The Old Ways
By
Chris M. Suboreau & George M. Yore
Introduction
This article came about after a recent conversation with a close friend and colleague. This man is a recognized and highly ranked master of karate and jujitsu. During this discussion, which was focused on Philippine martial culture, he asked what ranks Grandmaster Sonny Umpad held, and, if he belonged to any particular martial arts organizations. These questions brought forth memories of discussions had with the legendary Sonny Umpad – about his experiences, recollections, and view, of the Filipino martial arts. Our research, insights, and, impressions, shed light on this topic of conversation.
Closed Ranks and Low Profile
The Filipino martial arts, until the early 1970’s were clannish, secretive, and insular in nature. The burden of the Spanish occupation, as well as, the fact that these arts were often used for life or death purposes, demanded, for centuries, that the protagonists of these arts maintain a low profile. In remote areas of the country, or in times of war, the skills honed from the indigenous fighting arts practiced by a given tribal/regional group or family were often the only immediately accessible means of protection that one could call upon. The combative arts, of both allies, and enemies, were mined for their respective offerings and were assimilated into the ever-evolving native martial practices. It was imperative to understand the perspectives of advantage and to probe for any weaknesses. Reconnaissance missions have been around since time immemorial – prudent for the hunt and for human conflict. All warriors grasp this concept as expedient and essential – know your enemy. Notwithstanding the difficulty of maintaining clandestine operations, with resolve, it is possible. In fact, stories of a wife’s not being told of a husband’s mastery, or, of other family members discovering an adept’s hidden knowledge after a period of many years, were not unusual.
Often, a student learned the basics in the old fashioned, “hit and get hit” method of instruction. Corrections were given as necessary, so as to embed the preferred maneuvers of blocking and striking. After building this foundation, the student “learned by doing” via their participation in drills. An eskrimador would fight in many training bouts and perhaps encounter some challenge fights; particularly if a grudge, dispute, criminal act, or point of perceived disrespect, required mutual combat to settle the matter. This training, despite its rigorous nature, was, at its core, inherently valuable – those who were accepted into the circles of arnis, eskrima and estocada knew full well that mistakes, under duress, and, in the heat of an altercation, could get one maimed or result in a fatality. The training methods were suitable, and, adjusted on a sliding scale of intensity, to account for the circumstances and potential threats that one might encounter: facing multiple opponents, the maintenance of footing on uneven terrain, or the manipulation of a weapon in close quarters. There was a lot of information to pass on, so for these arts to remain intact and transmissible to succeeding generations, training had to build practitioners up, not destroy them at every turn.
The fundamental style of a practitioner consisted of the body of instruction received from his instructors and classmates. Once that foundation was established, the eskrimador would inject refinements and insights into the application of this material from practical training, sparring bouts, and informational exchanges with other practitioners. Ultimately, his style would become his own interpretation of this knowledge, based on his personality, preferences, skills, and abilities. All of our recognized masters went through this process and handed down their knowledge and personal contributions to us. Details may vary, but the process essentially remained constant.
This process of ongoing research and continuous personal development of one’s understanding and ability makes the Filipino martial arts a constantly evolving field of study. It can be presumed that this type of growth is not exclusive to Filipino martial arts and also occurs in other martial arts systems regardless of their origins; be they Indonesian, Indian, Maori or Samoan.
The Dissemination of Seeds
The late Grandmaster Sonny Umpad, in his recounts of past events, unraveled the process we have described above, to us – this was transmitted both verbally, and via direct practical instruction, during the years that we trained with him as his students. Sonny was famous for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Filipino martial arts and his ability to demonstrate myriad variations of any technique. Grandmaster Umpad used his own development process to illustrate the learning, polishing, and cultivation that lead to eskrima mastery. In his generation, it was not unknown for a fledgling eskrimador to be schooled in the art by a relative or close family friend. Sonny learned the basics from his best friend’s grandfather. Once equipped with the basics, he learned from other young students through discussion, training, and challenge matches. Only a few formal schools existed at this time, the era of the 1950’s and 60’s. Most learning was informal and happened away from established academies. Practitioners of good character and reputation often trained with more than one group or teacher.
