On July 17, 2010, a group of Arnis/Eskrima enthusiasts gathered in Jakarta at the Combined Martial Arts Academy (CMAA) Dojo at the Tetra Pak Building complex in Buncit Raya, for a 3 hour intensive Eskrima Stick Fighting Workshop. The workshop was hosted by the CMAA in response to continuing interest from Indonesian martial artists in the fighting element of Eskrima and the opportunity to compete in the sport of Pilipino Stick Fighting.

The CMAA established Indonesia’s reputation as a competitive nation in the sport in 2006 when an Indonesian team from the CMAA competed in Cebu, Philippines at the 2006 CDPE WF World Championships. The club won a total of 10 medals, 2 Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze. Since that time Indonesia has sponsored the 2007 World championships in Jakarta with over a 120 competitors from 11countries competing where Indonesia won 35 medals in that event including 7 world titles. In 2008 Indonesia was represented at the Pacific Championships in Christchurch with a team of four fighters from the CMAA winning 9 medals including several Pacific titles. In 2009 the CMAA represented Indonesia once again when a team of 17 fighters won a total of 24 medals, retaining several existing world titles while adding several more.

As interest in the art of Eskrima has grown in Indonesia other Filipino styles have established themselves within the country. This has added diversity to the number of options available to interested martial artists wanting to learn about this dynamic art and form of fighting while further strengthening Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) within Indonesia.

With the 2011 World Championship fast approaching Indonesia will once again be represented by the CMAA and hopefully by these other FMA groups in Indonesia.

The attendees at the workshop came from Jakarta, Surabaya, and Bandung and included leading Indonesian actor Mike Lewis, who has expressed a great deal of interest in the Filipino fighting system featured in the workshop. Mike has become a regular at the CMAA participating in the clubs early morning fitness training program. The workshop focused on fighting in the competitive environment, with attendees given instruction in the basics of striking and disarming techniques before being given the opportunity to spar in a controlled and supervised environment.

The workshop was presented by Master Glen Gardiner, Senior Instructor at the CMAA. He holds a 6th Degree CDPE WF Black Belt and 5th Degree Pangamot CDPE WF Black Belt, in addition to holding several other civilian martial arts qualifications. Mr. Gardiner was also a senior military unarmed combat instructor for nearly 10 years while still a serving member of the Australian Army Military Unarmed Combat Wing.

After everyone was properly warmed up, starting slowly and building speed, confidence and technique, participants had the opportunity to clash sticks with Master Glen Gardiner himself and other club members including world champion Drew Lambert and 2009 world championship medal winner Taufik Nandipinto in light sparring sessions.

The more experienced CMAA members coached and mentored the attendees rotating between partners, with Master Gardiner and his students working with the participants. This high level of experience and variety of instruction from the leading Eskrimadors enabled the workshop attendees to benefit greatly achieving more than they expected by the time the workshop was completed.

In the later phases of the workshop, participants were given the opportunity to spar with armour. Master Gardiner started the sparring session by fighting world champion Drew Lambert who is one of the instructors at the CMAA. After watching the two world champions demonstrating exceptional stick fighting skills, each participant had the opportunity to spar with CMAA students under the guidance of Master Gardiner.
Drew Lambert & Shane Boyd in armour with a participant

The final session of the stick fighting workshop was the most exciting element for the participants as they had the opportunity to experience the “KULATA” challenge. Kulata, a word from the Tagalong language of the Philippines which means “To Punish” involves sparring with limited armour, using a rattan cane covered with a thin strip of foam.

This element of the workshop cemented the day’s activities while allowing the attendees the opportunity to challenge themselves and overcome adversity. Certainly pain is an element of the art which is a simple reality however, no mystery now remains and those attendees wishing to compete in the upcoming 2011 World Championships now know what to expect when representing their country.

The workshop was closed with a brief knife fighting drill session where Master Gardiner showed the attendees how to block and disarm various knife attacks.

Master Gardiner was very excited by the potential of the attendees several of which including Mr. Mike Lewis who have expressed interest in learning the art and participating in more stick fighting. Hopefully it is men and women like these who will make up the next Indonesian team Master Gardiner said.

The Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima World Federation of Alice Springs was grateful to be invited to demonstrate their art during the Philippine Independence Day celebration on 26th of June 2010. The event comprised a large number of the Filipino community. The demonstration was conducted at the Alice Springs Convention Centre.

The demonstration was led by Grandmaster (GM) Martin Gardiner, the demonstration watched from old to young by the mostly Filipino audience were surprised to witness the ferocity, speed and effectiveness of the Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) system.

GM Martin Gardiner is the first Australian student of Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Canete and was a pioneer of the art of Eskrima in Australia for nearly three decades. GM Gardiner first travelled to Cebu to train under Supreme Grandmaster Canete in the early 1980’s after having trained Modern Arnis for many years with Dr. Frank Scalcerio, Rodel Dagooc and Bob Fitton who first started teaching Modern Arnis in Australia in the 1970’s.

