Arnis in the Philippines

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Arnis in the Philippines
CountryPhilippines
Governing bodyPhilippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation
National team(s)Philippine national team
International competitions

Arnis is a Filipino martial art and is the legally recognized national sport in the Philippines.

Contents

The precise origin of Arnis is unknown due to a lack of proper documentation. [1]

It is speculated that it arose from native Filipinos in Luzon and the Visayas to circumvent a weapons ban imposed by the Spaniards during the Spanish colonial era. They utilize sticks and disguised the martial art as folk dance. [1] Dionisio Cañete, supreme grandmaster, says that Filipino martial arts is already in the archipelago prior to the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century who banned the practice due to it being unproductive activity but Cañete insist it is due to fear of the art being used against the colonizers. Arnis or Kali would be influenced by the Europeans as well, incorporating old Fencing terms in Spanish. [2]

Alternatively it could date back in the pre-Spanish era, influenced by the neighboring Srivijaya and Majapahit empires based on linguistics analysis of the various other names of Arnis. [1]

Doce Pares Dan Inosanto, Mike Inay Inayan, Bo Sayoc Baltazar, Lacoste, Dionisio Canete avec leur Grand Master Angel L. Blancia..jpg
Doce Pares

The Eulogio and Cacoy Cañete would learn about the discipline from escrimadors in the early 1900s, the early part of the American colonial era in the Philippines. The Cañetes in 1918 moved to Cebu City to study under the Saavedra family, led by Lorenzo and Teodoro. The first Arnis club the Labangon Fencing Club would be formed. It was disbanded years after. [2]

Balintawak Arnis SanpedroBalintawak.jpg
Balintawak Arnis

Eulogio Cañete with 12 founders would organize the Doce Pares in this place. Practionwrs would be hired as bodyguards of politicians and some would engage in Juego Todos or street brawls. Some masters would get killed after the 1952 national elections. Arnis clubs would splinter off from Doce Pares; Balintawak Arnis of Anciong Bacon five months later and Lapunti Arnis in 1960. [2]

An international sports body, the World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation would be in the country in August 11, 1989, after a convention was held at the Sacred Heart Center in Cebu City. [3] Dionisio Cañete was elected as their charter president. [4] Cañete would formalize rules and regulations to professionalized the sport of Arnis. [5]

Official recognition

Arnis featured in Philippine postal stamps. Arnis 2011 stampsheet of the Philippines.jpg
Arnis featured in Philippine postal stamps.

Arnis is recognized as a national sport in the Philippines via Republic Act 9850 signed by President Gloria Arroyo on December 11, 2009. [6] [7] The sport is mandated to be taught in physical education classes in schools in the Philippines. Well-funded schools tend to have more comprehensive arnis lessons. [8]

Tournaments

Arnis has been part of the calendar of the Palarong Pambansa, the national games for in-school youth in the country. [1]

The WEKAF World Championship has been hosted in the Philippines. This includes the very first edition held in Cebu City in 1989. [9] It will be held in Mandaue in 2016 and 2022. [10]

The sport has also been included when the Philippines hosted the Southeast Asian Games in three occasions; 1991, 2005, and 2019. In 1991, arnis was held as a demonstration sport. In the two other occasions, it was a regular or medal event. [11]

National sports association

Arnis tournament equipment. Arnis Tournament Safety Equipment.png
Arnis tournament equipment.

The Philippines' national sports association (NSA) for arnis currently recognized by the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) is the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation (PEKAF).

Previously Arnis Philippines (ARPI) was the country's NSA until its expulsion from the POC in 2018. [12] ARPI protested against the revocation of their membership. [13] PEKAF founded in 2017, [14] would supplant ARPI as the Philippines' NSA for Arnis. [15]

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Arnis: A proudly Pinoy sport". Rappler. April 26, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 Gasgonia, Dennis (November 30, 2019). "#SEAGames2019: A look at the rich history of arnis". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  3. ↑ https://wekafinternational.com/index.php/about/
  4. ↑ "Cañete, Supreme Grand Master of arnis, passes away". Tempo. August 23, 2021. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  5. ↑ Alison, Mars (July 23, 2019). "Cebu's Cañetes spread arnis/eskrima as sport in Europe". Cebu Daily News. Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Arnis declared National Martial Art and Sport". ABS-CBN News. January 8, 2010. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  7. ↑ Dagooc, Ehda M. (June 14, 2018). "DOT to promote Arnis to boost sports tourism". The Freeman. The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  8. ↑ Son, Johanna (October 24, 2020). "Filipino martial art stages comeback in its native land". Nikkei Asia. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ "Cebu to host WEKAF joust anew". The Philippine Star. June 23, 2012. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  10. ↑ Villaruel, Emmanuel B. (July 12, 2022). "All set for 16th WEKAF Championships". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  11. ↑ Pedralvez, Manolo (September 19, 2022). "SEA Games: Arnis debuts as medal sport overseas". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  12. ↑ Velasco, Bill (November 24, 2018). "POC expels arnis, adds four NSAs". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  13. ↑ Navarro, June (December 3, 2018). "Ousted Arnis NSA seeks IOC help". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Arnis Phils. out, PEKAF in". SunStar. March 30, 2017. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Successful hosting opens door for arnis' SEAG renaissance". ESPN.com. December 4, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
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