Lakas Filipino Martial Arts Podcast

I first became aware of Mark Mikita when I lived in Southern California. On a hot afternoon amidst the crawling West LA traffic on Washington Blvd, I saw his school. The exterior was white, with clean lettering and black Baybayin on the side. “Mi-ki-ta” I said to myself, reading the ancient syllabary. Above it all, clear and simple with no adornment, as if to boldly proclaim the art were the words “Filipino Kali”.

I would come to follow Guro Mark through his social media presence, and became fascinated with his videos. I admired how articulate and precise his language was, not unlike the detailed illustrations that he painted inside of his school. I remember being particularly intrigued as he taught Sumbrada, discussing the difference between blocks and line closures, describing exigence and contingency. More recently I learned through his content, that what I’ve called “thumb meat” for all these years is correctly named the “thenar eminence”. And as someone fascinated by etymology, and the origin of phrases and quotes I was also impressed with the correct attribution of well-known quotes on his extensive website.

These podcasts were always exclusively conducted in person, as I relished the energy of presence. But since the pandemic had restricted travel and meeting in person last year, it presented a perfect opportunity to continue these interviews virtually. A few months ago I heard or read Guro Mark state somewhere that he was working on an instructional on Sumbrada, and during that time with my own students we had selected the Sumbrada platform as point of interest, examining the various iterations of it across systems and styles. As the course was just released on his website, I thought this would be a perfect time to connect.

This episode is actually the first time I’ve wanted to focus on something so specifically, and it was a pleasure to really delve deeply into something that I’m so fascinated by, and Guro Mark is so passionate about. Unexpectedly, we both encountered some technical difficulties even after more than a year of Zoom classes and for me, virtual meetings at work. Thankfully, Guro Mark’s beautiful wife graciously stepped in for the assist, which is why her name appears on screen.

Again, I want to express my most sincere gratitude for Guro Mark’s words and insight, his generosity of thought and his valuable time.

You can find more information about Guro Mark Mikita at his website https://www.fightology.com/

and more about his Sumbrada course at https://www.fightology.com/mastering-sumbrada

Shortly before moving back home to Maryland, I watched Guro Inosanto online as he presented our Filipino Martial Arts to a captivated audience at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. The program, entitled “Filipino Martial Arts: From Kali and Escrima to Boxing” featured faculty from the University of Maryland but also included a name I was not familiar with. During her portion, Gura Rosie Abriam gave a wonderful recounting of the Princess Josephine of Panay, the legendary teacher of the famed Grandmaster Floro Villabrille. I watched, captivated and in awe as she told her story, and was impressed with both her poise and familial camaraderie with Guro Inosanto.

Over the last two years, I have been involved with the Katipunan of Maryland’s Filipino Cultural School, and during these sessions I have often spoke to the many young children about our great women warriors. Even Guro Inosanto has proudly recounted the seven Joan of Arc’s of the Philippines, and detailed at length the many aspects of the Philippines’ historically matriarchal society. Recently, in my fruitless attempts to find out more about the Princess Josephine I recalled Gura Rosie’s presentation, and soon reached out to get in touch with the facilitator for the presentation, footage of some of Guro Inosanto’s demo, a transcript of Gura speaking, and finally Gura Rosie herself.

Gura Rosie was gracious enough to agree to an interview, and I was humbled by her genuine personality and authentic desire to support and uplift our Filipino community. In the lineage of Grandmaster Floro Villabrille himself, to Grandmaster Ben Largusa, to her direct teacher Tuhan Joseph Arriola of the Kamatuuran School of Kali, it was an honor and my privilege to connect with Gura Rosie.

“Yes! The rhythm! The Rebel!” – Public Enemy

I started listening to Sifu Dwight Woods years before his podcasts, “The I Love Jeet Kune Do Broadcast“, “The Jeet Kune Do Dialogues” and “The FMA Files“. I started watching Sifu Dwight on YouTube back in the day, intently listening to his clips from his classes, talking about Guro Inosanto, JKD and Kali. Since then, podcasts have become a great source of entertainment and education for many, especially me. 

In the short amount of time that he has been recording and publishing his podcasts, Sifu Dwight has conducted and shared literally hundreds of interviews and dialogues. For me, they have been a tremendous source of information as well as an avenue to deep and personal introspection. I have listened to Sifu Dwight so much over these last three, or rather ten years that I felt like I knew him before we even “met” via Zoom. 

