Eskrima
Filipino swordsmanship and empty hand techniquesWhat is Arnis, Eskrima, Kali and Kalis?
Arnis comes from the Spanish "Arnes" which means "armor", "arneses" which means "harness" in English. It denoted the various means by which armor was strapped on. In "Zarzuela" the plays presented by the Spaniards to show the conflict with the Moors (Moros), actors donned "Arnes" and acted-out the sword fights. In the corruption of meaning and words which is common in Filipino, "Arnes" or "Arnis" came to mean "swordplay". When the Spaniards prohibited Filipinos from wearing swords, the Filipino gentry took to the cane. Thus sword-work evolved into stick-fighting which became known as "Arnis".
Typical Moro Moro Play during 70's in Manila
"Escrima" or "Eskrima", from the Spanish word "Esgrima" meaning "Fencing" or "swordsmanship", was the word used for "swordplay". The older, blade-based FMA's used this term. In time "Arnis" and "Eskrima" became interchangeable terms used to describe stick-fighting. It is ironic that now "Kali" is taken to mean "sword-work" while "Eskrima" or "Escrima" which used to mean "sword-work" is now taken to mean "stick-fighting".
Philippine Guerillas Practicing Eskrima during World War II
"Kali" to mean "sword" or "swordsmanship" is not found in any of the 87 or so Philippine languages. "Kali" in the Ilocos region, for example, can mean "eagle" or a "hole in the ground". The commonly accepted idea that "Kaliradman" and "Kalirongan" are word cognates of "Kali" ignore the fact that "Ka" as found in the above words are prefixes used to denote "a state of being". The root words of the above conjugations are "Liradman" and "Lirongan" respectively and certainly not "Kali" by any extension. The closest word; "Pagkali-kali" is descriptive of the locked talon-jousts of eagles in mid-air, similar to swordsmen locked in combat. "Pagkali-kali", however, is so obscure and localized that it cannot be used as the basis of a description for a fighting system used almost throughout the Philippine islands.
In all the local languages and dialects, "Kali" to mean "sword-work" simply did not exist until it was coined by modern FMA exponents. "Kalis", on the other hand, means "sword" and specific movements of the blade. The use of "Kali" as the word for ancient Filipino swordsmanship is historically baseless, some ekrimador use to "hypothesized" that this was the ancient word for it.Arnis or Eskrima or Kalis, whatever you may call it. It is a Filipino swordsmanship using native swords, sticks, daggers and any available weapons for combat. And still evolving as reflection of Filipino culture.This martial art is the heart of uncolonized but adaptive warriorship of Filipinos.