The Embodiment of an Authentic Filipino Art of Self-Preservation and Well-being

Abstract

The study highlights the cultural and historical significance of arnis or eskrima, the indigenous art of self-preservation developed by the early Filipino natives. As a form of self-defense, arnis or eskrima is deemed to have evolved in the Philippines during the pre-colonial period through ingenuity, multi-cultural interaction, and friendship between them and Asian traders. Arnis is a graceful yet exquisite hand-to-hand and armed routine intended for combat with a peculiar history linked to rebellion and struggles among commoners who sought freedom from the reigning colonizers. It is interesting to report that the symbolic authentic Filipino martial art (F.M.A.), which has been passed on through generations, had eventually reached the pedestal of recognition as a national sport, art, and culture of the Philippines under the Republic Act 9850. Arnis continues to get popular from the local to the international arena, where Filipino grandmasters, masters, and practitioners conduct seminar training and promotional tournaments to brush elbows with their counterparts in high regard and camaraderie. As a sport, it contributes to the physical development, well-being, discipline, and character of the players or practitioners from different walks of life. The Filipino people's sense of nationalism, patriotism, and national identity is reflected in arnis, a part of their rich historical and cultural heritage.