A frequently heard phrase of Grandmaster Umpad’s was the exhortation to, “add em’ up.” Like most of his advice, this saying operated at several levels of meaning. At its most basic level, this means to simply combine techniques and attributes to create a larger outcome. For example, two five-count patterns could be combined to make a ten-count series. Footwork could be added to a stationary drill to create a flowing, dynamic interplay. This process of addition, subtraction, and analysis became a hallmark of Sonny Umpad’s great instructional methodology. It served as a mandate for advanced students to freely interject their contributions and interpretations. Analysis would then be conducted to determine the validity of these ideas. Let us caution the reader that this method was only used after assimilation of the basics, and, requires the guidance of an experienced instructor. Simply going on, of one’s own accord, can be a grave error if not done with proper comprehension of the basics.
Additionally the phrase, “add em’ up” is a challenge to all instructors to add their own unique expression and insights into the living body of knowledge they impart to their students. Along with the proven classical material, these insights provide the “spice” that makes eskrima such a satisfying dish. However, even when a recipe has been perfected, the chef presses on – never resting on their laurels. It was made clear to us that the cuisine of eskrima, was not allowed to stagnate. The impetus for the growth of the art was a charge that was sown within our consciousness. This concern for the health of eskrima was always in operation during our training sessions. As was Grandmaster Umpad’s way, he urged us to stay hungry, dig deeper, and, build a foundation that would continually foster the art of eskrima. It was imperative that the art not merely survive – the goal was for it to thrive.
The Ebb and Flow of Influence
Just like the present day, financial times can be tough on families, and, sacrifices need to be made. The competition for scarce jobs lead to a much more fluid lifestyle, as employment often required travel to where work could be found; as has always been the case, people take their culture with them when they travel afar.
On one occasion, Mr. Suboreau was introduced to a manong (respected elder) by Sonny in 1981. Fed up by the fruitless search for a job, and, with a family to support, Mr. Soto shipped out of Cebu as a deckhand aboard a cargo ship. He was able to go from ship to ship continuously because of his hard work ethic. He was only able to return to his family seven times in the next 35 years; finally retiring to the USA with his family. Mr. Soto credited eskrima with saving his life, on many occasions, while traveling all over the world. Sometimes, he and his shipmates would practice eskrima after work aboard ship. More than once, he met other martial artists, and was able to compare techniques. Under these conditions, allegiance to any style, or teacher, became impossible. There were no governing bodies to accredit an eskrimador. His credentials were his fighting ability and his teaching expertise. The capacity to organize and transmit complex material is what defines a great instructor.
The ideas of ranking and certification were not a usual and customary part of the traditional Filipino martial arts. These concepts came from foreign martial arts and were not used in the Philippines until fairly recent times; perhaps the late 19th or early 20th century. Certainly these are effective organizational tools; also useful for standardization, and, purposes of commercialization. These ideas are practically inseparable from the modern martial arts culture, as we know it today. As a matter of fact, it may be more important for a system to cultivate the ability to produce competent students, as opposed to, a more limited focus that revolves around the chief instructor’s fighting skill, combat record or rank. By the way, what rank was Bruce Lee?
In Answer To Your Questions
Santiago “Sonny” Umpad did not belong to any particular martial arts organizations. He was invited to join several different associations over the course of his life, but he always respectfully declined the offer. Sonny preferred to remain an independent operator – this made sense given that he founded his own system of martial arts. He felt that requisite obligations on numerous fronts, to one, or several associations, would rob him of the precious time that he poured into the continual research and development of his unique style of eskrima.
Although he trained with many other martial artists during his lifetime, he claimed no affiliation to a given system – other than his own. However, he always gave credit where credit was due. In this context, he, like those that came before him, was a product of the old ways. This model, molded eskrimadors from young apprentice, to nose-to-the-grindstone journeyman, to formidable master – this journey allowed the construction, over the course of time, of the self-made man. Bearing this model in mind, it takes no great leap of faith to understand why many systems of Filipino martial arts use a family name as their crest, or, why other founders chose more esoteric names for their particular style.
In terms of certificates, we were never shown, made aware of, or discovered in Grandmaster Umpad’s personal effects, after his untimely passing in 2006, any diploma issuing him a given rank under the auspices of another Grandmaster of arnis, eskrima or kali. We did recall, that on occasion, usually after Sonny had returned from having delivered martial arts instruction abroad, via a contracted seminar, that some hosts had issued him a certificate of appreciation or honorary recognition, for having contributed knowledge to their student body.
