| Filipino Systems |
| Sasamba Kali Arnis is a stick fighting system that combined Praying Mantis Kung-Fu and Chin-Na with Comjuka Kali, Modern Arnis, and Traditional Arnis. This Filipino/Chinese system was developed by Tuhon Rick Ward, one of the four Tuhons in North America. Tuhon is the highest rank in the Filipino martial arts, above GrandMaster, meaning 'KING'. Tuhon Rick Ward studied the Filipino arts under Tuhon Ruby, the late Grandmaster Presas, and Master Woods. The word Sasamba means 'Praying Mantis' in Filipino. The stick techniques are applicable to sword, knife, or empty hand fighting. |
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| Filipino History The orgins of Arnis, or Filipino stick fighting, are also uncertain. There are nearly as many styles of stick fighting as there are islands in the Phillipine archipeligo-over 7,000! Arnis traditionally employed sharp swords, daggers, knives, and fire-hardened sticks in combat. "tjakalele" (Indonesian Fencing). "kali" is another term familiar to stick fighters around the world today. When the Philippines were invaded by the Spanish, the invaders required guns to One of the earliest known forms was called subdue their fierce opponents. The deadly fighting skills of Filipino warriors nearly overwhelmed them, and they dubbed the native stick style "escrima" (skirmish). GrandMaster Remy Presas At age 6 Grandmaster Remy Amador Presas (Filipino Arnis master and founder of modern arnis) was already learning the fundamentals of kali, the forerunner of Modern Arnis de mano. In Cebu, Presas studied Arnis under Rodolfo Moncal, Timoteo Marranga and Marranga's instructor, Grandmaster Venancio Bacon, all experts in Arnis and the "Balintawak" style of stick fencing. In addition to Arnis, Presas became proficient in judo, jujitsu and karate. When Presas first traveled his country, he took what he considered to be the most effective principles of each island style and combined them with his own knowledge of other martial arts. Presas also insists on modernizing a particular training aspect traditional in Arnis: that of hitting your opponent's hand or arm instead of his stick - a painful practice that was tolerated because the rattan canes used in arnis were considered sacred. Presas does not merely combine techniques, he encourages the individual student to adapt Arnis principles to his own feel for each technique. The method should suit the person and not the other way around. This is known simply as using the "flow." "Arnis makes many martial artists discover new things about their own style," Presas says. "They recognize the beauty of Arnis because it blends naturally the best movements from many arts. Most of my students continue to study their own styles - they just use Arnis to supplement their understanding." |
| GrandMaster Remy Presas |
| Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby |
| Master Alan Woods |
| Tuhon Rick Wei-Ward |
| Master Josh Wei-Watson |
| Filipino Systems Genealogy |
| Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby "Queen of the Filipino Martial Arts" Grandmaster and Founder of the Comjuka-Kali System Headquarters in El Paso, TX. COMJUKA-KALI SYSTEMS IS.... Is a blend of Comjuka, (Filipino Combat-Judo-Kali), Master Ner Reodica’s Laban Tulisan, and the late and greatly missed Master Edgar Sulite’s Lameco Escrima. Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby received permission from Master Ner and Master Sulite to incorporate their arts with Comjuka. Incidently, Tuhon Ruby is accredited by the Filipino Consulate General, Alfredo C. Lanuza, for bringing Comjuka to the United States. MARAMING SALAMAT PO SI TUHON! COMJUKA-KALI SYSTEMS... . . . Is a family based and shared combative martial art that is comprised of combat weapon fighting, unarmed combat, combat ground fighting, as well as Filipino customs and cultures.CONCISELY PUT Comjuka-Kali Systems is a multi-opponent, weapons and grappling orientated martial art that primarily utilizes an attackers force against them so that size, strength, and gender is not an issue. It is also based on HUMAN physiology and was developed out of mortal necessity and dates back as far as