Thus read the headlines in the local section of the Dortmunder Rundschau. During the weekend of March 6-7, 2004, over 600 athletes from 23 countries met at the TSC Eintracht in Dortmund for the Second Filipino Martial Arts Festival. It was just like a scene from a Hollywood movie, reported the newspaper, with fighters staring each other in the eye… but instead of blood flowed sweat. Streams of it.

Because I was busy assisting my teacher, I did not get the chance to go around as much as I wanted to. I regret not having met or interviewed or trained under all the masters. However, I did savor every minute of the Gala event wherein each of them performed and showed his unique prowess and style. I did get to be with a few. Top on the list was Bram Frank, who is as gentle as he can be deadly, best known as the "knife man" (can one get more unequivocal than that in describing such an artist?). His ingenous knife innovations are truly "a girl's best friend" and certainly a striking addition to any martial artist's repertoire of techniques and weapons. Bram Frank is still in Europe as of this writing, traveling and giving knife seminars which, by the way, I would certainly urge everyone to rush to.

The legendary Balintawak Grandmaster Bobby Taboada was a show-stopper. He was a magnet for a crowd, which always seemed to be milling around him, eager to learn a few tricks, asking questions which he always generously answered, happy to hear his stories and jokes. Speed is not a word adequate enough to describe the cane in his hand. Still unmatched in agility, breathtaking skill and style, that's Bobby Taboada.

Modern Arnis was represented by Master Samuel Bambit Dulay (Philippines), Master Dieter Knüttel (Germany) and Master Roland Dantes (Philippines and Australia), who was also the special guest in the festival. Now Roland Dantes deserves special mention in the most reverent way I can muster. He was a strong and inspiring presence throughout the festival. He was a source of encouragement for many participants as he went around explaining patiently, coaching and answering questions. He saw the gift of the fighting art in every unique individual and so he gave effort to make it blossom. This he accomplished by sharing his decades of experience in arnis, his deep friendship with Grandmaster Remy Presas, his trials and tribulations as an actor, an arnis practitioner, an immigrant, a law enforcer, and above all, a simple man who always tried to keep to the rules and principles he had set for himself.

Bambit Dulay taught 5 sessions of Modern Arnis. His chosen topics and range of teaching encompassed the classical styles which he then linked to the Modern Arnis techniques developed by the late Grandmaster Remy Amador Presas. It was an opportunity for Modern Arnis practitioners, particularly those in Europe, to be led back to the roots and to re-learn the classics with renewed fervor. Grateful students commented on how it helped them to appreciate and understand even more the art of Modern Arnis.

Dieter Knüttel, together with the indefatiguable Alfred Plath, made the whole festival a reality. I had the privilege of helping them in some of the preparations these last few months, and I daresay, their energy and determination made a bulldozer pale by comparison. Alfred had to squeeze through needle-holes in the process of getting the funds together, getting masters from all over the world, getting martial artists to commit their attendance, not to mention the day-to-day headaches of managing and organizing an event of this magnitude. Together with him, Master Dieter hosted the entire weekend. To top it all, Dieter still had the enormous energy and pizzazz to give an excellent Modern Arnis exhibition during the Gala night, plus teach numerous classes during the festival. Where does such energy come from? It must be that the spirit of the art has truly found a home in his heart and soul.

As a student of Master Bambit Dulay, I was very lucky to be asked to assist him in his classes. During the Gala event, Master Dulay and I performed an original cultural piece that integrated the classical dances of southern Philippines with the fighting art of the bolo (machete) and dagger. It was our interpretation of a historical fact: that through our indigenous dances, the Filipino martial culture was preserved and protected from annihilation by the Spanish colonizers. Our actual use of the bolo in contact fighting brought to fore the higher art of self-defense and warrior culture in the Philippines.

Every minute of that festival brought to me a surge of pride, not only in my teacher or in the styles I practice, but in each and every contributor to the Filipino martial arts, wherever in the world he or she may have come from. It was certainly a weekend of hard training, a test of skills, the sharing of prowess, and above all, the kindling and renewal of friendship and camaraderie. And for the Filipinos, it was an occasion for our martial culture to be brought to prominence for all the world to admire and appreciate. It was an affirmation of our contribution to mankind's cultural heritage.

Towards the end of the Gala event, there was a film tribute to the Filipino masters who passed away in recent years. There were tears in many eyes as we all said goodbye and thank you to these great Filipinos to whom the world owes a great fighting art. May they watch over us on the ground where we train and keep us glued to the passion of practicing the Filipino Martial Arts.

"Natutupad na ang pangarap ni GM Remy, na maibalik ang Modern Arnis sa Pilipinas, at patingkarin ang Filipino Martial Arts sa buong mundo. This is our contribution to the heritage of mankind. Napakasarap talagang maging Pilipino."

Another article:
Spotlight on : Master Godofredo Fajardo, The Paladin of Modern Arnis