Page 31 - Martial Science August #22-2017

KALI

INDIGENOUS ART

OF THE

PHILIPPINES

BY MARK BRADY

Tuhon Apolo Ladra was born in

Batangas, Philippines, and came
to the United States at age five. A
6th-degree black belt in ATA and
7th-degree in WTF taekwondo, he has

won numerous gold medals in interna-
tional competition and authored
video tutorials on taekwondo curricu-
lum and tournament strategies. A

student of Grand Tuhon Leo Gaje,
Jr., heir and guardian to the Pekiti
Tirsia style of Kali, Ladra’s Kali-4-
Kids, KaliCombat, and KaliFitness

curricula are used by tens of
thousands of students worldwide.

Tuhon (“Master”) Apolo Ladra was born in the er and mentor, Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje, Jr.
Philippines province of Batangas, birthplace “Kali wisdom and practice promotes life, not
of the balisong or butterfly knife. A master of death. Health, not sickness. Success, not fail-
the Pekiti-Tirsia style of Kali, Ladra believes ure. Love, compassion and care for others per-
the art of blade pervades everything, from vades the art of Kali.”
the use of switchblades, balisong or machetes,
to Kali sticks, police batons and other impact One might ask how this life-affirming ethic is
weapons, to empty-hand techniques of fight- consistent with a brutally combative style of
ing used by martial artists around the world. martial art used by some of the world’s deadli-
est military strike forces.
Why? Because blade represents, practically
and philosophically, the razor-thin line be- “We train so that we can protect and preserve,”
tween victory and defeat, between life and says Ladra. Prepare to be deadly in order to
death. “We hold life precious,” says Ladra, preserve life. It’s a paradox deeply embedded
following from the wisdom of his teach- in the Kali culture. It also speaks to Ladra’s

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