MODERN ARNIS
The martial art known as Modern Arnis can be described essentially as stick fighting. It was developed by a man named Remy Amador Presas and was first taught in the Philippines in the late 1960's. The art is a modernized version of Arnis (also known a Kali), hence the name "Modern Arnis". The art utilizes sticks (canes), bladed weapons and empty hand techniques in its defensive tactics.
Arnis (Kali) as an art dates back several hundred years having its origins in the Philippines. Its name comes from the ancient Malayan word for large bladed weapon. Bladed weapons were not native to the Philippines, but in roughly 200 BC the Malays migrated to the area and brought bladed weapons with them. These new weapons were eventually added to the native fighting arts.
Kali not only was used for self-defense but was also considered entertainment. In the early days it was so popular that it was known as the sport of kings. However, this popular art began to decline as early as 1596 when the Spanish authorities discouraged its practice. They felt that the practitioners were spending more time practicing Kali than tilling their land. It eventually was band in 1764.
The revival of Kali and its name change is said to be due to a play known as the moro-moro. The play called for fight scenes requiring bladed weapons. They decided to use Kali for those scenes. In the play, the fighting Spanish soldiers wore arnes, the color trappings worn by medieval soldiers. From arnes came the word Arnis. The official name change did not come until 1853. However, there are still some parts of the Philippines that refer to Arnis as Kali. Over the years Arnis was practiced throughout the Philippines and fluctuated in popularity, but again slowly began to decline. It wasn't until Remy Presas came along that it made its next great revival.
Remy Presas learned Arnis early on in his life. However, it wasn't until decades later and after mastering other martial arts that his focus on Arnis grew. Wanting to revive the art and its cultural importance to the Philippines, he began to modernize the antiquated techniques of Arnis making them more effective and easier to perform.
Modern Arnis was first taught as an art in the city of Manila where it continued its development. It was not long until this new art gained acceptance. In 1969 the National College of Physical Education began offering Modern Arnis as a regular class. Through classes taught at the NCPE and at Remy Presas' school, this updated art was able to spread throughout the Philippines quite quickly.
In the 1970's Remy Presas, brought Modern Arnis to the United States teaching anyone who wanted to learn. Now over 30 years later, Modern Arnis is taught and practiced all over the world.
Professor Remy Presas died in August of 2001. With his death, many of his students worldwide are now heading up their own organizations to help the art prosper and live on. One of those students, Professor Dan Anderson (6th degree Black Belt Senior Master of Modern Arnis under Professor Remy Presas and 8th Degree Black Belt Professor of MA-80 System of Modern Arnis) has developed a sub system of Modern Arnis known as the "MA-80 System of Modern Arnis" or "Modern Arnis 80."
Professor Anderson describes his art… "Modern Arnis, as I learned it from Professor Presas, stressed several elements, the most important being the concept of "The Flow." All I have done is taken his art, discerned the fundamental principles which underlie it and put them into a systemized form that will eventually lead the student to developing his or her own flow. This is the legacy my teacher passed on to me and so I pass it on to my own students." The title "Modern Arnis 80" has two meanings. 1980 was the year Professor Anderson began his training with Remy Presas. Additionally, if you take the number 8 and place it on it's side, you get the symbol for infinity. Prof. Remy Presas taught countless variations of technique application, creating the appearance of an infinite number of actions one could take in any given situation. Taking the 8 and separating it from the 0 creates the philosophical viewpoint of the possibility of anything (8) to the simplicity of the moment (0). This is the viewpoint behind the training of technical application.
Pictured top to bottom - Professor Remy Presas the father of Modern Arnis, year unknown. Professor Presas with Professor Dan Anderson circa 1980's
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