# In search of the true saavedra system



## tanikalang dugo (May 7, 2012)

I have heard/read people referring to the saavedra's all the time but nobody from the saavedra side ever came out to speak for their side of the story.   I'm just curious and looking for some long lost relatives!!  By the way, a comment about all the saavedra's being killed by the japanese is not true.


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## Rich Parsons (May 7, 2012)

tanikalang dugo said:


> I have heard/read people referring to the saavedra's all the time but nobody from the saavedra side ever came out to speak for their side of the story.   I'm just curious and looking for some long lost relatives!!  By the way, a comment about all the saavedra's being killed by the japanese is not true.



Not all were killed in the war is true. Lorenzo and Doring both were killed. Lorenzo being Anciong's instructor before the war and before he did his own thing. Doring was another fighter from the family and he died. Any others were not as well trained, if trained at all. I have heard from some Doces Pares members who have posted stated that someone is training one of the grandsons or grand nephews. As to proof, I have not seen or heard of any, only the rumors you have mentioned.


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## tanikalang dugo (May 8, 2012)

Thank you for your response!!! Is is true that i am one of the grandsons (you can check my birth certificate), and i am not well-trained in fma.  I have learned bits and pieces of a military style knife techniques with my grandfather taught as part of "sentry removal".  As to fma, i had the chane of doing a couple sessions with Edgar Sulite in my younger days (by accident when he came to our dojo to practice) and GM Presas was my PE instructor.  My background started with shotokan (which my grandmother hated because it's japanese), which i had to switched to taekwondo and hapkido (currently teaching both).
Anyway, i have kept tracked with a lot of the blogs about fma and am very impressed with what everybody has accomplished.  FMA has evolved so much and became a very dangerous system.  In fact, i have spoken/communicated with a couple GMs, a few years back, wanting me to join in their systems.  I have no intention of doing so since i can not represent my grandfather's legacy just because i have his name/bloodline.  I was raised by my grandfather and he did not consider what he taught me as martial arts.
The reason i posted this thread was that i saw an ad about someone promoting/teaching "the saavedra system" and there were a few people biting and wanting to be trained.  Like you mentioned, "any others were not as well trained, if trained at all".  It just bugs me that there are people using the name for their own purpose. There's no need to drag people that couldn't say something it.  My grandfather even refused to talk about his experiences and people he killed (i do have proof - his military medals, marksmanship and all).  Anyway, once again, thank you!!


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## tanikalang dugo (May 8, 2012)

As to some Doce Pares members training a grandson/grand nephew, that is partly true.  About 8-10 years ago, i had a chance of watching an fma demo and was told that i should go back to my roots.  So for about 4 years, i attended seminars/training camps (most of them not knowing who i am) mostly of doce pares and san miguel, since i was told that this is were i came from (i even had a few private sessions).  They were all good and very impressive.


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## Rich Parsons (May 8, 2012)

tanikalang dugo said:


> Thank you for your response!!! Is is true that i am one of the grandsons (you can check my birth certificate), and i am not well-trained in fma. I have learned bits and pieces of a military style knife techniques with my grandfather taught as part of "sentry removal". As to fma, i had the chane of doing a couple sessions with Edgar Sulite in my younger days (by accident when he came to our dojo to practice) and GM Presas was my PE instructor. My background started with shotokan (which my grandmother hated because it's japanese), which i had to switched to taekwondo and hapkido (currently teaching both).
> Anyway, i have kept tracked with a lot of the blogs about fma and am very impressed with what everybody has accomplished. FMA has evolved so much and became a very dangerous system. In fact, i have spoken/communicated with a couple GMs, a few years back, wanting me to join in their systems. I have no intention of doing so since i can not represent my grandfather's legacy just because i have his name/bloodline. I was raised by my grandfather and he did not consider what he taught me as martial arts.
> The reason i posted this thread was that i saw an ad about someone promoting/teaching "the saavedra system" and there were a few people biting and wanting to be trained. Like you mentioned, "any others were not as well trained, if trained at all". It just bugs me that there are people using the name for their own purpose. There's no need to drag people that couldn't say something it. My grandfather even refused to talk about his experiences and people he killed (i do have proof - his military medals, marksmanship and all). Anyway, once again, thank you!!



Which GM Presas was your PE instructor? GM Remy Presas or GM Ernesto Presas? Both good sources just curious. 

I am also going to PM you about Chicago for you and Flint are for Me. 

Thanks


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## geezer (May 8, 2012)

tanikalang dugo said:


> I'm just curious and looking for some long lost relatives!!



Long lost relatives? Read Don Quijote?

http://quixote.mse.jhu.edu/Cervantes.html


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## tanikalang dugo (May 8, 2012)

Ernesto Presas while I was in highschool at UST.


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## tanikalang dugo (May 8, 2012)

And i think we have met before!!!!!!


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## Rich Parsons (May 8, 2012)

tanikalang dugo said:


> And i think we have met before!!!!!!



Really? When and where?


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## tanikalang dugo (May 9, 2012)

I think it was more of that we saw you.  My son, who is now 16, thought that we saw in an fma tournament, 4-5 years ago in New Lenox, Illinois.  We also met a doce pares VP/instructor there from Indiana (can't remember his name).  Maybe i'm wrong!!!


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## Blindside (May 9, 2012)

tanikalang dugo said:


> I think it was more of that we saw you. My son, who is now 16, thought that we saw in an fma tournament, 4-5 years ago in New Lenox, Illinois. We also met a doce pares VP/instructor there from Indiana (can't remember his name). Maybe i'm wrong!!!



Well, Rich does sort of stand out in a crowd.


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## billc (May 15, 2012)

Well, tanikalong dugo, if you are in Chicago on August 4, you could come and see the Pacific Island Gathering at the Midway Kodenkan.  It is a gathering of FMA that you might like.  There will be many different styles of FMA in attendance and you could come and meet and greet the best in the midwest, and New York, and Michigan.  Both blade and stick arts will be represented.  It is a nice way to experience the FMA.


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## lhommedieu (Jun 22, 2012)

Several years ago, Dan Anderson paid me the compliment of asking me to write a forward to his Espada y Daga book.  In the forward I wrote that the Saavedra's provided a kind of "DNA" for several Filipino martial arts, including, but limited to, the following:  Doce Pares Eskrima, Cacoy Doce Pares, San Miguel Eskrima, Balintiwak, and Modern Arnis.  Any one of these arts (there may be others of which I am not aware) may be said to have been influenced by the Saavedras.

Best,

Steve Lamade


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