OTHER WAYS WE TEACH FMA.

Filipino Martial Arts for our Instructors was taught early on in life. And to get them acquainted and moving they played games to learn. For those who don't know FMA is a war art but has been passed down through generations as a way to defend oneself and carry culture to the next generation.

Other ways FMA has been hidden has been through Dance. We work with various groups and schools to help promote these traditions. Some include but arent limited to:

Singkil - comprehensive movement
Tinikling - footwork
Pandango sa ilaw - flexibility & flow
Maglalatik - empty hand coordination
Sayaw sa Bangko - balance & coordination

Other Dances to Come...

PINAKATAY

Utilizing Alibata and Baybayin we educate our new students in their ability to write in our native scripts and show them the various scripts of the Philippines various islands.

Baybayin is an ancient writing system of the Philippines that was often incorrectly called Alibata. Baybayin is an alphasyllabary, meaning each character is based on a consonant with a vowel notation.

Etymology:

The word "baybayin" comes from the Tagalog word baybay, which means "to spell"
Baybayin was used to write poetry, incantations, and letters

History:

Baybayin was used before the arrival of the Spaniards
It was primarily used in Luzon during the 16th and 17th centuries
Baybayin was gradually forgotten due to the influence of colonialism and the widespread use of the Latin alphabet

Significance:

Baybayin is an ancestral writing system that is under threat of becoming extinct
Baybayin is being revived through artistic interpretations and renewed interest among the youth

Other names:

Baybayin is also known as Sulat Tagalog, and by Bicolanos, Basahan
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SHATONG

In the Philippines, Shatong is a traditional game where players use two sticks, one long and one short, with the goal of hitting the short stick with the long one, while other players try to catch the flying short stick; whoever catches it gets the next turn at batting.

Key aspects of playing Shatong:

Equipment: Two sticks made of bamboo, one significantly longer than the other.
Gameplay:
- A player holds the long stick with one hand and tosses the short stick into the air with the other.
- The player then attempts to hit the short stick with the long stick.
- Other players in the field try to catch the short stick as it flies.
- If a player catches the short stick, they become the next batter.

SEPAK TAKRAW

How is sepak takraw played?

Sepak takraw is a team sport that's similar to volleyball, but players kick the ball over the net instead of hitting it with their hands.
Players use their feet, knees, chests, and heads to touch the ball.
The sport is played with a rattan ball.

Where is sepak takraw popular?

Sepak takraw is popular in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, and Indonesia.
It's often played in elementary and high school physical education classes.
It's also played professionally in the Philippines during the Palarong Pambansa and SEA GAMES.

History of sepak takraw

The sport originated in Malaysia and was standardized in 1960 along with other ASEAN nations.
It was formerly called SIPA, which means "kick" in English.

TUMBAND PRESO

To play tumbang preso, you need a can or bottle, slippers for each player, and a starting line. The goal is to knock down the can with your slipper while avoiding being tagged by the "It" player.

How to play

Players stand behind the toe-line and take turns trying to knock down the can with their slippers.

After hitting the can, players must cross the toe-line to retrieve their slipper.

The "It" player can tag players who cross the toe-line to retrieve their slipper.

The player who is tagged becomes the new "It" player.

Choose a player to be "It". You can do this by having players stand by the can and toss their slippers as close to the toe-line as possible. The player with the slipper farthest from the toe-line is "It".
Draw a circle around the can to create the "can zone".
Draw a straight line about 7 feet away from the circle, called the "toe-line".

Tumbang preso is a traditional Filipino game that promotes teamwork, physical activity, and strategic thinking. The name translates to "fallen prisoner" in English, and symbolizes the Filipino people's struggle for independence.

LUKSONG TINIK

Luksong tinik is a traditional Filipino game where players jump over obstacles made of other players' hands and feet. The name translates to "jump over the thorns of a plant".

How to play

Two teams with equal numbers of players take turns jumping over the obstacles
Players build the obstacles by putting their hands and feet together, soles touching
As players jump over the obstacles, the height of the obstacles increases
If a player hits an obstacle, their mother must jump in their place

Benefits

Luksong tinik helps players develop teamwork, strategy, and confidence
It's a fun way to build resilience and exercise

Variations

Instead of building the obstacles with their hands and feet, players can use a straight stick
Two players from the other team hold the stick, and the height of the stick increases with each successful jump

Other information

Luksong tinik is often played by girls ages 7–12, but boys sometimes join in
The game is played outside, with players divided into sets of a mother and her child

NANAY - TATAY

"Nanay, Tatay" is a traditional Filipino hand-clapping game for children that involves counting while clapping. The game is played in Tagalog and can be played with two or more players.

Rules

Players clap along with a chant
At the end of the chant, players count one to ten while clapping
If a player makes a mistake or misses a count, they get pinched on the ear or nose by the other player
Players can try to confuse other players by counting incorrectly, staying silent, or counting their claps

Additional information

"Nanay" means "mother" and "Tatay" means "father" in Tagalog
"Nanay, Tatay" is one of the most popular hand-clapping games for children in the Philippines
Other traditional Filipino games include patintero, tumbang preso, piko, sipa, and turumpo

SUNGKA

Sungka, also known as Congkak, is a two-player board game where players take turns moving stones into holes on the board. The goal is to have the most stones in your storehouses, which are the large holes at the ends of the board.

How to play

Depending on where the last stone lands, the player may be able to take another turn or capture stones from their opponent.

Capturing occurs when the last stone lands in an empty pit on your side. This allows you to capture all the stones from the opponent's pit directly across.

Captured stones are placed in your home.

Players take turns moving stones from one hole to another.
Players pick up all the stones from a smaller hole, called a house, and spread them out around the board.

Variants

Chopstick Sungka: A variant where players use chopsticks instead of their hands to move the stones.