Page 40 - Martial Science Magazine Aug/2014 #4
P. 40
A Travelling Ronin
Kali
By: Martin “Travelling Ronin”
Fransham
BACKGROUND: I have loved fighting with What I have always found extremely interesting
weapons for as long as I can remember. However, is how cultures adopt from each other. During
most of my introduction to weapons had come the colonial era Spain influenced the Philippines
in the form of Medieval Martial Arts and Chine- enormously. The sea-faring nations exported their
se Martial Arts. I had almost no experience with cultures around the globe bringing various ideolo-
Filipino Martial Arts. Sure I had heard of Kali gies and technologies with them. Today, the situa-
but other that knowing they did “stick fighting” I tion is reversed. Kali is being exported around the
couldn’t have told you much about it. world and has become a part of the Martial Arts of
several militaries.
Paul Ingram charging forward to slash me to ribbons.
Kali has many other names and you will someti- We started warming up with a basic pattern to deve-
mes hear of it referred to as Arnis or Escrima due lop timing.
to the Spanish influence in the Philippines. Like all
of the Martial Arts I visit I was surprised by how Pekiti-Tirsia Kali is one of main systems of Kali
rich and diverse the culture of fighting goes in and was officially created by the Tortal Family in
Kali. This was anything but mere “stick fighting.” 1897. The current head of the system is Grand Tu-
Filipino Martial Arts are as different and incre- hon Leo Gage Jr. who has been extremely devoted
dible as any of the Chinese Martial Arts I have to growing this system of Kali. Beneath him gent-
studied.
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