modarnis
Purple Belt
I posed the question of What does Datu mean directly to Professor Presas about 6 years ago. I had not heard the term, but was exposed to some video footage of Datu Worden. The Professor told me the word is a Moro word translating to Tribal Chieftan. In the context of Arnis, he said it loosely is 'one who has come before'. It was not a title of rank, rather one describing leadership and ability to teach and expand the art.
The Professor further commented on Kelly Worden's high skill level. He described Kelly as having a computer brain for recording and developing techniques. He felt Datu Worden had an extremely high degree of potential for expanding and innovating the art.
Of course debate about rank, titles, and the political quagmire created by the Professor's death undercut the bigger picture. I had the good fortune over the years to spend a fair amount of time training with and socializing with the Professor. Many of the lessons I gleaned from this great man were conversations about life in car rides, over meals, or in hotel rooms watching NCAA hoops. His knowledge of the world, people, politics, sports, history, geography and languages was almost as staggering as his knowledge and ability with his art.
The Professor spent a week with me in 1997. It was his first visit to New Orleans. We did a great deal of training over those days, but far more talking. I remeber doing Tapi Tapi on a riverboat in New Orleans with the Professor. That 2 hour boat trip, and the rest of that week exemplified what the art is really about, learning, sharing and expanding knowledge, connection and friendship. He would often say: "you must be happy"
:soapbox:
The real lessons Remy Presas shared with us were life lessons. After seeing the turmoil of the 6 months after his death, it is clear to me many, if not most are more concerned with title, rank or their own financial gain, and not preserving the art. So many people have missed the real lessons, which is a shame. They are my most cherished memories of him. Make the Professor's hard work live on for the future merely by training hard, sharing the art, and being happy
The Professor further commented on Kelly Worden's high skill level. He described Kelly as having a computer brain for recording and developing techniques. He felt Datu Worden had an extremely high degree of potential for expanding and innovating the art.
Of course debate about rank, titles, and the political quagmire created by the Professor's death undercut the bigger picture. I had the good fortune over the years to spend a fair amount of time training with and socializing with the Professor. Many of the lessons I gleaned from this great man were conversations about life in car rides, over meals, or in hotel rooms watching NCAA hoops. His knowledge of the world, people, politics, sports, history, geography and languages was almost as staggering as his knowledge and ability with his art.
The Professor spent a week with me in 1997. It was his first visit to New Orleans. We did a great deal of training over those days, but far more talking. I remeber doing Tapi Tapi on a riverboat in New Orleans with the Professor. That 2 hour boat trip, and the rest of that week exemplified what the art is really about, learning, sharing and expanding knowledge, connection and friendship. He would often say: "you must be happy"
:soapbox:
The real lessons Remy Presas shared with us were life lessons. After seeing the turmoil of the 6 months after his death, it is clear to me many, if not most are more concerned with title, rank or their own financial gain, and not preserving the art. So many people have missed the real lessons, which is a shame. They are my most cherished memories of him. Make the Professor's hard work live on for the future merely by training hard, sharing the art, and being happy
