Welcome to THE BALISONG JOURNAL An online journal of Southeast Asian Martial Arts, Culture and Spirituality from Guro Jeff Davidson and Detroit Kali-Silat. We will focus on Filipino Kali, Batangas Knife, and Silat Melayu (especially Silat Kuntau Tekpi) - along with Yoruba (West African) fighting and healing arts- and other interesting diversions along the way.
Learning from the MasterLearning Silat: Nurture, Nature, or Gnosis
It is a standard scene. The student has come here to study silat. He harbours a personal goal in wanting to be able to defend himself. It may be for revenge, for protection, for self-development or simply for recreation.
He sees the other students milling about, talking about things other than martial arts until one of them becomes aware of the teacher approaching. He is the first to stand at attention followed by the others.
The teacher says a few words and indicates the beginning of the class. The students salute the teacher, their friends and begin training. Here, the commonality of this scene fractures into three separate realities.
I.
In one reality, the teacher asks one of his students to strike him in the chest. One obligingly does and is met with an evasion and a parry, a strike to the vitals, usually just indicated, followed up with a lock or takedown.
The teacher then repeats it a few more times, ensuring they remember what they see. Once he is satisfied, he tells them to copy his exact movements and apply them on their partners.
End of scene one.
II.
In a second reality, the teacher has prepared his student for months in the field. The work he does on the farm has given him proficiency in his physique.
When he executes the wardance, it is something neither master nor student has seen before. It comes naturally to him, and yet, each blossoming of the hands and prancing of the feet are calculated, as if reacting to an unseen enemy.
Every angle is in his control, every imbalance correctable, every muscle in its proper place, every beat of the accompanying rhythm matched note for note. His movements are both pleasing to the eye and intoxicating to the self.
End of scene two.
III.
In a third reality, the teacher sits in front of his student and clasps his right hand, or recites some verses into a glass of water, which he drinks, or pats the small of his back, or, or, or... Almost immediately, the student feels empowered, as if his sinews have been charged by a battery. He is pit against a senior student and they fight.
He defends successfully against all his senior's attacks and manages to beat him back and wins the round. He has never studied a martial art before. End of scene three.
Three foreign students who come to Malaysia with the specific intention of studying Silat Melayu may get a shock of their lives when they meet each other at the airport to compare notes on their way home.
Each of them has trained in a different system with different methods and has been indoctrinated with a different idea of what silat is. None of them can comprehend what the other is rambling about because the methods they studied make no sense. Is this a familiar problem?
(stay tuned for part 2)
Philippines 2005
Tuhon Gaje and Me in Detroit
Looking a little closer at the difference(s) between the Batangas knife style of Manong Leon “Tito Jun” Saludo and the Kol De Mama Daga/Dagaso-Tirsia knife method from Grand Tuhon Gaje can give deeper insight into both methodologies for the practitioner.
SOME BACKGROUND
The Pekiti-Tirsia system of Kali has been taught and practiced around the world for more than 30 years. It is in my opinion, one of the first bona-fide systems of Filipino Martial Arts – as opposed to a style. Through the genius of Grand Tuhon Leo T. Gaje Jr., a guy with no previous knowledge or training in weapons-based Arts can start from the very beginning and develop an incredible level of skill as he progresses methodically through the system. The drills and exercises are for the most part cross-transferable between knife, stick, and empty-hands.
Over the years, Pekiti-Tirsia knife techniques have been referenced, augmented, co-opted, pirated, and/or plagiarized by many practitioners from many other styles. In fact, if you study FMA (or even Silat) in the
I began studying Pekiti-Tirsia in 1987 with a second-generation instructor in
The training was much different – much more “alive” than the old school Pekiti knife material – so far beyond the standard “Knife-tapping” exercises. One afternoon we were sitting in Barnes and Nobel drinking coffee following a training session, and Tuhon said to me “You can spend 5 years just learning the knife and you will still not know everything!” In retrospect, I admit that I took that the wrong way. He wasn’t saying that there was so much material that it took 5 years to learn. I realize now that he meant that based on his ‘new’ curriculum, a capable student could devote a lot of time exploring and developing his own expression of the Knife Art.
