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Douglas
10-17-2006, 01:12 PM
One of the most fascinating things about the Filipino martial arts is the amount of adaptation we see from other arts,

I understand that there are elements from the martial arts from different cultures who have passed through the Philippines and - in many cases - given combat with the people on the islands. Obviously, there's a lot of Spanish influence, but are there not influences from the Chinese, Japanese, Arabs and Indians?

I wonder if anyone has made a thorough study of this?
Brian R. VanCise
10-17-2006, 07:35 PM
While I have not made a study of it you can bet that they have added various things from Indonesia, Southeast Asia and I am sure China and Japan. FMA are a melting pot and continue to be expermental and adding new things regularly. That is one of the beautiful things of FMA!
Brock
10-17-2006, 11:02 PM
Don't forget the Itialians and the Dutch. Many of the mercenaries that worked Spanish ships were one or the other.
Brian R. VanCise
10-18-2006, 10:06 AM
Definately the western influence is there as well.
arnisador
10-18-2006, 10:25 AM
Definately the western influence is there as well.

Yes, I've seen long arguments about how much Spanish swordwork influence there is, and whether Filipino boxing influenced or was influenced by Western (and Thai) boxing, and so on. I wish some academics would take this seriously! But even in China and Japan there's limited academic interest in the arts...as here, you rarely see a historian of boxing, or the Bowie knife, etc. Medieval knights get all the attention, it seems.
Carol
10-25-2006, 04:48 PM
There is also Indonesian influences in the styles of Silat. :)
Carol
10-25-2006, 04:53 PM
Yes, I've seen long arguments about how much Spanish swordwork influence there is, and whether Filipino boxing influenced or was influenced by Western (and Thai) boxing, and so on. I wish some academics would take this seriously!

Guro Mike was telling me in class the other week how there was a documentary show that was done on the Filipino influence of Western Boxing. When I am in class later this week I will see if I can track it down.

The story as he was describing it is fascinating, as it involves not only influences of physical movement but also of culture. (New Americans of Filipino lineage struggling to find acceptance on the mainland and Hawaii, U.S. armed forces experiences in the archipelago.)
robertlk808
11-07-2006, 06:57 PM
Wow.. so have you been able to gather any further information in regards to the documentary? Sounds fascinating.
Carol
11-07-2006, 07:11 PM
Wow.. so have you been able to gather any further information in regards to the documentary? Sounds fascinating.

Thanks for the heads-up Robert! We had two seminars in fairly quick succession so asking him about the video slipped my mind. I'll ask Guro Mike at my next class on Friday morning. I'd like to see the video myself! :)
robertlk808
11-07-2006, 07:31 PM
Thanks for the heads-up Robert! We had two seminars in fairly quick succession so asking him about the video slipped my mind. I'll ask Guro Mike at my next class on Friday morning. I'd like to see the video myself! :)

Excellent, I have read about the Filipino influence but I haven't really seen anything "factual" per se... I would love to hear more about the documentary when you get a chance to review it.

Thanks!