Our Filipino Martial Arts class include the following disciplines:
* Bakbakan Kali-Ilustrisimo – from the curriculum of Grandmaster Rey Galang of Bakbakan International
* Bolo/Itak Fighting from Tagaan Arnis- a Filipino Martial Arts rooted from the noble freedom fighter KATIPUNEROS of the De Leon-Payumo ancestry from Bataan and Pampanga, Philippines
* Kawala Filipino Martial Arts (street fighting/survival system)
* Sibukan-Kali
* Double stick or “Sinawali”
* Tulisan Knife Fighting System; an off-shoot of the Bakbakan Kali Ilustrisimo system
* Knife Self-Defence
* “Dos Manos” (two handed stick/sword fighting)
* Filipino empty hand fighting using the “bolo” punches, kicks, elbows and grappling maneuvers.
Filipino Martial Arts featured in a new documentary – ESKRIMADORS
Grandmaster Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo (1904-1997) demonstrating his revered “Kali Ilustrisimo” Filipino Martial Art system.
What is Arnis, Escrima and Kali?
Arnis, Escrima, Kali, Pangolisi and Garote are only a small number of the many names that are given to the indigenous stick based martial arts. The majority of Filipino’s now in The Philippines, refer to the stick based or weapon based arts as Arnis or Escrima. Kali is used more by some westerners when referring to the arts.
Stick based is the term that we apply more often to these styles of Martial Arts as the beginner is taught with a stick but the movements of most styles can be translated to various conditions of armed or unarmed combat. The stick is a weapon but also it can be simply an extension of the hand and a training tool. A student learns that if you have a stick, a baton, a knife, or a sword you still have two hands. If you have two sticks, two knives, two empty hands etc or even a combination of weapons, the movements of attack and defence are basically the same. It teaches self defence without having to learn many different patterns for each new weapon, which is different from other Martial Arts. These Arts use economy of learning as well as economy of movement in the execution of their techniques. They also differ from the majority of other Asian Martial Arts as they teach weapon work before empty hand training. The key to Arnis/Escrima is that if you learn one set of attacks and defence well enough, the techniques can be simply translated and “your hand can be your sword”, even in a literal sense.
What does the word ‘Arnis’ mean? 
Arnis comes from the Spanish word ‘Arnes’. The English translation is ‘harness’. Around approximately 1637AD Spanish Roman Catholic priests trying to enhance the introduction of Catholicism to The Philippines and trying to oust the influence of Islam created the Moro-Moro play or plays. It has been said the first play was written to dramatise a recent defeat and capture by a Christian Filipino army of an Islamic fort. Another source states that the play represented a Christian Spanish victory over the Muslim Spanish in the latter part of the 13th Century. Whatever the original source it is obvious that play variations appeared but each had the theme of Christians defeating Muslims. The plays depicted fighting scenes using swords and the Filipino’s through the plays had a chance to practice their Martial Arts, as they had been earlier banned by the Spanish to practice the Arts. The plays called for the actors to wear costumes that incorporated an Arnes or a harness. From this word arnes we now have the Filipino word ‘Arnis’. It has also been called ‘Arnis de Mano’ or harness of man.
What does the word ‘Escrima’ mean? 
The word ‘Escrima’, ‘Esgrima’ or ‘Eskrima’ was used by the Spanish when referring to swordfighting or fencing and was also used when referring to the many skirmishes and battles that took place in the colonisation of the country. The Spanish controlled The Philippines for almost 400 years. They made Spanish the “Official” language and it has gradually replaced many older words in the different Filipino languages that represented the Martial Arts.
What does the word ‘Kali’ mean? 
There are several words in the Filipino languages that denote a simple stick, ‘garote’ or ‘olisi’ are but two. ‘Kali’ or ‘Kahli’ as it is sometimes written, is in the Visayan language a type of stick, but the stick is used in a certain way or ways, such as it being used as a walking stick and/or for self defence in times of trouble. The term Kali is still used today in the Philippines as a element of some of the more remote terms such as ‘Kali-rongan’ or ‘Kali-radman’ describing the weapons based fighting arts. After the Spanish banned the practice of sword fighting for the Filipino’s, certain types of Kali were said to have been preserved by being set in native dance forms known as the ‘Sayaw/s at Sinolog’ or dance/s at fiesta. They could then occasionally hold folk dancing exhibitions to amuse their new rulers. The native weapons and shields were used in these dances and were set to music and drums. Some older Escrimadors state however that the dances have always been used, even before the Spanish came, to teach students the Martial Arts. Much like the katas or patterns that are used today by some styles to teach.
Filipino Martial Art – Bakbakan-Sibukan Kali Ilustrisimo at UMMA headed by Guro Ramon of Bakbakan International, Toronto, Canada Chapter
About Bakbakan International 
The form and structure of Bakbakan is credited to Master Rey Galang, my teacher, who is one of its founding and charter members. Many of its rules and regulations have been developed in close conference between the Masters and Senior Members as well as its revered Grandmasters. The late Grandmaster Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo is the revered head of the Kali Ilustrisimo system. It is this system that is the basis of Bakbakan’s Kali system referred to as Bakbakan Kali Ilustrisimo. This name change does not purport to take credit away from “Tatang” Ilustrisimo but to identify the system developed and structured by Bakbakan based on Grandmaster Ilustrisimo’s concepts and strategy. It is the training methods and structure that differentiate the Bakbakan Kali Ilustrisimo practitioner from any other Kali Ilustrisimo claimant.
The effectiveness of Bakbakan’s system of training has been proven many times in many competitions both local and international. Tulisan Knife-Fighting System, an off-shoot of the Bakbakan Kali Ilustrisimo system, is another of the arts practiced within Bakbakan that is fast growing in popularity. Based more on basic knife-fighting techniques and constant sparring rather than memorized pre-planned drills, Tulisan has proven its mettle in many sparring matches against knife-fighters from other systems.
Recognizing the need for ambidexterity and fluidity in the mastery of weapons, Bakbakan’s research into the Philippine martial arts found its answer in the ancient system of Sinawali (Double sticks) – a fighting style popular in the Central Luzon plains. Sinawali emphasizes double weapons training for obvious advantageous reasons. Bakbakan’s Sinawali Fighting System is a major stepping stone into the realm of Espada y Daga (Sword and Dagger). Once familiarity and ambidexterity has been achieved, it is a simple progression to switch from equal length weapons to short and long armaments. Research and development of Bakbakan’s Sinawali system is credited to Master Rey Galang, with contributions from Grand Master Antonio Diego and the late Punong Guro Edgar G. Sulite. Grand Master Antonio Diego, the recognized and designated heir of the Kali Ilustrisimo system, is Bakbakan’s official chief instructor for the Bakbakan Kali Ilustrisimo system. Known for his well-rounded expertise in both long and short weapons, Tony Diego has proven his worth with the blade in many street encounters and contact sparring matches. The late Punong-Guro Edgar G. Sulite of Lameco Eskrima is another of the first-generation Kali Ilustrisimo masters that helped develop the structure of the Bakbakan Kali system.
The Toronto Chapter was the first Bakbakan International Chapter established in Canada in 1990′s when Master Rey Galang assigned Guro Ramon Villardo as Director of Bakbakan International, Toronto, Canada Chapter. Guro Ramon now devotes himself teaching the Filipino Martial Arts, “The Warrior Arts of the Philippines.”