Through this worldwide pandemic and social distancing, my own Lakas FMA Podcast has continued to highlight those who have influenced and inspired me, and it was my great privilege to have Sifu Dwight on as my guest. 

I see it in footage today, just as I saw it in person back then. But I cannot explain it. “It must be his position” I thought. “Or maybe the angles.” In the hot, and very humid Florida sun, we stood around Gat Puno Abon Baet at he easily touched his opponent’s head with his stick while staying out of range. I watched their shoulders. Their feet. Even now, I cannot really understand it. I only know he can do it.

Twelve years ago at Sayoc Sama Sama in St. Cloud, FL I watched and met Gat Puno Abon for the first time. I knew of him already through social media. In fact, when I heard he was there I really wanted to talk to him about his career as a Master Chef. But his demonstration was the first time I would get to see in person, the mastery of long range characteristic of Paete Arnis.

I would come to learn more about GAT, or Garimot Arnis Training, as well as Gat Puno through his book, his social media presence and his interviews through the years. I am fascinated with his family art’s inclusion not only of Arnis, but of the Filipino wrestling learned from the Aeta’s that he calls Buno, as well as the indigenous healing, cupping and herbal treatments in his Hilot.

In addition to his vast knowledge of Filipino Martial Art, Gat Puno is still cooking in the kitchen, creating amazing training weapons and shields out of wood, and is as funny and personable today as I remember him back then. It was my honor to have him on the podcast to talk about his martial arts journey and his family’s art of Garimot Arnis.

“Watch how he moves. Look at him.” I looked over my shoulder for a moment. “Did you see him?”

I was partnered up with Guro Victor Gendrano for the evening Kali class at the Inosanto Academy. I was there for Instructor Camp, so the school was crowded with both students as well as visiting instructors from around the country, even from around the world. We were pushed to the very back, at the edge of the mats. Sticks were swinging everywhere, the aroma of In-N-Out wafted in through the open bay doors. But even through the chaos and distractions, his movement was unmistakable. Professor Guy Chase circled his partner, counterbalanced his stick with his hands, moved with the flowing footwork of “tayada” and echoed the old footage of Guro Inosanto and Guro Ted Lucaylucay back in the day.

I had been telling Guro Victor about my craving for In-N-Out all evening, so when he asked Professor if he wanted to join us at the fast food joint after class, I immediately changed my tune and offered to go anywhere they wanted. But being the friend that Guro Victor was, and Professor really just wanting to spend time with him and catch up, the first time I spent time with Professor Guy Chase was over burgers, fries and shakes.

He said something to us that night though, something that haunted me for the last 3 years. “They ask the blessing of the souls before them, to come into the training. And at the end, they send the blessing with out with the students.” It was beautiful. And hinted at the deep and spiritual roots of Kali that is not often talked about today.

I had started this podcast with the intention of only ever interviewing and speaking with guests in person. The energy, the actual presence was different. Like our Kali, like the dialogue and flow and back and forth of Sumbrada, the sharing of flow and movement. But then of course Covid hit, and despite the restrictions on the world this pandemic granted me freedom. And when I asked Professor if he would consider being a guest and he agreed, I knew exactly what I wanted to ask him about.

Professor Guy Chase is a longtime student and instructor under Guro Inosanto, as well as Guro Ted Lucaylucay of the Lucaylucay Kali System and one of the privileged few to study and earn via blood ceremony his title of Professor under Tuhan Mel Lopez and Upong Tuhan Ben Largusa of Villabrille/Largusa Kali. He was a personal student of Pendakar Herman Suwanda, the legendary Karl Gotch and spent nearly a decade learning the prestigious Chado Tea Ceremony. It was my great privilege to have Professor Guy Chase on the podcast to talk about traditional Kali training, the spiritual component of the art, and his amazing journey.