When one witnessed a performance by, or worked directly with Sonny Umpad, and, experienced first-hand his expression of eskrima, there was no doubt in your mind that this gentleman was a master of his craft. A certificate would not be a necessary requirement to establish that fact. As a corollary, when one saw the American artist Fred Astaire dance, it was obvious he was not only gifted, he was a master. From what school of dance did Mr. Astaire graduate?
The hard work and dedication, required on the path to mastery, perhaps that is what is celebrated by the issuance of a diploma. All of Sonny’s longstanding students referred to him as “maestro” in both formal and informal settings, this was done willingly out of respect – Sonny had earned his bones a long time ago – anyone with any sense knew that. We gentlemen, who founded The Visayan Eskrima Guild, bestowed upon Maestro Sonny Umpad the title of “Grandmaster.” Unfortunately, this was awarded posthumously. He is most deserving of this title, in no small part, based upon his selfless contribution to Filipino martial arts and culture **. Like many masters, both before, and of his generation, he was not alone in this pursuit. He was not the first to go down this path, nor, will he be the last. Sacrifice, for the good of the art, requires a resolve that many aspire to, but few, can maintain over the course of a lifetime. In conclusion, journey well, work hard, and ask intelligent questions. For as practitioners of the Filipino martial arts, is it not our obligation to keep these arts alive?
** In fact, an entire book has been written about this man: “Sonny Umpad’s Eskrima: The Life and Teachings of a Filipino Martial Arts Master”, Berkeley: Blue Snake Books, 2012. This work is the most comprehensive book written about Grandmaster Umpad and his eskrima system – answers to your questions may be found within its pages. This martial arts gem has garnered 5 stars from customer reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Treat yourself to a copy, and, we ask, most sincerely, that you add to your martial arts base of knowledge, skill and ability at every opportunity.
Copyright © 2014 by Chris M. Suboreau, George M. Yore & The Visayan Eskrima Guild, All Rights Reserved.
By
Chris M. Suboreau & George M. Yore
Introduction
This article came about after a recent conversation with a close friend and colleague. This man is a recognized and highly ranked master of karate and jujitsu. During this discussion, which was focused on Philippine martial culture, he asked what ranks Grandmaster Sonny Umpad held, and, if he belonged to any particular martial arts organizations. These questions brought forth memories of discussions had with the legendary Sonny Umpad – about his experiences, recollections, and view, of the Filipino martial arts. Our research, insights, and, impressions, shed light on this topic of conversation.
Closed Ranks and Low Profile
The Filipino martial arts, until the early 1970’s were clannish, secretive, and insular in nature. The burden of the Spanish occupation, as well as, the fact that these arts were often used for life or death purposes, demanded, for centuries, that the protagonists of these arts maintain a low profile. In remote areas of the country, or in times of war, the skills honed from the indigenous fighting arts practiced by a given tribal/regional group or family were often the only immediately accessible means of protection that one could call upon. The combative arts, of both allies, and enemies, were mined for their respective offerings and were assimilated into the ever-evolving native martial practices. It was imperative to understand the perspectives of advantage and to probe for any weaknesses. Reconnaissance missions have been around since time immemorial – prudent for the hunt and for human conflict. All warriors grasp this concept as expedient and essential – know your enemy. Notwithstanding the difficulty of maintaining clandestine operations, with resolve, it is possible. In fact, stories of a wife’s not being told of a husband’s mastery, or, of other family members discovering an adept’s hidden knowledge after a period of many years, were not unusual.
Often, a student learned the basics in the old fashioned, “hit and get hit” method of instruction. Corrections were given as necessary, so as to embed the preferred maneuvers of blocking and striking. After building this foundation, the student “learned by doing” via their participation in drills. An eskrimador would fight in many training bouts and perhaps encounter some challenge fights; particularly if a grudge, dispute, criminal act, or point of perceived disrespect, required mutual combat to settle the matter. This training, despite its rigorous nature, was, at its core, inherently valuable – those who were accepted into the circles of arnis, eskrima and estocada knew full well that mistakes, under duress, and, in the heat of an altercation, could get one maimed or result in a fatality. The training methods were suitable, and, adjusted on a sliding scale of intensity, to account for the circumstances and potential threats that one might encounter: facing multiple opponents, the maintenance of footing on uneven terrain, or the manipulation of a weapon in close quarters. There was a lot of information to pass on, so for these arts to remain intact and transmissible to succeeding generations, training had to build practitioners up, not destroy them at every turn.
