Customer Reviews

Filipino Martial Culture (Martial Culture Series)

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

While I wish this book had the same relentless scholarly execution as Don Draeger's work (and I can think of very few even comparable for any art) on Indonesian arts, this becomes an even more difficult book to review because this is in reality more than one book: it is a book on Wiley's theories of the development of Filipino Martial Culture and a book which documents the oral history of FMA masters he has met in the Philippines and America (which I presume helped shape his conclusions).

"Filipino Martial Culture" works for me because it represents an effort to document the efforts of some well-known, some less-known, but no less significant figures in the Filipino Martial Arts community. Most students of eskrima, kali, arnis, etc. (like myself) are starved for information on the masters of the FMA. I suppose that is why I appreciate this book, because it makes the effort.

While this book may be controversial for its conclusions, biases, etc. and its emphasis on some masters over others, it does attempt to tell the story of the FMA through the voices of the people themselves. It is definitely not the final word and anybody interested in exploring should seek out books by Cabiero, Canete, Draeger, Imada, Inosanto, Presas, Sulite, and others to supplement their research in Southeast Asian fighting arts.

There are so few trustworthy English-language books on the Filipino martial arts that the publication of a new one is a landmark. And when such a competent and respected practitioner as Mark V. Wiley produces it, then the occasion is one to be savoured.There have been many technical manuals on eskrima, arnis, and kali, and the library shelves are well stocked with them. Even so, there has always been a need for well-researched scholarly material relating to the history and culture of the Filipino arts. Unfortunately, such works are rare--as incidentally, are the people capable of writing them. Mark V. Wiley is an exception and this book has surpassed all my expectations. I've no doubt it will become the standard reference on the martial arts of the Philippines.The book is comprehensive and covers the history of turbulence and war in the Philippines from pre-historic times to the present day. It also examines the culture from which arises Filipino martial arts, the spirituality, folklore, and weaponry, plus biographical sketches of 18 Filipino masters, and descriptions of their respective fighting styles, and a comparative study of the ethos, ideology, and development of the Filipino martial arts in relation to the traditions of India, China, and Japan.Wiley also addresses the many misconceptions which surround the Filipino martial arts, informing us firstly that the terms kali, eskrima, and arnis are not synonimous and do not represent the same art. Kali did not exist during the pre-Spanish times. Then he tells us that not all Filipino arts are based on weapons training--in fact, there are quite a few strictly empty-hand arts.These statements are based on solid historical research. I recommend this book to serious martial artists, whilst for all practitioners of the Filipino martial arts, it is an absolute must!

You know 'em when you see 'em...shelves upon shelves of how-to martial arts titles at your local book superstore -- all presented by humorless thugs posing in grainy black-and white photos. Like a well-rounded Alsatian farmer's wife, they grab you by the neck and begin stuffing junk down your throat until you put the book down, none the wiser, but with the feeling that your liver justgot a step closer to becoming kung fu foie gras...

There are exceptions, of course. But few martial arts authors have the cultural awareness and sensitivity to put their art into a larger picture, one that transcends the stances, blocks, and hits -- positions it as part of a living, three-dimensional cultural phenomenon.

One writer who was able to live up to the task was the late Donn Draeger. Of course, any Westerner who attempts to create a competent comprehensive appreciation of an Oriental martial culture not only requires the appropriate amount of expertise in the subject matter he chooses. He also has to have guts to face the "my-kung-fu-is-better-than-your-kung-fu" and "my-facts-are better-than-your facts" pundits (mostly Westerners, too) who know everything better in the first place, and then believe their particular sub-system was not represented to their liking. (Or that their edition of Baedeker's Manila represents a better reference than the research of original data in sources and translations of the respective author...)

Mark Wiley has guts -- and the discipline, humility, perseverance and expertise to create a trail-blazing work on the ins and outs of Filipino Martial Culture. Rivaling, and often even surpassing Donn Draeger in scope, his book is probably the most important martial arts title to hit the stores this decade.