And to my good friend and senior in Filipino Martial Arts, the late Guro Victor Gendrano. Rest in peace, Kuya. I miss our talks.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/gc-1.mp3

We all leaned forward, on the edges of our seats. As the Stormtroopers surrounded her, she sat still, forging tools in hand. One prodded her helmet with his blaster. Suddenly she sprung up, alive in action, her hammer and tongs whirling and smashing and crushing. We all shrieked in exhilaration! My daughter next to me jumped up off the bean bag, my sons and wife yelling on the couch. And immediately I saw it. The hook of the leg. The open four counts. The double weapon traps and locks. The Armorer was doing Kali!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVW8v-dPCYQ

I wouldn’t find out until months later that the woman behind the mask was none other than Lauren Mary Kim, who would thrill us earlier this year with her motion capture choreography as Ahsoka Tano fighting Maul on The Clone Wars. This was the same stunt woman who brought Elektra to life in the Daredevil series. And much more exciting than that, this was the same Lauren Mary Kim that I had been watching for years on her YouTube series, Kali Diaries. The opening of which, showing our Academy uniform and the distinct salutation of our school and teacher, Guro Dan Inosanto.

Guro himself, as well as his students (my seniors) have blazed a train through Hollywood. The most notable of course was Guro’s appearance opposite Bruce Lee in The Game of Death. But whether it was Jeff Imada’s appearances with a balisong (butterfly knife), Guro Inosanto fighting Steven Seagal in a pool hall, Kali choreography by Guro Jeff Imada in The Bourne trilogy, Book of Eli, The Fast & The Furious franchise, and most recently Chad Stahelki’s John Wick movies, Lauren is in legendary company with pioneers that have infused Filipino Martial Arts into American pop culture for decades.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/lmk.mp3

I could barely believe it. I was standing outside in the Southern California sun, looking up at the Ed Parker’s Kenpo Karate sign at his original school in Pasadena. I was about to go inside and meet Tuhon Ray Dionaldo, the incredible Filipino Martial Artist that had captivated my attention over the last several months on YouTube. I had started Sayoc Kali earlier in that year, and in addition to his dazzling demonstrations of blade disarms and stick work, had been introducing the martial arts world to the karambit.

It was 2003, and my wife and I had just moved to Los Angeles. Though I had been studying Filipino Martial Arts for a few years I was blown away by the material we covered that day. The karambit, blade, sarong, blade IN sarong (especially blade projectiles FROM sarong, and blade projectiles using Sikaran) or even Silat techniques that Tuhon presented I still use and teach today.  The concepts… the concepts of 50/50 Rule, occupying all weapons, ballistic entries and disarming forever changed and bridged how I learn, practice and teach Filipino Martial Arts. Through the years at Sayoc Sama Sama’s, Tuhon Ray would be gracious enough to teach me how Anakin stripped the lightsaber from Dooku and beheaded him with a lightsaber gunting. He taught us about shifting from Receiver to Feeder, and astounded us with his concealment ability even when we swarmed an old abandoned house looking for him.

Since those times I have seen Tuhon Ray less in person, but maintain my awe not only in his skill, smoothness and flow captured on video, but in the quality of students and instructors he has produced. Much more than that, I have always been impressed with the camaraderie and family atmosphere that FCS practitioners and in turn the whole organization have always emanated. Tuhon really is an ambassador, a link and a bridge between systems, amongst teachers, from ancient to modern, from The Motherland to The States. I was completely honored that Tuhon Ray agreed to be on this podcast, and am exceptionally grateful not just for his time and generosity here, but for all he has done and continues to do for Filipino Martial Arts.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/trd.mp3

Sometime during my college years, I came across a book that truly captivated me and significantly influenced my views on Filipino Martial Arts. That book was “Filipino Martial Culture” by Mark V. Wiley. Growing up, I loved going to bookstores and my local mall had at least two or three. I would scourge the graphic novels and fictions sections, but eventually grew into (and stayed with) martial arts. It was from those bookstores that I read Claremont’s X-Men seminal “From the Ashes”, Tolkien’s vast History of Middle Earth including the epic poem “The Lays of Beleriand” and Forrest E. Morgan’s “Living the Martial Way”. I collected the Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method Books, and on trips up to New York City’s Chinatown I even purchased books on Muscle/Tendon Changing and Bone/Marrow Washing Qigong.

