This whole idea that arnis was a dying art and that Prof. some how saved it I think a little over exagerated by some Modern Arnis people.
The FMA until the late 60's early 70's was seen as a thugs art. Close you eyes and think of an eskrima master training with a cigerette hanging from his lips seems reasonable. No imagine someone in a karate gi doing the same. It seems absurd.
Karate and TKD became popular as it became fashionable because :
1) It took money to take these arts, so it was a way to show off status.
2) It was foreign and exotic, pinoys had a inferioity complex. Things that were home grown were seen as inferior. Karate and TKD with clean white uniforms all moving in unision in a dojo must haved looked very cool. Compare the to how other most FMA was practiced in street clothes in outside or in the alley.
Not to take anything away from the Prof. as he did tirelessly push FMA, but he was not the only reason the FMA grew in popluarity.
I believe it had more to do with the cultural revolution the Philippines went through during the 60'and 70's. Just as in west a rise in student/youth activitism took place. What happened was a cultural re-awakening of Pinoys looking inward to there own culture. I parallel this to the rise of black nationalism or back to africa movements that happen in the African American community in the US.
The FMAs were not dying but they were not growing. The Prof. paved the way for respectability of the FMA with organized ciriculm, uniforms and rankings. This is what makes the modern in Modern Arnis.
However, oddly enough this move to modern can be attributed to the loss of effectivness that some on this form might say has happened to modern FMA (not just modern arnis) Just as in the japanese "do" methods. But I like I've said before there is room for every one.
Vince
aka Black Grass
The FMA until the late 60's early 70's was seen as a thugs art. Close you eyes and think of an eskrima master training with a cigerette hanging from his lips seems reasonable. No imagine someone in a karate gi doing the same. It seems absurd.
Karate and TKD became popular as it became fashionable because :
1) It took money to take these arts, so it was a way to show off status.
2) It was foreign and exotic, pinoys had a inferioity complex. Things that were home grown were seen as inferior. Karate and TKD with clean white uniforms all moving in unision in a dojo must haved looked very cool. Compare the to how other most FMA was practiced in street clothes in outside or in the alley.
Not to take anything away from the Prof. as he did tirelessly push FMA, but he was not the only reason the FMA grew in popluarity.
I believe it had more to do with the cultural revolution the Philippines went through during the 60'and 70's. Just as in west a rise in student/youth activitism took place. What happened was a cultural re-awakening of Pinoys looking inward to there own culture. I parallel this to the rise of black nationalism or back to africa movements that happen in the African American community in the US.
The FMAs were not dying but they were not growing. The Prof. paved the way for respectability of the FMA with organized ciriculm, uniforms and rankings. This is what makes the modern in Modern Arnis.
However, oddly enough this move to modern can be attributed to the loss of effectivness that some on this form might say has happened to modern FMA (not just modern arnis) Just as in the japanese "do" methods. But I like I've said before there is room for every one.
Vince
aka Black Grass