IMAFP International News - Mexico

From August 15 – 17, 2005 Mexican Arnisadores were especially honoured by the visit of Guro Dayang Edessa Ramos. She taught seminars in San Luis Potosi and Huajuapan de Leon, the 2 cities where there is very strong support for IMAFP-Mexico.
(written by IMAFP-Mexico)

We had a total or 50 participants. Our members and students loved her. For the first seminar, our teacher got off the plane from Los Angeles, met IMAFP-Mexico Commissioner Guro Sinuhe Martinez, and both took the bus direct to San Luis Potosi. There they were welcomed by Lakan Roberto Velásquez Morales and the seminar started immediately. The participants were a mixture of long-time arnisadores who have been training under Guro Sinuhe Martinez for a number of years. Others were beginners in modern arnis but advanced in other martial arts (such as kung fu and kickboxing).

The second seminar was in Huajapan de Leon, the mountain province of Oaxaca. It was a Children and Youth Seminar that drew a big crowd, including parents who came to watch and give their support. “Young people are a joy to teach,” said our Maestra Edessa, “they are smart, they pay attention, they have no negative egos.”  

In the evening, the adults arrived and the gym was filled to full capacity. The seminar was vibrant, strong, and serious. The students trained hard, focusing on techniques with disarms/take-downs, doble-isa reaction drill, dulo-dulo self-defense, and knife. The day ended with a formal ceremony which launched IMAFP-Mexico. It was also an occasion to express gratitude to Maestra Edessa, not only for her visit, but also for her guidance and full support to the establishment of IMAFP-Mexico over the past 2 years. 

At the end of the day, some said she looked tired and we should let her rest. Well, after a 6-hour bus ride, immediately followed by 2 seminars, we expected her to go directly to bed. Instead, she joined us for a traditional Mexican meal. 

The Huajapan de Leon seminars were organized by Karate Master Francisco Castillo, who has adapted Modern Arnis into his curriculum. The classes ended with picture-taking, a very important Mexican activity, and with Maestra Edessa autographing the children’s uniforms.