The Art
What is Lapunti?
Lapunti Arnis De Abanico, otherwise referred to simply as Lapunti, is a Filipino Martial Art that originated from Cebu, Philippines. A comprehensive and unified martial art system, Lapunti includes training in the use of impact and bladed weapons which translates to the use of common everyday objects and eventually to empty hand. Training in Lapunti develops in practitioners a set of valuable skills and mindset which can be applied not only in combat or self-defense scenarios, but also in everday life by instilling values that improve one’s character and disposition.
Among the Filipino martial arts, Lapunti is considered unique, or peculiar, based on two of its most notable characteristics:
- the use or emphasis on fast abanico strikes, and
- the use of the cross-legged stance and footwork
Abanico (or fan) strikes goes around common blocks or positions of defense; and the abanico style of eskrima employs combinations that strikes the opponent in rapid succession and at often unexpected angles. Lapunti’s abanico style was honed and developed through decades of experimentation and actual use in combat or sparring matches. Though other styles of eskrima also includes abanico in their repertoire, they often do so sparingly and in a manner characteristic of their own style, which could be considered different from Lapunti.
Lapunti is also the only style of arnis or eskrima that makes use of cross-legging, or the cross-legged stance and footwork. It has been compared by some to tai-sabaki (evasive body shifting) of Japanese martial arts, but its real roots are in Kung Fu, particularly the cross-legged footwork of Choy Li Fut. Grand Master Johnny Chiuten, a Filipino-Chinese Kung Fu master and a legend in his own right in early Philippine martial art circles, is credited for incorporating cross-legging, as well as a variety of locks and takedowns, into Lapunti. This style of footwork was further developed by the late Supreme Grand Master of Lapunti, Undo Caburnay, into the form now uniquely identified with the art.
Like the abanico strikes of Lapunti, cross-legging could be difficult to learn at first. But once mastered it affords the practitioner with a means for great mobility. Properly used, cross-legging enables Lapunti practitioners to:
- swiftly close the gap, or create distance, between them and their opponent (fast advance and retreat),
- gain a position of advantage while maintaining or manipulating range (sidestepping or angling),
- effectively deal with multiple opponents (swiftly rotating in place to face or strike in any direction), or
- move effectively in tight or confined spaces (using torque, or tight twisting motion, to evade attacks, or to generate force for blocks and strikes)
There are other forms of footwork and offensive/defensive techniques in Lapunti, but cross-legging and abanico strikes forms a major part of what makes Lapunti stand out, or different, from other styles. When used together, Lapunti’s strikes and footwork becomes a potent combination that could bring crucial advantage in an actual combat or self-defense situation.
The Name
What's in a Name
Lapunti derives its name from the three barangays in Cebu City where the founders, the Caburnay family, lived and developed the style: Labangon (La), Punta Princesa (Pun), and Tisa (Ti). The late Supreme Grandmaster Prudencio “Undo” Caburnay, who led and propagated the system, also served as a councilor in Tisa for many years.
Arnis is a general term for the Filipino Martial Arts that use the stick as the primary weapon or training tool, often as a substitute for the blade. Other regional or stylistic terms for the same family of arts include Eskrima, Kali, and Pananandata.
The word Abanico, meaning fan (or pamaypay in Filipino), refers to the distinctive fan-like motion of the weapon that characterizes the system. Thus, Arnis De Abanico literally translates to “Fan Style of Arnis.”
Traditionally, LAPUNTI also serves as an acronym expressing the core ideals and values that every practitioner strives to embody:
- Love
- Artistry
- Philosophy
- Unity
- Nimbleness
- Truthfulness
- Integrity
The Emblem
Elements of the Lapunti Emblem
The official Lapunti emblem has the Philippine Eagle at its center, depicted in black and red, the colors of Lapunti, and holding a garote (or stick) in its right claw and a daga (or dagger) in its left claw. The Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi), is the national bird of the Philippines, otherwise known as the Monkey-eating Eagle. The stick and dagger are the traditional weapons used in a style of fighting called espada y daga, which is taught in the advanced levels of Lapunti and which Lapunti is also renowned for. The eagle is shown holding a weighing scale by its beak, representing justice, fairness, or balance. Upon its breast is the Philippine shield or coat of arms.
Above the eagle is the year 1972, when Lapunti was officially founded; and below it is a ribbon with the full name of the style or system, Lapunti Arnis De Abanico. At the circumference of the emblem are the words Lapunti Arnis De Abanico International, the official name of the organization that oversees the teaching, promotion, and propagation of the art.
