# Modern Arnis affected by Hurricane Katrina



## Andrew Evans (Aug 31, 2005)

I recall there is a Modern Arnis group at Tulane. Any word? 

While I don't always agree with the NY Times, the editorial below is powerful!

August 31, 2005
New Orleans in Peril
On the day after Hurricane Katrina was declared to be not as bad as originally feared, it became clear that the effects of the storm had been, after all, beyond devastation. Homeowners in Biloxi, Miss., staggered through wrecked neighborhoods looking for their loved ones. In New Orleans, the mayor reported that rescue boats had begun pushing past dead bodies to look for the stranded living. Gas leaks began erupting into flames, and looking at the city, now at least 80 percent under water, it was hard not to think of last year's tsunami, or even ancient Pompeii.

Disaster has, as it almost always does, called up American generosity and instances of heroism. Young people helped the old onto rafts in flooded New Orleans streets, and exhausted rescue workers refused all offers of rest, while people as far away as Kansas and Arizona went online to offer shelter in their homes to the refugees. It was also a reminder of how much we rely on government to imagine the unimaginable and plan for the worst. As the levees of Lake Pontchartrain gave way, flooding New Orleans, it seemed pretty clear that in this case, government did not live up to the job. 

But this seems like the wrong moment to dwell on fault-finding, or even to point out that it took what may become the worst natural disaster in American history to pry President Bush out of his vacation. All the focus now must be on rescuing the survivors. Beyond that lies a long and painful recovery, which must begin with a national vow to help all the storm victims and to save and repair New Orleans.

People who think of that graceful city and the rest of the Mississippi Delta as tourist destinations must have been reminded, watching the rescue operations, that the real residents of this area are in the main poor and black. The only resources most of them will have to fall back on will need to come from the federal government. 

Those of us in New York watch the dire pictures from Louisiana with keen memories of the time after Sept. 11, when the rest of the nation made it clear that our city was their city, and that everyone was part of the battle to restore it. New Orleans, too, is one of the places that belongs to every American's heart - even for people who have never been there.

Right now it looks as if rescuing New Orleans will be a task much more daunting than any city has faced since the San Francisco fire of 1906. It must be a mission for all of us.


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## arnisador (Sep 1, 2005)

I too remember a group at Tulane, which is indeed having problems, as would be expected:
http://www.statesman.com/news/content/gen/ap/SOU_Katrina_Tulane.html
http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/rssstory.mpl/metropolitan/3333708
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/football/cusa/2005-09-01-tulane_x.htm


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## Andrew Evans (Sep 1, 2005)

I was worried about my friend Jim but a friend just fowarded an email from another friend. BTW, minister Jim provided his old congregation in a D.C. suburb (I was a member back then)  with lots of support after the 9/11 attacks.

"We use Direcway. I'm doing well, answering from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, and am volunteering here at the refuge center. We have 110 people seeking refuge tonight, up from 30 last night. No lie, man, this is a tough, tough situation for New Orleans."

While I'm glad that he is okay, I pray for all those who are affected.


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## modarnis (Sep 1, 2005)

As one of the former head instructors of the Tulane Modern Arnis group, I am happy to report that all of the people I keep in touch with that were still in New Orleans are safely out of the city, trying to regroup.  The University did bus large groups of students to a college campus in central Mississipi, where the students are clean, fed, and safe.
  The uptown/University area of town was one of the least affected so far.  Obviously with the magnitude of the tragedy, that really doesn't mean much.  It does sound like the University infrastructure is relatively intact, according to the Tulane website  

Once I get some better communications with the group, I will post more about them.  One of them is a high ranking Tulane adminastrator, so I will likely get some firsthand info about the university as well

Nice to see that some Modern Arnis brothers and sisters understand the more important connections Professor shared with us, friendship and kinship in the arts.  I will pass along the well wishes until they are back connected online


Brett


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## Brian R. VanCise (Sep 1, 2005)

Brett,

Please do pass along our well wishes to your friends in
their time of need! Also let us know what we can do
to help them out!

Brian R. VanCise


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## Brian R. VanCise (Sep 1, 2005)

Just a quick follow up! If you can please 
donate to the Red Cross at 1-800-Help Now!