Pekiti-Tirsia is a living Art. Like it’s Grandmaster, it is not frozen in some period or place in time, but is yet evolving and refining toward the higher levels. If you look at how the Art has developed over the decades, you might say that Tuhon Gaje was attempting to convey a particular “message” through his teachings.
What was the “message” in the old days? What is the “message” today?
Handmade Bowie from my student Panday
Doug Marcaida
Kuya Doug Marcaida is not as high-profile as a lot of other people in the FMA world, but he’s really a big deal around here. Our paths first crossed about 7 years ago in the Pekiti-Tirsia universe, when my students and I were in search of like-minded practitioners under Grand Tuhon Gaje to practice, refine, and grow in the material we were given by the Great Man. When we “found” Kuya Doug, something clicked.
Tuhon Gaje gave his blessing for Kuya Doug, myself, and Ka Jay Saludo to form The Brotherhood of the Blade - dedicated to mutual support and refinement of the Filipino Martial Arts and related disciplines.
There has been tremendous positive growth and development for us over the past few years, and much of it can be sourced directly back to Kuya Doug. Here are some examples:
DETROIT-to-TEXAS-to-MALAYSIA
It was through Kuya Doug’s introduction that I met the legendary FMA/Silat teacher Cigku Omar Hakim of Austin, Texas. Eventually I was invited by Cikgu Omar to attend a special training camp in Texas where I (along with 3 other people) became one of the first candidate instructors of the Malaysian martial art of Silat Kuntau Tekpi.
That experience opened the door to some important and highly valued friendships with notable Silat Melayu practitioners in Malaysia such as Mohd Nadzrin Wahab of Silat Cekak Hanafi (who became my mentor and younger brother at the same time), Ustaz Saiful Muhammad of Silat Telapak Nusantara, and Guru ‘Lan Tekpi’ of Silat Kuntau Tekpi Malaysia .
Another important relationship that grew from the Tekpi training camp is our friendship with two patently amazing martial artists: Ricky Rillera and Robert Slomkowski - see earlier posts. Thankfully, our friendship has endured over the years, and we were able to meet up again in Texas last year in San Antonio for an awesome weekend of sharing and training. BTW, Ricky Rillera and Kuya Doug happen to be old training partners.
DETROIT-to-SASKATCHEWAN-to-BATANGAS
It was through Kuya Doug that we met Ka Jay Saludo, leader of the Saskatchewan Pekiti-Tirsia group and co-founding member of The Brotherhood of the Blade. We became fast friends. During a training seminar in Rochester, New York that Kuya Doug was hosting, I had the opportunity to spend some quality time with Manong Leon Saludo (Jay’s father) who was kind enough to give me a spontaneous demonstration of the Batangas knife style he’s practiced since his teen years. In retrospect, I’m really glad he was using a rubber knife because 20 years of my martial arts career would have been brought to an abrupt bloody conclusion at his first counter.
I’ve discussed the differences between Pekiti-Tirsia knife training and Batangas knife training elsewhere on this blog. After a period of me requesting (begging) Manong Leon to teach me his method, he finally and graciously agreed, and we now pass this fearsome style to carefully selected members of our student body.
DETROIT-to-ROCHESTER-to-TORONTO
We were again in Rochester some years back for a seminar hosted by Kuya Doug featuring the incomparable Tuhon Leo T. Gaje. It was one of the largest seminar groups I had ever seen. As I recall, Tuhon Gaje’s flight from Korea was delayed, and Doug stepped right up to the plate to teach the first day on his own. Meanwhile in an adjacent area, my students and I were treated to a special training session led by Ama Guro Jun De Leon of Toronto. We couldn't know that this experience would shape our Kali quest for years to come.
That was our first exposure to the “KDL Methodology”, and even though we had a really hard time with it, everyone saw the value. We needed more. Over the next few years we trained with Ama Guro Jun every chance we got, and with his guidance, and hours upon hours of grueling practice – and we got better. The Maestro graciously allowed us to join the KDL family two years ago, and we continue to take advantage of every opportunity to study this world-class system under this world-class Master.
