Woof All:
Even after 25 years of doing this, every Gathering for me is a profound experience –and that experience most certainly includes the wordless altered space that comes in its aftermath.
At the same time, I know that people enjoy reading AARs of the day and so I pull myself out of the altered space for a little bit to write the following—because I did not know the man who died the night before the Gathering—a matter of great emotional impact to most there—I will leave commenting on that to those that knew him.
This, the Second Annual Canadian Dog Brothers Gathering was held at Sled Dog’s school, a much smaller location than Joey de las Reyes’s gym last year. With 30 fighters, with most fighting an impressive number of overall fights, the pace was very fast and the fighting lasted for hours. A lot to be said for a lesser number of fighters-- contrast the 60+ fighters found at the US Open Gathering and the Euro Gatherings where fighters have to wait a long time between fights.
In the pre-fight talk, the question of hidden knives was discussed during the stickfighting. This is a matter for each Dog Brothers Gathering of the Pack to decide for itself. For example, the Euros tend to not like this at all, whereas the US Open Gathering does. The consensus here was to allow hidden knives AND to allow the fighters to agree to no hidden knives. If I remember correctly, in no fight were hidden knives brought into play.
The day began with sport knife dueling. The one woman fighter present (forgive me, I do not remember her name) fought particularly well, both single and double knife and to my eye by any standard exhibiting superior targeting skills (e.g. a well timed slash to the throat as versus the way so many slash in rather untimed ways at undefined targets) and superior killer instinct in putting away opponents in their moments of weakness. During the day she continued to have several more knife fights with the men there.
Most of the fights involved substantial aluminum blades and as such the sport knife dueling of the last few years has definitely upped the intensity from the early days where it was more rattan dowels or plastic knives as a matter of warming up for the stickfights to come. Also worth noting is that we discussed the matter of pointed aluminum blades and the risk of penetration and the preference for rounded aluminum tips to diminish this risk. (Advertisement: I anticipate that in a month or two that Dog Brothers Inc. will be offering knives designed with the sport knife dueling of DB Gatherings in mind.)
Then began the stick fights.
Over the last 25 years we have held Gatherings in a variety of sized and defined fighting areas, and each of them teaches unique lessons. With mats on some walls, and MMA cage on others the space made it the fighting very , , , condensed—contrast big open spaces where one fighter can play it safe by continuously drifting back. In this regard, I would note the overall high level of footwork displayed; actually very few fighters got cornered and crashed into the wall and/or fence—very impressive this!
Good stick skills were displayed by most and there was even—a first in my memory—a beautifully executed vine disarm in the midst of a fight. Magnificent!
Another point of great interest to me was the great number of stick and knife fights. Personally I find this very gratifying; it is something towards which I have been guiding things for a few years now; the thought being in great part to avoid fights where two relatively unskilled or relatively afraid stickfighters whack sticks once or twice and do a mutual bum rush that falls into bad white belt MMA. With the aluminum blades in the live hand, mindless bum rushes become a Darwinian error and people tend to stay out in weapon range. Good! Then the next level is presented—not only is the knife useful for preventing closing, but for skillful shots from out in weaponry range. In this regard I must say that not only was the percentage of stick and knife fights the highest I have seen at any Gathering, but the overall level was the highest I have seen at any Gathering. With Pekiti Tirsia being a major influence on all three of the Canadian clans, this is no surprise!
The Dog Brothers spirit exhibited throughout the day was exemplary. For me, this is the most important thing of all. Again and again shots of needless toll were pulled or not taken, yet the fighting full of total fight vigor. There were many smaller fighters who went out many times against much larger opponents in fearless manner.
Eventually the day came to an end and we retired to burgers, beer, and re-living the day.
The next day Three Hon (as in Won Ton, Tuhon, Three Hon) Sled Dog did a work shop on , , , , stick & dagger and I did one on “Kali Tudo” movements founded on stick & dagger. In the informal mood of a post Gathering day there was much banter about the post fight festivities of the night before—much of it centering around rumors of Growling Dog and a scantily clad dancing maiden. Eventually Growling Dog staggered in, his future so bright he had to wear shades, and the story was told. Apparently he was sitting at the edge of the stage and the scantily clad dancing maiden did some sort of a handstand maneuver so that he could both see and smell her , , , charms from very close. Perhaps there was alcohol involved for apparently she lost her balance and fell into Growling Dog, knocking him backwards into a summersault to the general merriment of all present.
My deep thanks to Sled Dog and Ruth for the their wonderful hospitality.
The Adventure continues!
Crafty Dog
