Thank you for your candid reply. I quite agree with you in respect to being self serving, as to why that is has to do with my nature. And, in a way it's the same in the magazines when you look at professional articles, they are self serving, they choose to write about whom their property they own.
As for myself, I started out in hospital work, because I felt a need to help people, may be from younger days when I spent 3 years of my life in an orphanage, it gave me the understanding that people everywhere need help and I became one of those people that serve life. It's the gist of life, serving others so that we all may grow. Any way I prospered until I reached the status of Department Director and quasi administrator within the first four years in the hospital's sick care industry with only a high school diploma.
It was in The Jersey City Medical Center when I met my teacher in 1974, the year I was to marry a Filipina, and they do make the best wives, I digress. Searching for the skills now for the nurses I was again searching for myself. Real protections skills of martial arts, although not everyone can do it, we do continue to learn, "Always learning", said GM Cacoy, circa 1977. So I've been for learning, and sharing is the means to grow in these arts and sciences. But there are those that don't, and I've met lots of karateka's that wound up with arthritis, since the path of learning was not in friendly hands. But, because I understood we learn more from friends, then others, albeit, I began with our friends in Kali. Kali was the first art I began to study. I felt the reality of starting with a weapon to learn MARTIAL skills, it's truly the way. It's not about fighting, it's about surviving and Kali truly gives you a means of surviving. Therefore, Kali is 'finishing school'.
So, why not see what knowledgeable people are saying? Rather then reading my rhetoric, read what are people are saying that have worked with me.. Visit
http://KaliSilat.org/testimony.html - I am delivering some self serving methods because I've been seeing what's out there. A student of mine since the early 80's recently came to my school and after studying with many masters and grand masters could not hold on to his weapon. Kept backing up he did, hmmmm.
And whom will never know why we do it the way we do it. Kali is as individualized as the Filipinos themselves. And, after fighting in real battle in their own country, you will really know what this is all about. Knowing what that means can only be achieved in sharing the skills in the country of origin in any culture.
My teachers are still there, they know how their skills continue to manifest and grow, even at the ages of the older great grand masters. I've been there a dozen times since 1974, and during my last trip in 1996, Grand Tuhon Leo Tortal Gaje, Jr. signed my certificate, as did his uncle Grand Master Tortal, when I brought a group from the states and some of my guys form Germany. And, I and we purchased everything they had on hand, sticks, Pekiti Tirsia T-shirts, and something else that escapes me, as well as a few blades from both instructors. What ever each had was bought by the group as well. Everything, a small price to pay for this most valuable knowledge, as Jafri would say, "We all know how to live, but we don't know how to life." circa 1978.
Oh, if you want to know about or by traditional blades, contact Master Styles, his knowledge is exceptional. If you email me I'll send him that information, Master Styles grew up in Doce Pares, I believe they introduced him to me in '77. Oh, and by the way, contribution to the country of origin is the highest respect you can give in any culture, that's what sharing is about.
Beginning of story, including clips with Suryadi Jafri, RIP 1998.