the 7th century. Comjuka-Kali Systems is to be used ONLY when there is no other choice and you, or someone else’s life depends on it. KALI PHILOSOPHY Maniwalla Kami Sa TAGUMPAY, Hindi Sa BIGO (We Believe in Success, not in Failure ) Maniwalla Kami Sa KALUSUGAN, Hindi Sa SAKIT (We Believe in Health, not in Sickness) Maniwalla Kami Sa BUHAY, Hindi Sa KAMATAYAN (We Believe in Life, not in Death) Tuhon Gaudiosa Ruby -Tuhon Ruby has taught the Military Hand-to-Hand Combat Courses at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, at two military bases in West Germany, and in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Aberdeen, Tacoma, and Ft. Lewis in Washington. Titusville, Florida. Andrews AirForce Base, Maryland, and Wichita Falls, Texas. -Tuhon Ruby was proclaimed 'The Queen of Filipino Martial Arts' by Grandmaster Leo T. Gaje in El Paso, Texas, 1989. - Tuhon Ruby founded the United States Kali Association Incorporated, and is a member of the National Kali Assoc. of the Philippines and LAMECO Eskrima Intl., headed by Tuhon Edgar G. Sulite, author of three books on the Filipino Martial Arts, they are, "The Secrets of Arnis", "The Advanced Balisong-The Filipino Butterfly Knife", and "Grandmasters of Kali, Arnis, and Eskrima". -Tuhon Ruby is currently teaching at her school - "Filipino-American School of Combat Arts, Comjuka/Kali Systems". She teaches together with her husband, Punong Guro Gary Ruby (Head Instructor, 8th Degree Blackbelt). Brief History of Kali & Comjuka-Kali Systems KALI is an ancient Filipino art of self defense which was originated and developed by the Filipinos several hundred years before the coming of the Spanish to the Philippines. KALI is also known as ARNIS or ESKRIMA. KALI consists of different fighting forms with the use of different weapons; the single stick, double sticks, sword and dagger, dagger and dagger, and empty hands. Aside from these weapons, KALI also uses the Kama (sickle) and the Gonzo (hay hooks) which are the favorite weapons of COMJUKA. KALI was the martial art that made the Americans invent the Colt .45 Automatic, just to stop a jurementado, a Filipino Muslim skilled in the art of KALI, from killing American soldiers during the Filipino-American conflict of 1900 in Mindanao island before the two countries had been allied. KALI has hundreds of styles in the Philippines and is practiced throughout the country in Luzon Island, the Visayan Islands, and Mindanao Island. Each province has its own style of self defense in KALI. Some of the styles are named after the founder, others after the place where the style came from such as Toledo style, Batangas style, Pangasinan style, Bohol style, Cebu style, and the Pampangan styles in Pampanga, a province in the northern island of Luzon where COMJUKA was developed and practiced. COMJUKA, meaning Combat-Judo-Kali, was changed to Combat-Judo- Karate during the time of the Japanese occupation in W.W.II. The Filipinos did this so that the Japanese would allow them to continue to teach the art. COMJUKA had been practiced secretly and handed down father to son for hundreds of years by the Pampangoans until the Japanese occupation ended. COMJUKA is now returned to its original meaning Combat-Judo-Kali by Tuhon Ruby as the forefathers of COMJUKA had intended it to be. The supreme Master and Director of COMJUKA in the Philippines had a trusted student to whom he passed on his knowledge. This student was a Grandmaster. He imparted his knowledge of COMJUKA only to selected students that he put his trust and confidence in. Among his selected students was Gaudiosa Swanby, who is now Tuhon (Grandmaster/Founder) Gaudiosa Ruby of the COMJUKA-KALI systems. Tuhon Ruby has trained in the art of COMJUKA rigidly under the Grandmaster in Pampanga for many years until she mastered the art and was commissioned to promote and propagate the art of COMJUKA to people with good moral character for the purpose of self defense, self discipline, self confidence, and to promote good health. Tuhon Ruby then founded the art in America and developed forms and a system of minimum requirements for each belt ranking and thus, earned the title of Grandmaster/Founder. |
