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Arnis in the Land of Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira

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Arnis in the Land of Jiu-Jitsu and Capoeira ARNISARNIS ININ THETHE LANDLAND OFOF JIUJIU--JITSUJITSU ANDAND CAPOEIRA CAPOEIRA MasterMaster DadaDada InocallaInocalla 1 ike the art that he has Philippine master Orlando Gonza- sons to Brazilians. There were very been teaching for dec- les. Then I went to Europe and later few schools in Karate in Brasilia ades, Mr. Herbert Villafria to Argentina as (Ananda Marga) then. I started with Karate and Tai- Inocalla, more popularly monk. I stayed in Argentina for a ichi, I was into Japanese and Chi- Lknown in Brazil as Master (or Mes- while. A Brazilian met me there and nese cultures but decided to teach tre in Portuguese) Dada, is your un- invited me to come to Brazil. I ar- Arnis after meeting with Grandmas- assuming, soft-spoken uncle or rived in Porto Alegre, Brazil in 1974. ter (Remy) Presas in Canada. Then I neighbor who, given the right mo- I liked the Brazilians, they were had three French students in karate ment, transforms into a grizzled friendly. Having met my wife in Bra- whom I asked to help me put up my warrior with swift and accurate zil, I left the life of a monk and set- own academy (gym). The Brazilians movements that belie his age. tled in Brasilia in 1976. I set up my knew nothing about FMA. It started martial arts gym and called it slowly. Then the number of stu- Master Dada, who hails from Labo, “Magka-Isa,” which means to unite dents gradually increased until I had Camarines Norte in eastern Philip- the people, to unite the mind and to give classes day and night. pines, is the progenitor of Filipino body, the emotions and the spirit, to Martial Arts (FMA) in Brazil, a I started giving FMA lessons to a become one. country known for its love of mar- few students because they were not tial arts, perhaps second only to How was it like during your first “mature” yet and reserved the actual football, and which has produced years in Brazil in terms of living scrimmages to those with higher numerous champions in the UFC/ conditions and your establish- belts. I also manufactured my own MMA. ment of an FMA school? What equipment, some were brought in from the Philippines, to ensure and The Philippine Embassy visited the was the first reaction of Brazili- improve the protection of students respected “punong guro” in his gym, ans to FMA? during classes. We adjust so as not Academia Magka-Isa in Asa Norte To earn a living, I taught karate les- to injure the students and lose them (North Wing), Brasilia for an inter- view. Philippine Embassy: In your web- site, it was mentioned that you travelled to many countries to give lectures on spirituality and quality of life. When did you ar- rive in Brazil and why did you decide to stay? Master Dada: When I was studying in Mapua (in Manila), I started do- ing yoga and then decided to be- come a monk like my brother. So I went to India and Nepal to train. But I already had a black belt in martial arts, having trained with the 2 have blade in their hands. dination, mental laziness, weak- The Filipino way is surviv- nesses and internal enemies that al. You have to think that we all have. way so you do not become We also tell them that if they could a victim in the street be- avoid violence, that is the first and cause you spend a lot of best option. So we teach them the time in the streets. magic words “Sorry,” “Thank you,” When we teach FMA to “Please,” so that the chance of get- Brazilians, it is a holistic ting into a fight is minimized. approach. We train the How many FMA schools are there mind and the body. We in Brazil? Where do the Brazili- have to balance all of the ans who teach FMA get their facets within the human being. We from enrolling in the gym in the training? help the students build self- process. confidence. We help them gain In Rio Grande do Sul, we have Jiu-jitsu and Capoeira are very courage and destroy the “fear cul- almost 15 schools (Porto Alegre, popular in Brazil. How do you ture.” Fear causes problems to our Santa Maria, Caixas, Gramado, persuade the Brazilians to study kidneys; worry affects the stomach; Canela, etc.). Rio de Janeiro has two FMA? and sadness the lungs. So there is a schools, São Paulo about 10. These are martial arts schools which inte- FMA is complementary; it can go therapeutic value in positive emo- grate teaching FMA: for example, well with other disciplines. I also tions -you yourself could create they have been teaching jiu-jitsu talk to