INTO THE FUTURE
So you see, all the influences that make up our practice: Pekiti-Tirsia, Kali De Leon, Batangas Knife, and Silat Kuntau Tekpi – in one way or another have been undeniably inspired by the great Kuya Doug Marcaida. Like a true brother and friend, he’s always looking out for us; always pushing us to become better; always pushing us to grow and develop.
Thanks Kuya - it's been a fantastic journey so far. We’re all looking forward to even greater things to come!
Someone sent me this photo, saying it was the perfect representation of our Martial Arts practice. I agree. BTW, that is a live cobra (I hope he used a zoom lens).
This is how I really learned the Art of Kali. Of course, I did not study with the great Patato Valdes shown here – but those who know how to watch and listen to this can learn so much about our martial art.
As profound as this is, it is grade-school compared to some of the guys I know in West Africa. The bata players from Oyo not only play their hearts out, they play yours out as well.
That’s Kali.
Tuhon grapples my student Mike in the Philippines
I’ve been getting a lot of email questions regarding my post about dumog. The majority of these inquiries come from people who are familiar with Tuhon Gaje’s dumog or jujutsu (Japanese and Brazilian) and are wondering how and what we’re applying from Silat Kuntau Tekpi. I’ll share some thoughts here.
DUMOG and JUJUTSU
Unless you’re just rolling around for fun with a game partner, I don’t think there is much from Tuhon’s dumog that can be applied in a jujutsu-style grappling match. My student Panday knows a lot more about these things than I do, so if I am mistaken I hope he’ll correct me. It seems to me that the BJJ or JJJ is more concerned with jockeying for and establishing some kind of “position” and then going for the submission hold or choke. Whereas, dumog should begin with Pangamut (striking techniques) and then the opponent’s weight is loaded onto a joint -such as the shoulder, elbow, knee, or often the neck – before his weight and yours comes crashing down on that joint, against the hard ground.
The closest thing we do to anything that would remotely resemble Japanese Jujutsu is Cambod, which involves grappling against the opponent’s limbs. However, unlike jujutsu, instead of locking-stepping-throwing in a circle (like koto gaeshi) Cambod more involves wrapping the limb and using it to “collapse” the opponent’s body into your follow-up strike. That’s the best explanation I can give without a video, and we won’t be posting any videos. The bottom line is that I think you can play pretty hard with Jujutsu and both guys can still be friends at the end of the day. The more you resist against dumog or cambod, someone is going to be injured.
JUJUTSU and SILAT KUNTAU TEKPI
My SKT teacher Omar Hakim as well as my friends in
DUMOG and SILAT KUNTAU TEKPI
If you are lucky enough to study Silat Kuntau Tekpi and have people of different sizes and body types to train with, you may eventually discover what I’m talking about in the above paragraph. Then, you’ll know how it feels to lock an opponent from his center so that he can’t move or step out. Then, if you know enough buahs, you’ll be able to do this regardless of whether you are in front of him, side to side, behind him, etc. There’s a relatively simple “trick” to learning this principle (which upon second thought I’ve just deleted from this article…sorry!). Once you understand this, you should be able to accomplish this same thing in your dumog applications. The result will be that your dumog locks and throws will be more efficient and explosive, and you will reduce your “counter-ability” to a huge extent.
Well, there you have bit from my perspective. For those of you that wanted to know if/how you can apply dumog and Silat Kuntau Tekpi in your next cage fight or grappling contest – sorry. I don’t even want to know how to train that.
Typical: Tuhon kills me while Bassam films from a safe distance
Mbah Sartono
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to the memory of a most honored elder as we near the anniversary of his passing, Mbah Sulieman Sartono. I was blessed to meet him in
Mbah Sartono was wise, kind, and soft-spoken, with sincere Javanese nobility. He was a man of keen perception, with the ability to fathom secrets beyond our physical world. He was well known as an expert in the traditional Javanese spiritual disciplines. Even now, so many years later I often find myself listening to the recordings I made of his melodious voice reciting prayers, stories, and history in old Javanese.
I made a promise to his family that I would always remember this great man - and indeed – his memory inspires me until today.
