis. The art continued to grow and change, in technique and in emphasis, though it always retained a focus on the single stick and on general self-defense. Those who trained with Remy Presas in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in the 1970s and early 1980s experienced the art differently from those who began training in the late 1990s. Throughout the 1980s and 1990s he traveled extensively for seminars – the principal form of instruction in the system was through weekend training camps held around the world but especially in the U.S. – and produced books and videos. During this time he experimented with different forms of titles and leadership in the art. The International Modern Arnis Federation Philippines would come to be the lead Modern Arnis organization in the Philippines, and the Deutschen Arnis Verband of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
would be the lead organization in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. In the United States, the International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) was the principal organization as far as certification was concerned, but the founder created a variety of titles that indicated some level of organizational or leadership authority in the art (as opposed to titles such as guro ("teacher") or Punong Guro ("Head teacher") that recognized teaching and/or technical ability). Most prominent among these titles were Datu
Datu
Datu is the title for tribal chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions of the Philippines. Together with Lakan , Apo in Central and Northern Luzon, Sultan and Rajah, they are titles used for native royalty, and are still currently used in the Philippines...
, meaning a chieftain or leader, awarded in this order to Shishir Inocalla
Shishir Inocalla
Shishir Inocalla is a practitioner of Filipino martial arts. He was the first of 6 men named as Datu by the late Remy Presas, Founder of Modern Arnis. He is an accomplished martial artist as well as noted actor with movie credits including: Ninja Turtles, Pinoy Boxer, Five Style Fist, Crazy Kung...
, Kelly Worden and Ric "Bong" Jornales (of Arnis Sikaran) (all in the 1980s), Dieter Knuettel (1996), Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman is a practitioner of the Filipino martial art of Modern Arnis and Balintawak Eskrima, and the president of the World Modern Arnis Alliance ....
and David Hoffman (both in 2000); and Master of Tapi-Tapi, awarded to Jeff Delaney, Chuck Gauss, Jim Ladis, Gaby Roloff, Randi Schea, Ken Smith, and Brian Zawilinski. The Masters of Tapi-Tapi titles were created to provide leadership and steerage for the IMAF following Remy Presas' passing; the Datus were expected to take leadership roles that might see them move in different, and perhaps less conventional, directions. Through 2001, however, the art remained largely united under the founder.
In the wake of the 2001 death of Remy Preas, there has been a splintering of the remaining leadership of Modern Arnis. The IMAF, previously the organization of record for North American Modern Arnis practitioners, split into two subgroups, one headed by Randi Shea and one headed by Jeff Delaney; the remaining five Masters of Tapi-Tapi continue to be associated with the former group. Remy Presas' son Remy P. Presas
Remy P. Presas
Remy P. Presas, Jr. is the eldest son of the late Remy Presas, founder of the Filipino martial art of Modern Arnis, and Rosemary Pascual Presas. Beginning from a young age, he studied Modern Arnis with his father and, when his father was forced to flee the country, his father's students...
and his siblings formed a group following his father's death, and Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman is a practitioner of the Filipino martial art of Modern Arnis and Balintawak Eskrima, and the president of the World Modern Arnis Alliance ....
and Dieter Knuettel increased the independence of their organizations (the WMAA and DAV, respectively). Other groups, such as that headed by Kelly Worden, had become independent well before the founder's death (and with his support). Dan Anderson formed another branch of the art which he calls "MA80 System Arnis/Eskrima" which adds influences from Balintawak Eskrima and Integrated Eskrima. He heads this group out of Gresham, Oregon. While both IMAFs have claimed that rank must be certified through them to be valid, other individuals feel that the dynamic structure of the art, Remy Presas' frequent instructions to "make the art your own", their rank or title, and/or specific authority granted to them by the founder, mean that they are entitled to head their own organizations or groups that teach their own interpretation of the art.
In many ways, the situation is analogous to what occurred in the Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
and American Kenpo
American Kenpo
American Kenpo or Kenpo Karate is a system of martial arts created by Ed Parker, characterized by the use of quick moves in rapid-fire succession intended to overwhelm an opponent...
communities following the deaths of their popular and charismatic founders. In particular, the question of how high-ranking arnisadors should test for higher rank has been settled by different organizations in different ways. In some cases this has caused controversy. However, the fact remains that several groups are promoting what they see as 'traditional' Modern Arnis, while others are promoting variations of Modern Arnis, in keeping with its "modern" approach. The art is healthy and continues to attract students.
Current practitioners of Modern Arnis or arts strongly influenced by Modern Arnis who head their own organization or group or are otherwise prominent include: Jeff Delaney, Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman
Tim Hartman is a practitioner of the Filipino martial art of Modern Arnis and Balintawak Eskrima, and the president of the World Modern Arnis Alliance ....
and Dieter Knüttel.
Belt ranks
Modern Arnis uses a ranking system similar to the Dan ranks used in Karate or other Japanese systems. There are some minor variations between organizations as to the exact number of belts. There are 10 or 11 black belt ranks in Modern Arnis , depending on the organization. They are numbered in TagalogTagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
:
- Isa
- Dalawa
- Tatlo
- Apat
- Lima
- Anim
- Pito
- Walo
- Siyam
- Sampu
- Labing-isa (in some organizations)
Many groups use a "zero-degree" black belt rank as a probationary stage that comes before Isa. The actual name of the ranks is gender-specific. For men the rank is referred to as Lakan (Tagalog
Tagalog language
Tagalog is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by a third of the population of the Philippines and as a second language by most of the rest. It is the first language of the Philippine region IV and of Metro Manila...
for male) while for women it is referred to as Dayang (Tagalog for "female"). Thus, a first degree black belt in Modern Arnis would be referred to as either a Lakan Isa or a Dayang Isa, depending on his or her gender. The "zero-degree" rank, if used, is referred to as simply Lakan or Dayang. The black belt is traditionally bordered with red; however, some groups use a plain black belt.
In addition to rank, titles such as Datu
Datu
Datu is the title for tribal chiefs, sovereign princes, and monarchs in the Visayas and Mindanao Regions of the Philippines. Together with Lakan , Apo in Central and Northern Luzon, Sultan and Rajah, they are titles used for native royalty, and are still currently used in the Philippines...
, Commissioner, Master of Tapi-Tapi, Senior Master, Punong Guro, etc., have occasionally been granted to certain high-ranking individuals. The title Guro
Guro
Guro may refer to:*Guro, the Filipino word for "teacher", a teacher of Filipino martial arts; derived from the Sanskrit word guru*Guro-gu, a gu in Seoul, South Korea*Guro Station, a railway and subway station in Seoul, South Korea...
is typically given to all Lakans and Dayangs.
Organizations
Modern Arnis is currently perpetuated by a number of organizations worldwide, with some of the largest being the DAV of GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) under Randi Schea, and the World Modern Arnis Alliance (WMAA). Countries where the art is most popular include the Philippines, the United States, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Germany, but there are practitioners in many other nations.
External links
- Article on Modern Arnis