As we are approaching Remembrance Day this coming Tuesday, here is a link to an article on World War II footage of Filipino Martial Arts, training with bolo knives. This is some of the earliest footage of Kali/ Eskrima and a reminder of its effectiveness as a battle-tested art.
It can be easy to forget, training in a comfortable setting, where these skills come from and how they were forged- in battles where a mistake might not allow for an opportunity to learn from it. Coming across this particular article at this particular time leaves me with a strong feeling of gratitude, both for those who take the time to pass on these skills, and for the opportunity to learn them in a safe environment.
“I know the respect of the bolo knife. Wartime is different. There is no regard for life. It’s different teaching; you must have structure and good communications with your students. I like to teach more about the application and fundamentals. It’s not about how hard you hit or who is faster; it’s about sharing the art of our forefathers, because if you analyze it we are only the caretakers of the art for future generations….The only type of death match I had was during World War II. This is where I fought in the jungles for over a year, not knowing if we would survive. Our weapons of choice were the bolo knife or talonason, a long knife whose overall length is 36 inches long. No referee, no rules; the only rule was to survive.”
Leo Giron
Historic World War II Film Footage of Filipino Martial Arts Training with Bolo Knives
Reproduced under fair-use and with credit.