Monday, October 7, 2013

Negros Martial Culture Lecture Held @ Riverside College

Seated from left: Sociology-Anthropology Instructor Gil Alfredo B. Severino and Resource Lecturer James U. Sy Jr., Founder/Master of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., together with the 2nd year Medical Laboratory Science students at the conclusion of the Negros Martial Culture Lecture last October 4, 2013 at Room H402, Hortencia Building, Riverside College, Bacolod City (Gil Alfredo B. Severino photo). Mr. Gil Alfredo B. Severino, Instructor of Sociology-Anthropology, invited James U. Sy Jr., Founder/Master of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., to conduct the Negros Martial Culture Lecture for 29 2nd year Medical Laboratory Science students as part of their course requirements last October 4, 2013 at Room H402, Hortencia Building, Riverside College, Bacolod City. Severino believes that a local perspective on the social sciences is necessary to create awareness and ultimately appreciation of indigenous culture and history among students as well as make them feel part of it. Severino is a great grandson of Melecio Severino, the first civil governor of the province of Negros Occidental and one of the key leaders who led the revolutionaries in the historic overthrow of the Spaniards on November 5, 1898. Severino, who is a feature writer for the Negros Daily Bulletin (NDB), invited Sy, also a feature writer and columnist at NDB, to give the lecture because he is aware of his extensive literary and field research, and articles on the subject. Sy, previously Purchasing Officer at Asian Alcohol Corporation (AAC) of the Lucio Tan Group of Companies (LTGC) and formerly a banker, started the lecture by reminiscing the advocacy of the late Dr. Henry F. Funtecha (1947-2009), Director of the Center for West Visayan Studies, University of the Philippines in the Visayas (UP-V), for the locals knowing their own culture and history and ultimately writing them down themselves to have the most accurate possible perspective of the matter. Sy went on to discuss the seminal roots of Visayan martial culture as shaped by their political system, agricultural technology, commercial relations with other Asian countries, typology of weapons, and warfare culture and methods. From there, the focus shifted to the Negros Island and the various events and influences that shaped its unique martial culture. The later part of the lecture introduced students to the rich martial culture of Negros (Arnis/Eskrima/Baston) in the 20th Century, from Bacolod, Bago, Bayawan, Cadiz, Escalante, Hinigaran, Murcia, Silay, and Talisay among others. Special mention were made of Lapu-Lapu ViƱas Arnis of Bacolod, Yasay Sable and Original Filipino Tapado of Bago, and Oido de Caburata of Murcia. The lecture ended with a Q & A where students asked more about the application of Negrosanon Arnis to present day dilemmas on the streets. With the help of the students, Sy demonstrated a few practical techniques for self protection, among them the transmutation of Arnis from the sword/stick to empty hands and everyday objects. The session ended with Severino asking his students to submit a reaction paper about the lecture in their next meeting.

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