Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete
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Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete (born August, 1919) was a Filipino martial artist and head of Doce Pares. He is the last surviving member and the only 12th degree black belt of the group.
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[edit] Biography
Born in San Fernando, Cebu, in the Visayas region of the Philippines, Cañete was the youngest of twelve children. The martial art Eskrima was a tradition in his family, and he began training at age seven under his brother Filemon "Momoy" Cañete. Filemon had learned it from his father, Gregorio, and uncles Gavino, Pedro, and Juancho. Ciriaco Cañete was also trained in other martial arts, including jujutsu, boxing, judo, free style wrestling, Shorin-ryu karate, and aikido.
Amid high interest in Filipino martial arts, Visayan martial arts practitioners formed the Doce Pares association in Cebu. In 1939, Cañete's elder brother Eulogio "Yoling" Cañete became president of Doce Pares. The organization became the longest-lasting martial arts organization in the Philippines, and was instrumental in popularizing the Filipino martial arts. Eulogio Cañete was president of Doce Pares until his death in 1988. Ciriaco Cañete served with the U.S. Army Forces Far East (USAFFE) during World War II, and stayed in the army service until 1947. He studied at the University of Southern Philippines and taught martial arts in various Cebu schools. In 1979, he was champion of the First Open Arnis Tournament in Cebu City and the First National Invitational Arnis Tournament in Manila; both of which were sponsored by the National Arnis Association of the Philippines (NARAPHIL).
Cañete's nephew and former student, Dionisio, served as president of NARAPHIL and the World Kali-Eskrima Arnis Federation (WEKAF), an organization founded in 1987.
[edit] Ranks
- 3rd Dan Shorin Ryu Karate (awarded 1969)
- 3rd Dan Kodokan Judo (awarded 1984)
- 3rd Dan Aikido (awarded 1988)
- 12th Dan Eskrima-Eskrido (awarded 1995)
- 10th Dan Pangamot (awarded 1995)
- Ju Jitsu practitioner (not officially ranked) since 1933
- Competition Boxer and Wrestler since 1937/1940
[edit] Honors
- 1997 - Inducted into Cebu City Sports Commission, Hall of Fame.
- 1999 - Appointed Sports Commissioner for Eskrima, Eskrido and Pangamot, by Mayor A. Garcia, Cebu City.
- 2000 - January, chosen as one of the "Most Outstanding Cebuanos of the Century" by the Cebuano Studies and Historical Association.
- 2000 - February, picked by the Cebu Historical Center as as one of the "Four Outstanding Individual of Cebu City".
- 2000 - July, Filipino Martial Arts Hall of Fame in El Paso, Texas, USA.
- 2000 - December, Blackbelt Hall of Fame ("Weapons Instructor of the Year") in Los Angeles, California, USA.
- 2002 - Authored the "Pangamot" Book (Bare-handed Defense System).
- 2003 - US Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame ("Most Distinguished Grandmaster of the Year").
- 2004 - US Martial Arts Association Hall of Fame ("Philippine Martial Arts Legend").
- 2005 - Mayor Tomas Osmeña's Special Awardee, Cebu City, Philippines
[edit] References
- Filipino Fighting Arts:Theory and Practice by Mark V. Wiley, ISBN 0-8656818-0-5
- Filipino Martial Culture by Mark V. Wiley, ISBN 0-8048208-8-0