Even if it seems certain that you will lose, retaliate. Neither wisdom nor technique has a place in this. A real man does not think of victory or defeat. He plunges recklessly towards an irrational death. By doing this, you will awaken from your dreams.
There is something to be learned from a rainstorm. When meeting with a sudden shower, you try not to get wet and run quickly along the road. But doing such things as passing under the eaves of houses, you still get wet. When you are resolved from the beginning, you will not be perplexed though you still get the same soaking. This understanding extends to everything.
A warrior should be careful in all things and should dislike to be the least bit worsted. Above all, if he is not careful in his choice of words he may say things like, "I'm a coward." or "At that time, I'd probably run." or "How frightening," or "How painful." These are words that should not be said even in jest, on a whim, or when talking in one's sleep. If a person with understanding hears such things, he will see to the bottom of the speaker's heart. This is something that should be carefully thought about beforehand.
In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu said, "If discrimination is long, it will spoil." Lord Naoshige said, "When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will turn out badly. A warrior is a person who does things quickly."
When your mind is going hither and thither, discrimination will never be brought to a conclusion. With an intense, fresh and undelaying spirit, one will make his judgments within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side.
No matter what it is, there is nothing that cannot be done. If one manifests the determination, he can move heaven and earth as he pleases. But because man is pluckless, he cannot set his mind to it. Moving heaven and earth without
putting forth effort is simply a matter of concentration.
Until the age of forty it is best to gather strength. It is appropriate to have settled down by the age of fifty.
When on the battlefield, if you try not to let others take the lead and have the sole intention of breaking into the enemy lines, then you will not fall behind others, your mind will become fierce, and you will manifest martial valor. This fact has been passed down by the elders. Furthermore, if you are slain in battle, you should be resolved to have your corpse facing the enemy.
Until one reaches the age of forty it is better to put off wisdom and discrimination and excel in vitality. According to the person and the rank, though a person has passed the age of forty, if he has no vitality, he will pet no response from others.
When one has made a decision to kill a person, even if it will be very difficult to succeed by advancing straight ahead, it will not do to think about going at it in a long roundabout way.
The resolution of the men of former times was deep. Those between the ages of thirteen and sixty went to the front lines. For this reason men of advanced years hid their age.
Yamamoto Kichizaemon was ordered by his father Jin'-emon to cut down a dog at the age of five, and at the age of fifteen he was made to execute a criminal. Everyone, by the time they were fourteen or fifteen, was ordered to do a beheading without fail. When Lord Katsushige was young, he was ordered by Lord Naoshige to practice killing with a sword. It is said that at that time he was made to cut down more than ten men successively.
A long time ago this practice was followed, especially in the upper classes, but today even the children of the lower classes perform no executions, and this is extreme negligence. To say that one can do without this sort of thing, or that there is no merit in killing a condemned man, or that it is a crime, or that it is defiling, is to make excuses. In short, can it not be thought that because a person's martial valor is weak, his attitude is only that of trimming his nails and being attractive?
If one investigates into the spirit of a man who finds these things disagreeable, one sees that this person gives himself over to cleverness and excuse making not to kill because he feels unnerved. But Naoshige made it his orders exactly because this is something that must be done.
Last year I went to the Kase Execution Grounds to try my hand at beheading, and I found it to be an extremely good feeling. To think that it is unnerving is a symptom of cowardice.
By waiting to get the agreement of others, a matter like taking revenge will never be brought to a conclusion. One should have the resolution to go alone and even to be cut down. A person who speaks vehemently about taking revenge but does nothing about it is a hypocrite. Clever people, by using their mouths alone, are taking care of their reputations for a later date. But a real stalwart is a man who will go out secretly, saying nothing, and die. It is not necessary to achieve one's aim; one is a stalwart in being cut down. Such a person will most likely achieve his purpose.
If you cut a face lengthwise, urinate on it, and trample on it with straw sandals, it is said that the skin will come off. This was heard by the priest Gyojaku when he was in Kyoto. It is information to be treasured.
A helmet is usually thought to be very heavy, but when one is attacking a castle or something similar, and arrows, bullets, large rocks, great pieces of wood and the like are corning down, it will not seem the least bit so.
