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I find martial arts books interesting for a number of reasons. Some are interesting because they challenge our way of thinking and training. “Balisong” by Cacoy “Boy” Hernandez is certainly one of the latter. Here is the Hernandez’s introduction to the book:


Let me introduce myself and this book. Please don’t expect school book writing - I just write what I know.
A lot of fancy people say Balisong is a warrior’s art, OK, but there wasn’t no Samurai where Balisong was born. Sure we didn’t have no fancy stances, no special clothes. We just have Balisong and oursleves. We got not time to make up some ritual - just fight.
Let me tell you, a lot of fat cats talking now about Balisong only being good against Balisong, no good against leather jacket. In Phillipines, we no wear leather jacket - but if some smart boy do, we always got machete! If you lose weapon pick up another, do something, don’t be cry baby and give in easy -- That’s no man’s way -- No way!
People say we always fighting - sure - it’s our way. You city folks with big house, air conditioning and shiny car can pay for guys to protect you. “Insure your interests” I hear them say.
But in Phillipines, we don’t got that, that’s why I agree with Master Bimba - What a fighter. (Eed. Note: Bimaba was killed by a shotgun blast.) Just after the war, he back down to nobody, Never! - Anyway, he say if you got to fight - you got to win. Don’t never step back. You got to know the other guy’s mind or man, he’s just going to cream you - that’s why when I see these guys in white pyjamas saying they going to teach self-defence - I got to laugh!
The man wasn’t born to fight for real by rules - Not if he got any sense he don’t.
I see a guy square up, he drop into a horse stance and growl like some mad dog, I just kick him private and run fast. No more to it, if he get up and come after me, I figure he don’t just want my phone number, so like the man say, I use my deterrent, but that’s another story.
There’s a lot of guys, mostly in America, wants to make Balisong martial art and have all kinds of competition, have sticker on jacket, say “coach” or “instructor”. Just dreaming, like most Karate now!
Yeah, I thought that’d ruffle a few tail feathers. Like they say in the cock fight - Bit o’ salt, bit o’ blood make a champion. Think about it!
Well, OK! There’s only a few teachers teach old Karate Way, same way Escrima, Arnis and Kali. Why? Simple! Students don’t want go go away with broken mouth - not if he pay big bucks - no way Jose!
I guess I must be getting old or something, but it sure teach a real way.
Next Birthday I will be sixty one years old (Ed. note- This was written in ‘85.) In my life I have met and fight a load of guys who call themselves masters and wasn’t, and a few, a real small few who called themselves nothing but were real masters. “Tiger Eyes” I call them. Man, you see them, you know you get real fight.
That’s what I believe, let me tell you, if you want to know real technique, not just stupid tricks that don’t work when you outside of studio, you got to sweat a little, bleed a little too maybe!
So you see, this book is not just about Balisong, it’s deeper than that. I don’t like to say spiritual, because maybe you mix up what I say - Not like some hippy. No I mean how to train so you hard outside and hard inside, but still able to be soft when you want to be.
So no matter what comes, you can hold our head up hight and don’t step in the gutter for no man.

I think Balisong offers something to think about, even if I don’t agree with everything Hernandez has to say.

david

[This message has been edited by david (edited 03-02-99).]

"In my life I have met and fight a load of guys who call themselves masters and wasn’t, and a few, a real small few who called themselves nothing but were real masters. “Tiger Eyes” I call them. Man, you see them, you know you get real fight.
That’s what I believe, let me tell you, if you want to know real technique, not just stupid tricks that don’t work when you outside of studio, you got to sweat a little, bleed a little too maybe!
So you see, this book is not just about Balisong, it’s deeper than that."

David, I'm going to take that to heart. I think that says it all right there. And please tell me how I can get that book, so that I can order it today!!!



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Cecil,

Balisong by Cacoy “Boy” Hernandez is published by Dragon Books. It’s pretty short at 97 pages. It reminds me a bit of Musashi’s Book of Five Rings - written by a man whose Way was discovered through life and death battles. Like Musashi, he provides little in actual detailed techniques. The most specific are the “angles of attacks” - cuts, slashes, stabs which, btw, varies in numbering from system to system in Filipino and Indonesian styles. Other than that he encourages the reader to discover on his own, much like Musashi admonishing his readers “to study this well.” Essentially, experience through practice and, more importantly, actual life and death struggles is the real teacher. One more paragraph:

“You know, Master Bimba used to step heel and toe, heel and toe on the attack. One day, I tried to copy this method. Master Bimba noticed and came over, we were sparring, double stick style. He stepped inand started to increase the pace. His sticks whirled and clashed, vibrating up my arms until my head shook. I was concentrating on my new heel and toe movement. As the pace got even wilder, I started to stumbe and fall about; I was getting a sound beating, so I forgot about the heel and toe stepping and just started to fight; trading blow for blow with Master Bimba. Abruptly, he knocked both sticks out of my hands and stepping heel to toe, closed on me, pinning me up against a wall. ‘Now listen’ he said, ‘every animal moves in a different way, every man fights in a different way. Observe but don’t copy!. You’ve just found that out. Now in order to fight me, you had to stop copying and step naturally for yourself. You;ll only find that, by fighting and forgetting everything else.’”

You can probably find this book at Amazon or Barnes and Noble online. If not, I can send you a copy. It’s about $12.

david

David, Wonder if Silky would have it? Allen

It drives the 'point' home doesn't it !

< that's why when I see these guys in white
pajamas saying they going to teach self-defense - I got to laugh! >

Is >>There more to Martial arts , than training a couple times a week , a little conditioning , a little sparring , a few tournaments [ maybe] ? How about natural selection of the kind that Melanie talks about in her post?

< Just dreaming, like most Karate now!
Yeah, I thought that'd ruffle a few tail feathers.>

Remember " De-nile" ?


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Van Canna

David,

I've just put in an order for the book. I think it will be an interesting read.

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Email: <A HREF="mailto:creativebrother@yahoo.com">creativebrother@yahoo.com</A>
Web Page: http://creativebrother.freehosting.net

The expression "Tiger Eyes" resonated to a memory that I have of summer camp two years ago when I was privledged to touch the hand of the Shaolin Lohan master present. I don't know his name but thinking of him makes me sweat. We did a little kotekitae together and that was fun, but then we did a little GWOH SAU and what was jolly fun instantly became a another world. I've met a couple of people in my life who evoked that feeling and once experienced it becomes a valued addition. If you haven't encountered a "Tiger Eyes" take the opportunity to seek one out, preferably in a semi-structured setting like camp. Once you meet a tiger you'll have no difficulty recognizing one again. Additionally, through the phenomena of "modeling" you may be that much closer to being a Tiger Eyes yourself. May save your life!!!

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Good training,
David




[This message has been edited by David Elkins (edited 03-05-99).]