Very good point Matinik.
Here's more from Sawyer's book:
You can almost hear the puzzled thoughts, "but isn't THAT guy on the cross a human sacrifice?"
According to the observations of historian Frederic Sawyer, the Jesuits provided these first hand accounts published in 1900. He was there at the time period of Jesuit influence during the border battles between Christianized and the Mohammeddan tribes. His account is from an Englishman's point of view, one who had no direct political stake in what was transpiring in the islands.
The first observation I would like to present is Sawyer's view of Moro warrior attributes and sword skills:
""Physically the Moro is a man built for the fatigues of war, whether by sea or land. His sinewy frame combines strength and ahility, and the immense development of the thorax gives him marvellous powers of endurance at the oar or the march."
Sawyer then adds proof that the Moros TRAINED to be skilled with their blades, note his use of non native terminology to describe the native's weapons.:
" Trained to arms from his earliest youth he excels in the management of the lance, the buckler and the sword. Those weapons are his inseparable companions: the typical Moo is never unarmed. He fights equally well on foot, on horseback, in his fleet war canoe, or in water, for he swims like a fish and dives like a penguin."
More proof of how the mindset was introduced and cultivated, with the use of LIVE victims:
"He will set his sons, a mere boy, to kill some defenceless man, merely to get his hand in at slaughter." Page 365 Inhabitants of the Philippines, published in 1900
Also through the use of tribal mock fighting and sayaw in the Moro-moro dance:
" They have a war-dance called the Moro-moro, which is performed by their most skillful and agile swordsmen, buckler on arm and campilan in hand to the sound of martial music. It simulates a combat, and the dancers spring sideways, backwards, or forwards, and cut, thrust, guard, or feint with surprising dexterity." page 369
Sawyer also notes that the Moros war industries were:
"... forging of swords, cris, lance-heads, casting and boring their lantacas." page 373
Sawyer, stressed the importance of firearms to stop the Moro uprisings, and observed what the Jesuits truly used and trained the local Christian populace with:
"..getting notice of their (Moros) approach, the Jesuits assembled the fighting men of several towns, and being provided with a few fire-arms by the Government, they fell upon the Moros and utterly routed them, driving them back to their own territory with great loss." page 366 The Inhabitants of the Philippines, published in 1900
Note that these natives were already considered "fighting men" indicating experience or intent to face the invaders. The main contirbution of the Jesuits was to ASSEMBLE them together and if they wanted to win decisively... to obtain firearms. On another occasion in the town of Lepanto:
"...the inhabitants, not being provided fire-arms sought safety in flight, but the Moros captured fourteen of them." Page 367
Sawyer indicates the Christian tribes were already:
"war-like and hardy troops" page 363
And he notes the evidence of "Subanos" weaponry:
" The weapons of Subanos are the lance, which they call talanan, a round shield they call taming, a scimitar they call campilan, the Malay kris they call caliz, the machete or pes."
None of the above sword weapons are of the Spanish variety.
Sawyer never notes the Jesuits teaching the natives ANY sword skills, even though he meticulously indicates to the contrary of* how the Moros were trained by their elders in the art of war. Sawyer did write in detail how the Jesuits taught the natives the following skills and also the other duties they provided:
" They educated the young, taught them handicrafts, attended to the sick, consoled the afflicted, reconciled those at variance, explored the country , encouraged agriculture, built churches, laid out roads, and assisted the administration."page 385
Sawyer does not state that the Jesuits feared the Moros, but were "pious" men who were brave and instrumental in "leading" the Christians into battle. However, even a supporter of the Jesuit order like Sawyer does not make the logical leap that states the allied tribes required training in sword skills from the friars. This supports other first hand accounts of Jesuits being tacticians and organizers rather than a sword master of high stature to the tribes.
Look at the following photos printed in Sawyer's book and you can tell me if the tribes required any edged weapon training from the Jesuits - in this context it is almost a comical scenario to even suggest.
--Rafael--
Sayoc Kali
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You got me wrong, I stated clearly that whatever MARTIAL ART they practiced, it did not have any influence on modern day eskrima, neither is their proof that it is the so-called mother art Kali. It would be foolish to assume they did not have a martial art, let's say for the sake of argument that they may only have a few slashes, cuts and thrusts...nonetheless it is still a martial art by any standard!