The fundamental style of a practitioner consisted of the body of instruction received from his instructors and classmates. Once that foundation was established, the eskrimador would inject refinements and insights into the application of this material from practical training, sparring bouts, and informational exchanges with other practitioners. Ultimately, his style would become his own interpretation of this knowledge, based on his personality, preferences, skills, and abilities. All of our recognized masters went through this process and handed down their knowledge and personal contributions to us. Details may vary, but the process essentially remained constant.
This process of ongoing research and continuous personal development of one’s understanding and ability makes the Filipino martial arts a constantly evolving field of study. It can be presumed that this type of growth is not exclusive to Filipino martial arts and also occurs in other martial arts systems regardless of their origins; be they Indonesian, Indian, Maori or Samoan.
The Dissemination of Seeds
The late Grandmaster Sonny Umpad, in his recounts of past events, unraveled the process we have described above, to us – this was transmitted both verbally, and via direct practical instruction, during the years that we trained with him as his students. Sonny was famous for his encyclopedic knowledge of the Filipino martial arts and his ability to demonstrate myriad variations of any technique. Grandmaster Umpad used his own development process to illustrate the learning, polishing, and cultivation that lead to eskrima mastery. In his generation, it was not unknown for a fledgling eskrimador to be schooled in the art by a relative or close family friend. Sonny learned the basics from his best friend’s grandfather. Once equipped with the basics, he learned from other young students through discussion, training, and challenge matches. Only a few formal schools existed at this time, the era of the 1950’s and 60’s. Most learning was informal and happened away from established academies. Practitioners of good character and reputation often trained with more than one group or teacher.
A frequently heard phrase of Grandmaster Umpad’s was the exhortation to, “add em’ up.” Like most of his advice, this saying operated at several levels of meaning. At its most basic level, this means to simply combine techniques and attributes to create a larger outcome. For example, two five-count patterns could be combined to make a ten-count series. Footwork could be added to a stationary drill to create a flowing, dynamic interplay. This process of addition, subtraction, and analysis became a hallmark of Sonny Umpad’s great instructional methodology. It served as a mandate for advanced students to freely interject their contributions and interpretations. Analysis would then be conducted to determine the validity of these ideas. Let us caution the reader that this method was only used after assimilation of the basics, and, requires the guidance of an experienced instructor. Simply going on, of one’s own accord, can be a grave error if not done with proper comprehension of the basics.
Additionally the phrase, “add em’ up” is a challenge to all instructors to add their own unique expression and insights into the living body of knowledge they impart to their students. Along with the proven classical material, these insights provide the “spice” that makes eskrima such a satisfying dish. However, even when a recipe has been perfected, the chef presses on – never resting on their laurels. It was made clear to us that the cuisine of eskrima, was not allowed to stagnate. The impetus for the growth of the art was a charge that was sown within our consciousness. This concern for the health of eskrima was always in operation during our training sessions. As was Grandmaster Umpad’s way, he urged us to stay hungry, dig deeper, and, build a foundation that would continually foster the art of eskrima. It was imperative that the art not merely survive – the goal was for it to thrive.
The Ebb and Flow of Influence
Just like the present day, financial times can be tough on families, and, sacrifices need to be made. The competition for scarce jobs lead to a much more fluid lifestyle, as employment often required travel to where work could be found; as has always been the case, people take their culture with them when they travel afar.
On one occasion, Mr. Suboreau was introduced to a manong (respected elder) by Sonny in 1981. Fed up by the fruitless search for a job, and, with a family to support, Mr. Soto shipped out of Cebu as a deckhand aboard a cargo ship. He was able to go from ship to ship continuously because of his hard work ethic. He was only able to return to his family seven times in the next 35 years; finally retiring to the USA with his family. Mr. Soto credited eskrima with saving his life, on many occasions, while traveling all over the world. Sometimes, he and his shipmates would practice eskrima after work aboard ship. More than once, he met other martial artists, and was able to compare techniques. Under these conditions, allegiance to any style, or teacher, became impossible. There were no governing bodies to accredit an eskrimador. His credentials were his fighting ability and his teaching expertise. The capacity to organize and transmit complex material is what defines a great instructor.
