The Philippines as a country or as a distinct culture was severed from its umbilical ties to the rest of Southeast Asia when it was colonized by Spain. The Laguna Copper Plate offers hints on the connections of Tondo (the ancient Kingdom of Tundun) with the rest of the Malay archipelago. Manila, which was Seludong in ancient times was founded by Bruneian aristocracy after challenging Tondo as a center of trade with China.
Here is an article in Wikipedia concerning Maynila (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Maynila)
This shows how the islands that is now the Philippines was basically inhabited by a largely Malay population. Filipino therefore is not a race but only a modern political term denoting citizenship to the country.
Therefore, when we refer to Filipino Martial Arts we cannot refer to the term "Filipino" as a cultural term or as a martial term acknowledging ancient lineage. The term "Filipino" was first used to refer to Spaniards born in the islands and not to the natives. The natives were referred to as "Indios". The political term "Filipino" referring to the natives started during the American period when all citizens to the islands were identified as such.
The then Sultanates in the area that is now Manila had ties with Brunei, Sulu and Indonesia and were populated by Muslims. Their rulers used the titles Sultan or Rajahs. The non-Muslim State of Tundun have Lakandula as title for their own aristocracy and "Gat" being the title of those belonging to the royal clan. The title "Gat" is now used as title to eminent historical figures such as Gat Jose Rizal and Gat Andres Bonifacio. "Gat" is a Tagalog term also and was not used in the Visayan region.
Because these ancient city-states had cultural and trade ties with the Malay heartland and even China it is safe to say that ancient martial systems were a confluence of Malay, Chinese and even Indian character.
Here's another interesting article: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Tondo)
The Kingdom of Tundun itself was an Indianized State, using its calendar, number system and a writing derived from the Dravidian script. The Laguna Copperplate reflect this fact and we can assume that native military arts would have trickled down to this part of the islands.
In ancient times the Philippine islands was not one contiguous political state but actually composed of independent mini-states called "barangays" or a federation of these barangays such as Tundun and Namayan. There were no "Filipinos" at that time. As mentioned earlier, "Filipino" was used only during the Spanish era when the islands was named after Felipe of Spain.
Filipino Martial Arts therefore is a modern nomenclature. But it has roots in ancient Malay, Indian and Chinese martial arts.
Here is an article in Wikipedia concerning Maynila (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Maynila)
This shows how the islands that is now the Philippines was basically inhabited by a largely Malay population. Filipino therefore is not a race but only a modern political term denoting citizenship to the country.
Therefore, when we refer to Filipino Martial Arts we cannot refer to the term "Filipino" as a cultural term or as a martial term acknowledging ancient lineage. The term "Filipino" was first used to refer to Spaniards born in the islands and not to the natives. The natives were referred to as "Indios". The political term "Filipino" referring to the natives started during the American period when all citizens to the islands were identified as such.
The then Sultanates in the area that is now Manila had ties with Brunei, Sulu and Indonesia and were populated by Muslims. Their rulers used the titles Sultan or Rajahs. The non-Muslim State of Tundun have Lakandula as title for their own aristocracy and "Gat" being the title of those belonging to the royal clan. The title "Gat" is now used as title to eminent historical figures such as Gat Jose Rizal and Gat Andres Bonifacio. "Gat" is a Tagalog term also and was not used in the Visayan region.
Because these ancient city-states had cultural and trade ties with the Malay heartland and even China it is safe to say that ancient martial systems were a confluence of Malay, Chinese and even Indian character.
Here's another interesting article: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_of_Tondo)
The Kingdom of Tundun itself was an Indianized State, using its calendar, number system and a writing derived from the Dravidian script. The Laguna Copperplate reflect this fact and we can assume that native military arts would have trickled down to this part of the islands.
In ancient times the Philippine islands was not one contiguous political state but actually composed of independent mini-states called "barangays" or a federation of these barangays such as Tundun and Namayan. There were no "Filipinos" at that time. As mentioned earlier, "Filipino" was used only during the Spanish era when the islands was named after Felipe of Spain.
Filipino Martial Arts therefore is a modern nomenclature. But it has roots in ancient Malay, Indian and Chinese martial arts.
0 comments:
Post a Comment