History of FMA:
The history and background of Filipino Martial Arts:
The peopling of the Philippine Archipelago consists of several
groups. Recent evidence recently found in Palawan Island
indicates pre-Mongoloid/prehistoric man can be traced as far as 50,000
years ago. Most Archaelogists and Historians agree that the peopling of
the Philippines consisted mainly of the Negritoes or the Aetas,
Indonesians and Malaysians,. Most also add that the Chinese, the
Spanish, and the Americans can be included in that mix due to
intermarriages, acculturation, assimilation and amalgamation of the
mentioned groups to the Filipino population. The aborigines known as
the Negritoes or the Aetas had their own warrior culture.
Generally known for their high level of skill in the use of the the bow
and arrow as a hunting tool & a defensive weapon. The early
Indonesian settlers (also referred to as the "Nesiots") came in two
waves of migration, around 3000 BC, who brought along some tool
sophistication and some weaponry. They were the ancestors of
present-day Luzon & Mindanao Hill Tribes who were mainly noted for
the creation of the Philippine Rice Terraces. The next wave of
Migrations (around 4000-2000 BC) were the Malay or the Austronesian
groups who sailed into the Philippines using "Barangays" which
are large boats and also a reference to the general size of about
100 family members compriseds a Barangay. These Austronesians pushed
the Negritoes into the mountains and brought with them the Iron Age to
the Philippines. From these migrants, a huge part of present-day
Filipino Martial Arts had its origins and can be hugely attributed to
these groups. An evolution transpired with the influences of the
Chinese, the Spanish, the Americans, and the Japanese occupation. A
sort of evolution of the fighting arts because of the mere fact that
the various migrations contributed, the trading with the Chinese, the
addition of Spanish culture during the period of Colonization,
the Philippine-American War experience, and the more recent Japanese
Occupation during World War II. From these events, the Filipino
Martial Arts evolved due to continous influences and compliation of
experiences. There were various periods of fighting among
the Negritoes, the Indonesians, the Austonesians, the Spanish
Colonization, the Philippine-American War, and during WWII
against the Japanese.
Today, Filipino Martial Arts is striving and many groups are involved
in the promotion and propagation of these Arts. (More to come later.)
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