Kamatuuran Kali

[tuturuhan]

Oosh,

No...I am speaking about the guys who came to Amercia in the 1910's and 1920's. This was known as the "first great wave". These guys would be over a 100 years old now. These are the guys, who brought their oracion. These are the guys who practiced anting anting.

They were of the generation of true warriors. They came to American after fighting against Americans in the war of 1896. Spiritual ritual, hallucinations, and magic amulets made their practice not an art form but a way of life.

Today, we take martial sport as the norm. We go to class and then we then go to the movies or a football game. These manongs/manangs ritualistically, prayed oracions and went into the mountains to talk to the agta...

Tuhan Joseph

 

[Epa]

Tuhan Joseph,

I think that the generation of Melecio Ilustrisimo (Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo's uncle) would have been born in the late 1800s and were part of that immigration of Filipinos in the early 1900s. Tatang Ilustrisimo was born around 1900 by most of the sources I've seen.

I think many of that generation did come to the United States and some of them kept the practices alive. Many of them continued the practices of oracion, such as Regino Ilustrisimo (Tatang's other uncle) who had one tatooed on his calf by his older brothers. John Lacoste taught many of the traditional prayers to his students as well. These two men came to the United States well before World War 2, I think Lacoste came into Hawaii in the 1920s.

So I think that may be part of the generation that you are thinking of, though I don't know all of the exact dates for sure. Also, what is an agta? I've never heard the term before.

Thank you,
Eric

 

[oosh]

Yes, Tatang was born in 1904, his father was Isidro and his uncles were Melecio, Regino and Agapito (though Agapito was not known to practice Eskrima). I am not sure of Isidro's birth date, I will try and find out something more concrete while I am in PI during the summer.

 

[Flying Crane]

I tell students in San Francisco, that in the 1960's (with the exception of the underground gung fu schools) there were only two public schools: 1) Richard Kim's Okinawan at the YMCA and 2) Ralph Castro's Kempo School. I tell them in one way or another (with the exception of the TKD schools) they can all trace their roots back to those instructors.

Tuhan Joseph

Actually, if you look thru the old San Francisco Yellow Pages that are available in the Public Library starting at about 1960 onward, maybe even 1959 or so, you will see that there are already numerous schools listed, including Tracys kenpo. I've actually gone to the library, pulled the dusty books down, and paged thru them. The number of schools listed at that time grew steadily each year. Prior to about 1959 or 1958 or so, there is nothing listed. Sorry, I can't remember the exact dates.

 

[tuturuhan]

Actually, if you look thru the old San Francisco Yellow Pages that are available in the Public Library starting at about 1960 onward, maybe even 1959 or so, you will see that there are already numerous schools listed, including Tracys kenpo. I've actually gone to the library, pulled the dusty books down, and paged thru them. The number of schools listed at that time grew steadily each year. Prior to about 1959 or 1958 or so, there is nothing listed. Sorry, I can't remember the exact dates.

Excellent! I wish I would have thought of that...going to the telephone books. Now, I would be interested in who the owners of those San francisco schools were. Thank you...more facts in our arsenal. Excellent!!!

 

[Flying Crane]

Excellent! I wish I would have thought of that...going to the telephone books. Now, I would be interested in who the owners of those San francisco schools were. Thank you...more facts in our arsenal. Excellent!!!

Don't remember, I believe most of them are no longer in operation. I do recall seeing Ralph Castro's, of course he moved down to Daly City. Most of the others I didn't recognize their names. I try to sort of pay attention to the schools here in the City, I just like to know who's around. I didn't recognize too many other names as still being around today.