Wiley's approach combines solid historical research skill (uniting archeological and folkloristic sources) with deeply personal knowledge of the culture (and cultures) he is writing about. By adding an anthropological element into his analysis, he manages to put his work into a globally human perspective -- as important to a practitioner of a Filipino martial art as to any other culture.

Himself an accomplished practitioner of arnis and eskrima, the Filipino stick fighting art, he could have chosen a less holistic approach and still written an excellent book. But there's little of Mark Wiley in this book, reflecting his respect of all other styles and schools (most of which are represented in generous chapters) as well as the self-effacing humility you would expect from a master.

Even if you're not particularly interested in Filipino stick fighting, this is one of the most worth-while additions to your fighting library you're going to make for the rest of this millennium.

Mark Wiley's thorough examination of the ancient and modern Filipino martial culture is ground breaking, exemplary, and extremely well researched (there are 175 books referenced in the bibliography). My wife is Filipino so I've had a long time fascination with the martial culture of that archipelago, but had difficulty finding English-language texts to study prior to discovering this outstanding work. This book covers all aspects of those arts. It is well written and very informative, covering the martial history of the Philippines, the ethos and worldview of the Filipino warrior, structure, rites, and symbols of the indigenous martial arts, typology of weapons, and more. Eighteen masters of the Filipino arts are interviewed, covering arnis, escrima, kali, and a variety of lesser-known arts (e.g., hagibis, sikaran, sagasa, and kuntaw lima-lima). There are some great pictures as well. In 1521 Filipino natives killed the famous explorer Magellan. Learn about the fighting spirit, weapons, and tactics of these fierce warriors, ancient and modern.

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Filipino Martial Culture is the definitive work on the martial arts of the Philippines. If that wasn't enough, it also establishes a new standard of excellence in research and presentation for martial arts publications; all serious martial artists should read this book!

Very well written, thoroughly researched, and detailed book on the Filipino martial arts, along with separate sections covering 18 different masters. These cover some of my favorite people, such as Rey Galang of Sagasa and Hagibis, Christopher Ricketts of Sagasa and Kali Illustrisimo, Angel Cabales of Escrima, Edgar Sulite of Lameco Escrima, and Florendo Visitacion of Vee Arnis Jutsu, along with many others.

The sections on the history and development of the FMA over the last several hundred years are interesting and informative. The material on the 18 masters discusses their background and the details of their arts such as type of weapons used, fighting techniques and strategies, philosophies, and so on. Overall an excellent book on FMA that will no doubt become the standard by which the others will be measured.

By the way, Rey Galang does a very nice job of presenting the Lingua de Fuego (Tongue of Fire) knife-fighting kata, as well as breaking out the individual applications, in the fist volume of the Kali Illustrisimo videos that Ricketts and Galang have put out. I can recommend this quality video series by Ricketts and Galang also for anyone wanting more information on this art.

I've read other books on Filipino Martial Arts before, but it's astonishing how deep Mark Wiley has dug into the history of the Filipinos. He also mentions other books that I've read and very politely corrects them. I only wish my English was more fluent and elaborate, because as a Dutch-speaking Belgian, I sometimes had to read certain passages five times before I really understood them. As the president of the Belgian Escrima Federation (BKAEF) I not only recommended the book but ordered some extra copies for my colleagues. This book is compulsary lecture for every practitioner of kali, arnis or escrima.

this is an excellent book.it was very usefull to me as both a martial artist as well as a Filipino American.if you're intersted in the Filipino martial arts,their history,or the Filipino culture in general,read this book

Although I am not an expert on FMA or any other MA styles, I have a varied background with a strong interest in military history/warefare. This publication raises the bar for other publications addressing martial traditions, and martial arts publications. It is a well articulated compendium of knowledge about the history and evolution of martial traditions in the Phillipines.

Excellent book. "Must" reading for anyone studying, or interested in studying, Southeast Asian fighting arts -- not just Filipino arts. Should be required reading for Filipino martial art practitioners.