It was in those college years that I started studying Eskrima. Everything I knew about Filipino Martial Arts I had learned from my teachers and martial arts magazines, but “Filipino Martial Culture” presented the art in a broader cultural context. It incorporated the anthropological and sociological aspects. It talked about land migration theories, folk dances, town festivals and even anting-anting. But most of all, there were amazing stories of Tatang Illustrisimo, the formal salutation of the LaCoste Kali system demonstrated by Guro Inosanto, and in-depth details about martial artists I’d only seen in Panther Productions video ads such as Professor Vee. I followed Dr. Mark Wiley’s writings through the years, but when a memory echoed within me of the late Pamana Tuhon Chris Sayoc recalling meeting him for the first time, I decided to reach out. I had wanted to make a trip up to Pennsylvania to meet him myself, as I have only ever conducted these interviews in person but when Covid hit I thought this was a good of a time as any to actually try via Zoom.

Like his Integrated Eskrima Distance Learning Program (DLP), Guro Mark was as personable online as I imagine him to be in person, full of knowledge and story, insight and thought. And while I had more questions for him than swords on my wall, he was a gracious guest and shared his memories on authoring Filipino Martial Culture, his admiration for his teachers, experiences The Philippines and even his perspective on the warrior/healer dichotomy in martial arts.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/audio_only_1.mp3

Guro Steve Grody is one of the pioneers in sharing JKD and Kali through video. He is the one that put Burton Richardson on, and propelled Mark Balluff to mega stardom. But what really set him apart at the time, and what is still immensely valuable to me was his emphasis on very specific components of the arts. Both highly specialized but also extremely universal, his tapes on hubad lubad, siko ordibas and chi sao presented material in great detail. But his tape on Sectoring was one of a kind, and like myself, millions of martial artists around the world studied that tape endlessly.

One day while driving back from the Inosanto Academy in LA, I wondered about Steve Grody and as soon as I got home I looked him up. Not only did he continue to teach Kali and JKD, but he was a Swing Dance instructor! And he was a graffiti photographer! And it all made sense. So many of the great martial artists from the original Kali Academy had gone on and taken the lessons to heart in their lives. Whether it was their own martial art schools or systems, film or music, there are numerous examples of Guro Inosanto’s students expressing themselves honestly, and genuinely.

When I started this podcast, it was with the intention of connecting live and in person with teachers who have had a meaningful impact, not only through martial art but in my life. So it was truly a privilege to sit down with (and meet for the first time!) someone who had already been a big influence on my learning, understanding and ultimate expression of myself.

Plus it was very cool to talk about dance (all I knew about Swing Dance was those GAP commercials in the 90’s), and graffiti, all up in the mix just like variables in Kali. This was a wonderful experience in verbal and conceptual Sumbrada.

Also, as member myself of Washington DC’s Double Down Kings (2DK, 2 Day Krush), the largest and longest running graffiti crew in the city, it was poetic for me to have Guro Steve’s interview as Episode 22.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/sg.mp3

Guro Inosanto always shared with us that it was the martial artists, the warriors who protected the culture. He once commented that any culture that exists today, only exists because there were warriors there to preserve it. And as long as I have known about Filipino Martial Arts, I knew that somewhere in that culture and history, existed the ancient script. Like anting-anting, like the hidden meanings in the dances and like the tatak tattoos on the warriors, Baybayin was always encoded in the movements of Kali. Guro Inosanto told us about his teachers that had to “write” the characters in the air with their sticks, that became their amara (movements, or combinations). The lines were fluid, with sharp direction changes and dots to represent thrusts. The characters were in Guro’s Filipino Martial Arts emblem, and they were part of the old Atienza Kali logo.

But while this “ancient script” lived through the many years (barely, at times) through Kali teachers, tattoos and scribblings in notebooks, it has only been in the past few years that certain individuals have really brought Baybayin out into the mainstream. While Kristian Kabuay may have almost singlehandedly revived interest in Baybayin here in the States, Jay Enage has been one of those leading the way in the land of it’s origin, The Philippines. His efforts alongside senators (including Manny Pacquiao) to bring Baybayin (sometimes still referred to as Alibata) into the national spotlight.

When he announced on Facebook that he would be selling his teacher’s book, I reached out to inquire how I could purchase here in Baltimore. It just so happened that he was visiting at the time! So after a few messages back and forth, I found myself a guest in his relatives’ home and hospitality to interview.

https://lakasfma.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/je.mp3