Eskrima or escrima refers to a class of Filipino Martial Arts that emphasize weapon-based fighting with the stick, staff or knife. Alternative terms which have entered into common usage include kali and arnis. Eskrima and arnis are the most common among the many names often used in the Philippines today to refer to these arts.
The teaching of the basic skills in eskrima are traditionally simplified. With limited time to teach intricate moves, only techniques that were proven effective in battle and could easily be taught en masse were used. This allowed villagers, generally not professional soldiers, a measure of protection against other villages, as well as foreign invaders. This philosophy of simplicity is still used today and is the underlying base of eskrima. Because of this approach, eskrima and the Filipino Martial Arts in general are often mistakenly considered to be "simple". However, this refers only to its systematization, not effectiveness. To the contrary, beyond the basic skills lies a very complex structure and a refined skillset that takes years to master.
For all intents and purposes, eskrima, arnis and kali all refer to the same family of Filipino weapon-based martial arts. In Luzon they may go by the name of pagkalikali, panandata, didya, kabaroan, kaliradman, sinawali and arnis or arnis de mano. In the Visayas and Mindanao, martial arts have been referred to as kali, kalirongan, kuntaw and silat.
Eskrima is the Filipino spelling of the Spanish word for fencing (esgrima). "Arnis" is thought to derive from the phrase "arnes de mano," Spanish for "harness of hand".
An eskrimador, kalista or mangangali (as some modern practitioners called themselves) is a practitioner of Eskrima, while Arnisador is also used for the variant name Arnis.
Among the earliest written records of Filipino martial arts comes from the Spanish conquistadors who fought native tribesmen armed with sticks and knives. Driven back to their ships, the European colonists had to resort to fire-arms to defeat the Filipinos. In 1521, Ferdinand Magellan was killed in Cebu at the Battle of Mactan by the forces of Raja Lapu-Lapu, the Mactan tribal chief. Although eskrimadors hold that Lapu-Lapu killed Magellan in a sword-fight, Spanish records tell that he was shot by an arrow, yet this information is still uncertain as many Spaniards and Portuguese exaggerated their stories to impress their kings. Sources differ on the degree to which eskrima was affected by the Spanish colonisation. It is generally accepted that the art was hidden from the Spaniards and passed down through familial or communal ties. Many believe that eskrimadors disguised their choreographed routines as dances or pretended they were practicing the Spanish style of fencing to avoid being caught. Consequently, a number of Filipino martial arts have some Spanish influence, most apparent in espada y daga or the sword and dagger method.
