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Kaabigang Dueg Blog Tools Rate This Blog
Creation Date: 08-11-2006 02:37 PM
CitoMaramba
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The Virtuous Carabao
Blog Info
Status: Public
Entries: 18 (Private: 1)
Comments: 48
Views: 233,307

In General Common Misconceptions about FMA... Entry Tools Rate This Entry
  #7 New 04-03-2007 02:08 PM
Time and again I come across stuff posted on the web about the Filipino Martial Arts... being born and bred in the Philippines, I find some of what is written to be laughable and betraying an ignorance of the country of origin of the Filipino Martial Arts.

Misconception #1: The Filipino Martial Arts are a homogenous collection of systems with a common philosophy and technical approach.

Fact: There are probably as many styles and systems of FMA as there are regional languages and dialects (170 according to wikipedia). Just as there are many differing systems of Kung Fu, there are also different systems of Filipino Martial Arts. This is also evidenced by the various names there are for the art: Kali, Arnis, Eskrima, Singkatan, Kuntaw, Kabaroan, etc. Each has varying philosophies and technical approaches. This then leads to:

Misconception #2: To be a true FMA it must have <insert technique / training method / philosophy here>.
I remember reading an article in Inside Kung-Fu which purported to instruct the reader on how to discern what was a true FMA. It had to have, among other things, "hubud lubud" training, triangular footwork, no blocks - just hand smashes, etc etc. This was ludicrous and was pointed out by several FMA practitioners in the letters column some issues later... Given the variety of approaches existing in the FMA as a whole, it was unreasonable to expect that all FMAs used the same technques / methods used by the FMA of the article author. It would be like expecting all systems of Kung Fu to have chi sau (sticky hands training in Wing Chun) and wooden dummy and proclaiming that any Kung Fu system that didn't have this to be fake.

Misconception #3: The abbreviation for the Philippines is "P.I.".
This is a pre world war 2 abbreviation for the Philippines when it was still known as the "Philippine Islands". Most of the early Filipino migrants to the US would refer to the country as such. However, in 1946, the official name of the country became "Republic of the Philippines" and is thus abbreviated as "R.P." In the Internet age, the TLD of .PH has also become popular. P.I however has degraded into an abbreviation for "P***** Ina" which is a vile swear phrase in Filipino. Thus, I cringe whenenver some "dayuhan" refers to the Philippines as "P.I."

Misconception #4: Addressing your teacher as "Guro" and "ranks like "Tuhan", "Datu" and "Sultan" are normal and correct usage.

I spent the first 2 decades of my academic life in the Philippines and never once addressed my teacher as "Guro" (and I never addressed my female teachers as "Gura"). Also, Only the Muslim peoples in the south use titles such as Datu, Sultan and Rajah. I dread to think what they would do to someone who was not a member of their clan who they found to be using those titles..
Views: 6215 | Comments: 9


RSS Feed 9 Responses to "Common Misconceptions about FMA..."
#9 07-15-2007 09:05 AM
CitoMaramba Says:
I guess it's because FMAs are the "in" thing, especially since the US Army has included "kali" (sic) in its Combatives program. Caveat Emptor!
#8 07-04-2007 03:49 AM
villrg0a Says:
This subject has also been puzzling me for sometime. In our area there are so many FMA clubs who claims lineage to early filipinos of course. What is bothering me is that the more I observe their movements, the more I see the japanese art of jujitsu. Then I went on to trace the bloodline of their Guro or Maestro, and it always ends to either Karate or TKD. Now is this FMA?
#7 04-19-2007 04:50 AM
CitoMaramba Says:
Thanks, Jennifer for your comments. As Gandhi once said, "The truth is the truth, even when you are a minority of one". Mabuhay!
#6 04-18-2007 07:39 AM
Furthermore,.........but, really, we're fortunate to have caring people care for their traditions.
#5 04-18-2007 07:36 AM
Some people, like me, balk at the huge degree of ignorance and ego imposition that circulates in Aikido. Native Arts and peoples get the colony treatment daily, including my home town right now. Don't be bitter, be grateful you have the art to care about.
#4 04-12-2007 02:55 PM
CitoMaramba Says:
Thanks also, Jason, for reading and for your support. We are all frogs in a well, I suppose, seeing only a tiny bit of the sky. There are some of those who have managed to dig larger wells.. if we're lucky we get to have them as our sensei . It becomes evil when a person knowingly perpetuates a lie for personal gain.. As for me, now that I've said my piece that was brewing inside me for a decade or so, I'll go back to keiko in my well
#3 04-12-2007 12:20 PM
jason jordan Says:
I dis-agree with Frank. (Humbly that is) It is always good to have correct knowledge about any and every art. Like Aikido there are sooooo many erroneous myths and ideologies in every art. To have people with genuine knowledge to at least express truths is a good thing. I would not get frustrated by it, but I would address it if I had the knowledge. Thank you CitoMaramba for the lesson.
#2 04-12-2007 01:22 AM
CitoMaramba Says:
I have, for a long time, in the spirit of pakikisama. But it pisses me off when some people use these "myths" to promote themselves and make money (none of it going back to help the RP). Anyway, thanks for reading and your comments!
#1 04-10-2007 08:52 AM
franklaubach Says:
pards, let it be. if you are a true martial art freak, then you know the true story of tae kwon do. but you dont see any korean coming out bashing TKD myths and legends. when i was stationed in japan for 2 yrs. i found out many localities invented their own festivals. live and let live bro.
 




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