Kali
Martial arts styles from the Philippines (FMA: Flipino Martial Arts) are generally categorized into three groups, divided according to the region in the country from which they hail: Northern, Central and Southern. There are over 100 fighting styles, some of which were developed under the influence of Chinese martial arts (introduced to the Philippines around the 9th century AD). However, there is one style that remains the most popular in the country, and is recognized around the world: Kali.
Kali
Kali is an indigenous martial art style that is considered a Southern style. It is a rather generic term to describe a form of stick, spear and knife fighting. Wooden weapons typically use bamboo or rattan. It incorporates empty handed techniques as well, such as kicking, kneeing, elbowing, punching and grappling/wrestling. Of all the martial arts in the Philippines, Kali is believed to be the oldest, and existed well before the arrival of the Spanish in the 1500s. In fact, the primary method of defence against the arrival of the Spanish by the people of the Philippines was Kali. During the occupation, Kali was practiced secretly as all forms of martial arts were banned in the country.
A Kalis is a wooden sword that originated in Malaysia, approximately 76 centimetres in length. Upon its introduction to the country, an entire form of combat was developed during ancient times.
Several different types of martial arts have developed from the techniques and movements of Kali. These include escrima and arnis de mano.