Brian R. VanCise


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## Dan Anderson (Sep 1, 2005)

Brian R. VanCise said:
			
		

> Brett,
> 
> Please do pass along our well wishes to your friends in
> their time of need! Also let us know what we can do
> ...


Same here.  I'm truly stunned at the amount of devastation reported there.

Yours,
Dan


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## Brian Johns (Sep 1, 2005)

modarnis said:
			
		

> As one of the former head instructors of the Tulane Modern Arnis group, I am happy to report that all of the people I keep in touch with that were still in New Orleans are safely out of the city, trying to regroup.  The University did bus large groups of students to a college campus in central Mississipi, where the students are clean, fed, and safe.
> The uptown/University area of town was one of the least affected so far.  Obviously with the magnitude of the tragedy, that really doesn't mean much.  It does sound like the University infrastructure is relatively intact, according to the Tulane website
> 
> Once I get some better communications with the group, I will post more about them.  One of them is a high ranking Tulane adminastrator, so I will likely get some firsthand info about the university as well
> ...



Brett,

Very glad to hear some good news out of all this terrible disaster. I cannot believe the amount of destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina in the affected areas.

Take care,
Brian Johns
Columbus, Ohio


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## Andrew Evans (Sep 2, 2005)

Brett,

Was the Tulane Modern Arnis group still active at the time of the Hurricane? There are university martial arts groups around the country that could probably lend assistance. 

For background information regarding the Hurricane, please see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effect_of_Hurricane_Katrina_on_New_Orleans

Thanks,
Andrew


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## Andrew Evans (Sep 2, 2005)

"The Tulane Martial Arts Club was the first organization in Louisiana to host Grandmaster Remy A. Presas."

I forgot to mention that the Tulane Martial Arts Club was an inspiration for many university groups. While the group that I help advise is not exclusively Modern Arnis and reaches out to any styles and all practitioners, it follows in the Tulane group's footsteps by providing its local community with access to some of the best martial artists of our time.

Thanks to Brett, Chad, Lynn, and the other members of Tulane Martial Arts Club for the inspiration!


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## modarnis (Sep 2, 2005)

Andrew,

The Tulane Club is still active, although the school year had not commenced at the time of the incident.  The club was originally formed as a Tae Kwon Do club, and morphed into a more ecclectic club.  When I first met up with Chad, his focus was on Ryu Kyu Kempo.  As Chad departed, the focus of the club shifted toward Modern Arnis, based on my relationship with Professor Presas, we did mostly Modern Arnis during my tenure.  Of course TKD, Ryu Kyu Kempo, American Kenpo, Goju Ryu and Karate-Do Doshinkan were core arts in the late 1990's.  

The focus shifted toward American Kenpo and back to Goju ryu and Tae Kwon Do in the last year.  Old timers Rob Alexander and Tom Seay are back at the helm.  It was always a place for serious students of any martial art, and students of the martial way.

I know I can speak for Chad that we are happy our friends are safe.  I certainly appreciate all of the well wishes from MT people.  I've passed them along to the New Orleans crew. Hopefully the rebuild will be swift, so our home away from home where we can teach martial arts, eat and drink will be available soon.


Brett


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## dearnis.com (Sep 3, 2005)

It does seem like many of our  friends are safe....but I lived in NO a bit longer than Brett and quite a few of my friends are not accounted for.  Hopefully things will be ok in the end.
As an aside (see related thread) I will teaching a small benefit seminar in a few weeks; if you can stop by please do.  If you are not in my area...why not do the same.
Thanks for the good thoughts!


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## Shorin Ryuu (Sep 3, 2005)

I'm not trying to spam my site TOO much, but if you all think it would be beneficial, could you direct those affected in that direction?  Especially if as you say, the Tulane club was an inspiration for many others.  They can be posted there and perhaps receive support from other college groups or Arnis schools in general.  Of course, there will have to be time to be able to fully analyze the extent of damage.

http://martialartshurricanekatrina.blogspot.com/

If there is someone you recommend I communicate with, could you also provide me with that information?

As a note, my site's basic mission is just to collect data on MA schools affected and schools willing to help because of Katrina.  People can see the site, look at what need is met by whom, and work from there.  Thanks, and best of luck to you.


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