Doce Pares
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Doce Pares is the world's leading organization of the traditional Filipino martial art known as Eskrima or Arnis (stick fighting). Magellan's sword-wielding conquistadors fell to Maharaja Lapulapu who used Eskrima to defeat the Spanish at the battle of Mactan. Doce Pares traces its history to Lapulapu.
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[edit] Early development
In the late 1920's, Eskrima attained a high level of popularity in Cebu City, the second largest city in the Philippines (Cebu island is located in the center of the Philippine archipelago). In 1932, the most renowned Eskrimadors, mainly from Cebu, founded Doce Pares as a society to promote the only original native martial art of the Philippines. The name Doce Pares reflects the Spanish influence on the Philippines and translates to "Twelve Companions" "Pare[s]" comes from the Filipino term "comparé" which is used to describe a close friend or peer. The name may refer to the traditional twelve original "Masters" of the Club or it may also refer to the twelve basic strikes and twelve basic defenses of Eskrima.
None of the founding members are alive, however several senior instructors who belonged to the second generation of Eskrimadors are still living and teaching their own interpretation or styles of Doce Pares Eskrima.
[edit] History
Since the beginning, Doce Pares has produced many champions in Eskrima competitions. During its founding, Lorenzo Saavedra, one of the original 12 Masters was recognized as the foremost eskrimador in Cebu City. He was ably supported by three other top-rated eskrimadors: Teodoro and Frederico Saavedra—Lorenzo and by Filemon Cañete. Later, Teodoro Saavedra rose to prominence as the best fighter in the Doce Pares society. Eulogio Cañete, Filemon's older brother, was elected first president of Doce Pares and remained in that position until his death in 1988.
During World War II, Teodoro Saavedra, an active guerrilla, was captured and killed by the Japanese occupying forces. Shortly after Teodoro's death, Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete, who was only 13 years old then when he co-founded Doce Pares in 1932 with his elder brothers, and who was a resistance fighter as well, emerged as Doce Pares' foremost fighter and innovator.
In the early 1950s, Eskrima techniques and tactics were analyzed, devised, modified and systematized by Cacoy Cañete, based mostly on actual combat experience with other Eskrimadors belonging to rival Eskrima Schools. Among his many contributions to the development of this martial art is Eskrido, a combination of judo and Eskrima techniques, as well as the most modern forms of Eskrima-offense and Eskrima-defense.
[edit] NARAPHIL
NARAPHIL (the National Arnis Association of the Philippines) conducted the First Open Arnis Tournament]on March 24, 1979, in Cebu City and the First National Invitational Arnis Tournament on August 19, 1979, in Manila. In both tournaments, Doce Pares, emerged as Champion in the Masters Division and most of the other divisions.
During the Third National Arnis Tournament in Cebu City, March 16, 1985, the Doce Pares contestants made a clean sweep of all championship awards in all categories - Openweight, Heavyweight, Middleweight and Lightweight. Most runner-up honors also went to Doce Pares players. Such was the reputation of invincibility of Doce Pares contestants that in the Fourth National Arnis Tournament, which took place in Bacolod City, on July 26, 1986, Doce Pares officers and members were invited only as observers and officials - not as contestants! Since its founding, Doce Pares has enjoyed a special reputation among Philippine martial arts organizations as the developer and innovator of the newest styles and techniques in eskrima. In November 1995, the Doce Pares Club became Doce Pares Federation with a modified logo wherein the symbols of Eskrido and Pangamot were integrated with the original design. And in 2002, the name was again changed into Cacoy Doce Pares World Federation to give it a distinction among the other groups using the name Doce Pares.
[edit] Today
Cacoy Doce Pares system is now identified as the modern form of eskrima and variations of eskrima such as Eskrido and specialized defenses against knives and pistols called Pangamot.
[edit] References
- Mark V. Wiley (1997). Filipino Martial Culture, ISBN 0-8048-2088-0.
- Mark V. Wiley (2000). Filipino Fighting Arts: Theory and Practice, ISBN 0-86568-180-5.
- Mark V. Wiley (2001). "Cabales Serrada Escrima", ISBN 0-8048-3181-5.
