The first exposure of the Filipino martial arts was in 1521, when Magellan tried to convert the island of Mactan into Christianity. But Rajah Lapu-Lapu and the Muslim tribes of Mactan were opposed to foreign influence into their religion of Muslim. Magellan thought his Spanish armor and Toledo steel would be more than a match for the indigenous fighters. But history shows that Magellan was mistaken, as the Kuntawistas of Mactan killed him in a fierce hand to hand battle inwhich Magellan was killed by the bladed weapons and empty hand fighting systems of the fanatical Muslim fighters.
With the defeat of the Spanish in 1898, by the United States, the occupation forces were met with a revolution of the Moros of Mindanao. At the time of the revolution, the American garrisons were constantly harassed by the Filipino Jurmentados or "Crazy Hermits". The Jurmentados would wear a red headband symbolizing their intent to fight until their own lifeblood from their bodies and go forth utilizing the art of Kali to slay those who were viewed as their oppressors. The Jurmentados, whose blind rage and utmost commitment made them rather unstoppable led to the development of the 45 Caliber pistol in 1911.
During the second world war, the Japanese conquered the Philippines. At this time, the art of Combat Judo Kali fighting system was developed. Comjuka Kali utilizes the arts of Silat and Kali had been developed and was handed down from father to son. In order to keep practicing their art, the Comjuka practitioners had to change the Kali part of their system name to karate to make the Japanese think that they were practicing a Japanese fighting style. The use of rattan sticks took place of the traditional bolos and knives in order to keep the Kali techniques and fighting methods alive. The fighting techniques were incorporated in to the dances of the different tribes and this practice allowed for faster training of fighting techniques as the dances could be coordinated to resemble a particular fighting technique. Comjuka-kenpo was developed by Grandmaster Rafael Reston of Batangas, Philippines while living in the Clark Air Base region ot the Philippines. Along with his training in the arts of Balintawak arnis and the art of Japanese Kenpo, he combined these arts into a fighting art that was sought out by military members who were stationed at Clark Airbase. With the influences of the military members who were taught other martial arts, Grandmaster Reston incorporated the arts of Chuan-fa from Taiwan and Goju-ryu from Okinawa. This gave both linear and circular motions and applications in the fighting art of Comjuka-Kenpo. Grandmaster Reston was one of the most sought out instructors of the Philippines by military personnel assigned to Clark Airbase which resulted in the promotion of dozens of Blackbelts in the art of Comjuka-kenpo.
Kuntaw is a fighting system that uses the natural weapons of the body for striking, kicking, throwing, and joint manipulations. The hands are used for balance, parrying, and grappling techniques while the legs are used for lowline kicks and kicks at various other angles which includes takedowns and sweeping techniques. These techniques are taught in combinations called forms or in Karate terms "kata".
Kuntaw techniques are applicable to empty hand defenses as well as attacks with bladed weapons. Training with weapons starts after the student understands the empty hand fundamentals that are taught as a means of developing hand-eye coordination. Weapons training in Kuntaw consists of arnis (Filipino stickfighting) and the use of bladed weapons of various types.
Kuntaw�s fighting technique development was a result of the input of the fighting systems from the different ethnic groups migrating to the Philippines from their specific regions of Southeast Asia. The Muslims injected a large amount of their sword techniques and customs into the Arnis-Kali part of Kuntaw while the Chinese martial arts introduced the soft internal conditioning and the external hard styles into the empty hand techniques. The Indonesian martial arts known as Silat also influenced the various footwork and trapping techniques for the movements away and into the field of attacks.
Kuntaw was originated by the Tausug tribe of Mindanao and was one of the fighting arts used by the Muslims of this region during the Spanish Occupation. Although the Spanish outlawed all forms of fighting arts during their occupation of the Philippines. Kuntaw continued to be developed and practiced by dedicated masters and students by training in secrecy and out of the view of the Spanish overlords. Their skill in hand to hand combat and the use of bladed weapons that was incorporated into their fighting arts development continued to be used in the defense of their homeland and history shows that Mindanao was never conquered by the Spanish. This shows the fierce fighting spirit of the Filipino Muslims as they defended their landed from any and all foreign invaders.
Kuntaw was brought out of Mindanao and settled in the Bicol region of the Visayas in 1901 by Yoyong Henyo. The art was handed down from father to son until the current Grandmaster, Carlito Lanada assumed the responsibility of making sure that his family�s art of combat would not be lost for all time.
Kuntaw was first publicly displayed in 1960, when Grandmaster Lanada opened his school in Olangapo City. Grandmaster Lanada opened this school for the purpose of reviving the art of Kuntaw, one of the oldest essential arts of self-defense by the Filipino Muslims prior to the Spanish occupation. In 1974, Grandmaster Lanada was awarded one of the Philippines� highest honors by President Marcos. This recognition opened up the opportunity for Kuntaw to become one of the hand to hand combat systems taught to the Philippine Armed Forces.
Despite the fact that Kuntaw is a defensive/offensive fighting art, Kuntawistas use the philosophy of avoiding all forms of conflict. This philosophy is described as retreating to the wall and comes from the respect of all living things. The philosophy of retreat to the wall is defined by Grandmaster Lanada as "retreat if possible, fight if necessary".
I have been an instructor of the arts of Kuntaw and Comjuka-kenpo since 1975 and currently teach on the island of Guam. Along with this training I have trained in the arts of Balintawak Arnis under Comjuka Grandmaster Rafael Reston of Batangas Philippines, Pampanga Cinco Terros under Conrado Turla of Dau Pampanga Philippines, Modern arnis with Boggs Lau of Angeles City Philippines, Crossada Arnis with Oscar Muriel, Mabalacat, Pampanga, Kajukenbo(Emperado System) under Sigung Daniel Frazier, Wing Chun under Sifu Pete Maguadag, Kodokan Judo and Kano Jujitsu under Sensei Dave Schiefly, Isshinryu Karate under Sensei Herman Kussro of Aurora, Illinois, Teoul Moon Kung Fu under Sabunim Lee of Song Tan, South Korea, Chuan Fa under Sifu Wong of Taichung, Taiwan. At the present time, I am researching the the Indonesian arts of Penchak silat and their influences into the indigenous fighting arts of the Philippines.
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