Over the years GM Gardiner has been responsible for the development of the Canete Eskrima system in Australia and as a result of his dedication and discipline in mentoring and training his students he was blessed and is surrounded by talented and also many great champions, including GM Vince Palumbo, GM Anthony Kleeman, Master Glen Gardiner, Master Craig Hayward, Master Jim Gibbons and Master Dean Hart. All of these individuals can trace their linage and initial Eskrima training to GM Martin Gardiner. His different martial experiences has provided him with a diverse background having commenced studying Judo in 1968 with Sensei Bob Corbett, wrestling, boxing, Mu Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do and kickboxing. His experience in these styles of Martial Arts has made him an all rounded Instructor and Martial Artist which his students have benefited from and who in turn have followed in his footsteps establishing their own diverse and eclectic experience and knowledge.

The Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima World Federation dojo is located at the Alice Springs Youth Centre. The centre is managed by Marie Petery. Practitioners train every Monday under the guidance of GM Gardiner who continues to inspire his students who never cease to learn under his tutelage. GM Gardiner through his contribution to FMA is a treasure to the Filipino community in Alice Springs. Through his promotion of the Filipino Martial Art of Eskrima under Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Canete he has established this dynamic and ferocious style of fighting in Australia. He has also been responsible for its subsequent proliferation not only through his own efforts but the efforts of his students. The demonstration was very successful and received positive feedback after the show with the organizers already asking for a demonstration for next year’s event.

Many questioned his expertise, but they were all shamed. Many challenged his ability but they all failed. His achievements made them bitter. But he answered them with a smile. That’s my grandpa. That’s Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Cañete.

I started learning Eskrima when I was 9 years old. I earned my first Black Belt at 18, and presently holding the position as the Operations Director for Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation.

My involvement in various activities for Cacoy Doce Pares opened my eyes and witnessed how my grandpa worked hard for the promotion of Filipino martial arts here in the Philippines and abroad.

I have helped organized World Championships, International Mixed Martial Arts seminars and International Hall of Fame, which were attended by hundreds of participants from abroad. They all come to our country just for the love of Eskrima.

All of them admired my grandpa for his dedication and passion for the Filipino martial arts. I wish the same thing would happen here in our own country, I wish they haven’t forgotten his hard work, his contribution in Martial Arts.

If anyone tries to pull him down, it’s simply because they are all… at the bottom!!!

“There’s no retirement in Eskrima” that’s what he always say to us. I watched his seminar videos last week, amazingly, at 90 years old, his hands are still quick as lightning, and can still execute a technique with perfection
Supreme Grandmaster Cacoy Cañete is truly a legend. His name is synonymous to Eskrima.

An article about the 2006 Martial Arts History Museum Hall of Fame by Marc J. Lawrence.

The Museum honored a number of great individuals who have influenced future generations. Many of these individuals have spent a lifetime in their craft. Many have overcome prejudice, racism and discrimination. Many of them have sacrificed their livelihoods, their families and even some of their friends to bring these arts to America and share the beauty of what they learned.

It’s unlike anything you have ever seen before in the martial arts industry. Complete with music, live entertainment, a play on the “History of the Martial Arts” and the honoring of several of histories pioneers, the 6th Annual Museum Ceremony continues to raise the bar.

* The Museum Ceremony focused on three main areas:
* Educating and honoring the community with a Play on the “History of the Martial Arts,”
* Paying a proper respect to those significant individuals who have paved the way before us.
* Raising funds to open the doors of the World’s First Martial Arts History Museum.

“This is the Oscars of the martial arts, without a doubt,” says John Corcoran, editor of Martial Arts Success magazine. Unlike any other Hall, the Museum’s Hall of Fame will only consider significant individuals who have made martial arts history. Though there have been many great champions over the last five plus decades, and those who have made an impact for their personal school, it is only those who have made martial arts history that are considered for inclusion on the Martial Arts Hall of Fame Wall in the Museum.

Even though there are a total of 11 individuals who are inducted each year, only a handful of them have the opportunity of attending the Museum Ceremony and being honored for their great accomplishments.
Honored on stage this year were:

Ark Y. Wong (Grandson Seming accepting)
Wen Mei Yu
Wally Jay
Toshishiro Obata
Buck Sam Kong
Cacoy Cañete

Cacoy Cañete – One of true pioneers of Eskrima who continues to spread the philosophy and art of Filipino fighting to the world. Sifu Richard Bustillo of IMB ( International Martial Arts & Boxing Academy) was the presenter to Grandmaster Cañete.

I asked Grand Master in brief interview about the award and did he know about it? He said Richard did not tell him about it initially. He was here to do a Seminar, (which he did the next day). When Grandmaster received the award he was truly touched by the event. I could have sworn that though the lens of my camera I saw him getting misty eyed.