The ideas of ranking and certification were not a usual and customary part of the traditional Filipino martial arts. These concepts came from foreign martial arts and were not used in the Philippines until fairly recent times; perhaps the late 19th or early 20th century. Certainly these are effective organizational tools; also useful for standardization, and, purposes of commercialization. These ideas are practically inseparable from the modern martial arts culture, as we know it today. As a matter of fact, it may be more important for a system to cultivate the ability to produce competent students, as opposed to, a more limited focus that revolves around the chief instructor’s fighting skill, combat record or rank. By the way, what rank was Bruce Lee?
In Answer To Your Questions
Santiago “Sonny” Umpad did not belong to any particular martial arts organizations. He was invited to join several different associations over the course of his life, but he always respectfully declined the offer. Sonny preferred to remain an independent operator – this made sense given that he founded his own system of martial arts. He felt that requisite obligations on numerous fronts, to one, or several associations, would rob him of the precious time that he poured into the continual research and development of his unique style of eskrima.
Although he trained with many other martial artists during his lifetime, he claimed no affiliation to a given system – other than his own. However, he always gave credit where credit was due. In this context, he, like those that came before him, was a product of the old ways. This model, molded eskrimadors from young apprentice, to nose-to-the-grindstone journeyman, to formidable master – this journey allowed the construction, over the course of time, of the self-made man. Bearing this model in mind, it takes no great leap of faith to understand why many systems of Filipino martial arts use a family name as their crest, or, why other founders chose more esoteric names for their particular style.
In terms of certificates, we were never shown, made aware of, or discovered in Grandmaster Umpad’s personal effects, after his untimely passing in 2006, any diploma issuing him a given rank under the auspices of another Grandmaster of arnis, eskrima or kali. We did recall, that on occasion, usually after Sonny had returned from having delivered martial arts instruction abroad, via a contracted seminar, that some hosts had issued him a certificate of appreciation or honorary recognition, for having contributed knowledge to their student body.
When one witnessed a performance by, or worked directly with Sonny Umpad, and, experienced first-hand his expression of eskrima, there was no doubt in your mind that this gentleman was a master of his craft. A certificate would not be a necessary requirement to establish that fact. As a corollary, when one saw the American artist Fred Astaire dance, it was obvious he was not only gifted, he was a master. From what school of dance did Mr. Astaire graduate?
The hard work and dedication, required on the path to mastery, perhaps that is what is celebrated by the issuance of a diploma. All of Sonny’s longstanding students referred to him as “maestro” in both formal and informal settings, this was done willingly out of respect – Sonny had earned his bones a long time ago – anyone with any sense knew that. We gentlemen, who founded The Visayan Eskrima Guild, bestowed upon Maestro Sonny Umpad the title of “Grandmaster.” Unfortunately, this was awarded posthumously. He is most deserving of this title, in no small part, based upon his selfless contribution to Filipino martial arts and culture **. Like many masters, both before, and of his generation, he was not alone in this pursuit. He was not the first to go down this path, nor, will he be the last. Sacrifice, for the good of the art, requires a resolve that many aspire to, but few, can maintain over the course of a lifetime. In conclusion, journey well, work hard, and ask intelligent questions. For as practitioners of the Filipino martial arts, is it not our obligation to keep these arts alive?
** In fact, an entire book has been written about this man: “Sonny Umpad’s Eskrima: The Life and Teachings of a Filipino Martial Arts Master”, Berkeley: Blue Snake Books, 2012. This work is the most comprehensive book written about Grandmaster Umpad and his eskrima system – answers to your questions may be found within its pages. This martial arts gem has garnered 5 stars from customer reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. Treat yourself to a copy, and, we ask, most sincerely, that you add to your martial arts base of knowledge, skill and ability at every opportunity.
Copyright © 2014 by Chris M. Suboreau, George M. Yore & The Visayan Eskrima Guild, All Rights Reserved.