the Brazilians about reality. your poison or your medicine. Your then they offer a separate class for For example, as I observe, jiu-jitsu strongest enemy is within yourself. FMA. Now there are also schools in creates muscle memory to grab then The FMA we teach has a simple and Brazil that teach other systems of to bring the opponent to the adaptable dynamic, so that it serves FMA like Pekiti Tirsia Kali. Usually, ground. I tell them this is good in both for weak people, and very other Brazilian instructors (who the school and in the ring, but not weak, and for the strong and very teach other disciplines) would ap- in the street. There have been many strong people. We have students proach us to give seminars in their jiu-jitsu practitioners who got killed young and old, male and female. cities or to train them to teach FMA by robbers. I personally know some- FMA is even perfect for self-defense, in their schools. one who is a jiu-jitsu master but it is simple and efficient, since with became wheelchair-bound because little practice time you can already In your estimate, how many Bra- he fought with thieves and one of get an idea of how to defend your- zilians are now (active) FMA them shot him with a gun. I tell self. We aim to train the inner side, practitioners? them, street fight is “hit and run.” it is not to forget the physical side, There could be about 1,000 FMA Like the Filipino way, they have to but to teach the person how to con- students/practitioners in Brazil. think always that their opponents front their fears, their lack of coor- Some Brazilians are now interested 3 with FMA because of Hollywood tradition, culture and tourism of leagues if they want to be trained movies and TV shows that fea- the Philippines. in Hapkido or in knife techniques. tured FMA. The trend is growing The unanimous response was We also incorporated “Baybayin” so we expect more people, not knife training. The fight in the which makes them even more cu- only in Brazil, to take up FMA. academy is different from the fight rious and treat the script as an art in the ring and they are both You found your wife here and form. They know that it is an an- different from the fight in the raised your family. Any FMA cient Filipino alphabet and some streets. Brazil has no “blade cul- practitioners in your family? of them say it is even easier to ture.” Many Brazilians die each learn than the Japanese or Chinese I have two kids. They started year from kitchen knife. If you alphabet. learning at an early age but I told know how to use and defend them that they have to secure How often do you go around against knives and sticks, it is a their college education first. One giving seminars all over Brazil? great equalizer, you are already of them, Ganesh, studied Interna- Any invitations from military secure. tional Relations. organizations in Brazil? The Brazilians saw the simplicity You use Filipino words with Majority of our seminars and and effectiveness of FMA. They your students. Is this a com- demonstrations are for military also like the direct movements of mon practice among FMA organizations in Brazil like the FMA in close-quarter combats. schools outside the Philip- Presidential Guard, Força Nacion- FMA increases or speeds up the pines? al, Federal Police, jail guards, civil- reflexes. ian police, army, etc. and their We are multicultural, we have What is your opinion on why families. We do not tell them that Spanish and English words, among there is practically no FMA we are better than Brazilian mar- others, plus the dialects. So I de- practitioner in MMA? tial arts or whatever discipline cided to go back to our own, offi- they were trained in but we tell FMA is already “mixed martial cial language and used it in teach- them that the street is different. arts” in itself. Chris Weidman who ing my students. By being familiar FMA is very practical and efficient defeated the legendary Brazilian with some Tagalog words, the stu- in the streets. They like FMA and champion Anderson Silva prac- dents become curious and study they become curious. ticed FMA. Eliminating the hands other words and phrases like and the legs are common in FMA “Magandang umaga po.” They Brazilian policemen have no train- so it was not surprising when begin to study about the Philip- ing against knives and similar Weidman broke Silva’s leg. pines beyond FMA. We promote weapons. One of our students who (Note: Former UFC Champion not only the martial arts but the is a policeman asked his col- 4 Chris Weidman trains under Ray tour FMA students from the U.S.
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