History
Tracing the Roots: Lapunti Arnis De Abanico Timeline
Early 1900s
Arsenio "Seniong" Caburnay (born: Circa 1882, died: 1962) traveled throughout the provinces of Visayas, Negros, Bohol, Leyte, Samar, and the cities of Cagayan De Oro, Illigan, and Ozamis in Mindanao, plying his trade as a "panday" or blacksmith. Seniong was known especially for the quality bolos that he produced, an implement used both for farming and sometimes for self-defense. His interest in martial arts in general also led him to learn from the many people that he visited.
1927 Onwards
Seniong's younger brother, Felimon Caburnay (born: 1915, died: 1992), started learning the trade of blacksmithing at the age of twelve, and accompanied his older brother throughout the Visayas and Mindanao. He also began learning different styles of arnis or eskrima both from Seniong and the people that they met.
1930s - 1941
Prior to the Japanese occupation of the Philippines during World War 2, the Caburnay brothers practiced and honed their martial art skills with a small group of friends at their base in Southern Cebu. Notable Arnisadors such as Juan Abella, Antonio Alingasan, Concordio Encabo, Ramon Fernandez, and Lauriano Sanchez became part of this group. This small circle of friends practiced and shared their martial art styles among themselves, later unifying it into one style and calling it "Arnis De Abanico" (Fan Style of Arnis).
1957 onwards
Felimon Caburnay was invited to the Doce Pares Club to teach the Abanico style and became a close friend and sparring partner of Felimon Cañete, the eldest of the Cañete brothers. The two Felimons constantly practiced together, becoming both renowned for their extraordinary skill in espada y daga (stick/sword and dagger).
Some accounts even say that during his stay as a member of Doce Pares, Felimon Caburnay accepted all challenges from other clubs and bested his opponents using his Abanico style.
Felimon Caburnay later separated himself from the Doce Pares Club when he became frustrated with the club's restrictions, especially relating to tournament rules. Free from Doce Pares he decided to teach his style openly, under the old name of "Arnis De Abanico" or "Escrima De Abanico".
1960s
Prudencio “Undo” Caburnay (born: April 28, 1942, died: Feb 3, 2017), son of GM Felimon Caburnay, began training in the Arnis De Abanico circle.
During this period Undo Caburnay also began to research and develop his own style within the Arnis De Abanico group, incorporating all that he learned from his father, uncle, and other members of the Abanico circle; and later modifying the movements and techniques to best suit his small stature.
1962
Grand Master Seniong Caburnay passed away, leaving his brother and nephew to continue developing the family style.
1970s
Grandmaster Johnny Chiuten (born: 1930s (?), died: Sep 10, 2010) sought out and collaborated with Grand Master Felimon Caburnay, and later incorporated elements of his Kung Fu style of Choy Li Fut into what would become the Lapunti Arnis De Abanico style.
GM Johnny Chiuten was a consumate martial artist and master of different Japanese, Chinese, and Filipino martial art styles. He was also a master of the Balintawak style of eskrima, trained in the advanced levels by the style's founder, Anciong Bacon.
GM Chiuten left his old eskrima club and later sought out GM Filemon Caburnay through one of his senior Kung Fu students (who turned out to be a mutual student of his and GM Felimon Caburnay's). Grandmaster Chiuten was so impressed by the principles of the Abanico style (according to accounts, it was the only style of eskrima he encountered that employs strikes which he wasn't able to block or apply disarming techniques to) and by Grand Master Felimon himself, that he asked the elder Grandmaster to teach him the style. In return, he offered to further improve and refine the style by incorporating some of the footwork, stances, and techniques from Choy Li Fut, which he learned from the renowned master, Lao Kim. GM Felimon agreed and thus began the collaboration between the two Grandmasters.
During this period GM Felimon Caburnay, together with his son Undo Caburnay, further developed and refined the style by incorporating evasion techniques, locks, and takedowns that they learned from other masters into what would become the modern form of the style.
1987
The organization tasked to oversee the affairs and promotion of the style was established, and officially named Lapunti Arnis De Abanico International (LADAI).
1992
GM Felimon Caburnay passed away, and his son Undo Caburnay inherited the title of Grand Master of Lapunti Arnis De Abanico, both by virtue of family lineage and fighting skill. Ever the innovator, GM Undo continued to teach and refine the system ever since. Later on he was bestowed the honorary title of Supreme Grandmaster of Lapunti.
February 3, 2017
SGM Undo Caburnay passed away, leaving his legacy of innovation and excellence in Lapunti Arnis De Abanico. After his passing, a Council of Grand Masters was formed to oversee the continued development and promotion of the style. One of the immediate actions of the Council was to honor SGM Undo Caburnay by declaring that the title of Supreme Grand Master would no longer be awarded to anyone after him.
