This reminds me of a time, I think it was 1989, I was sponsoring a seminar with Professor and Professor Wally Jay. It was a two week instructor training session and Professor Jay came out early so as to be able to rest before teaching and to spend some time with Professor who taught first. We were in the kitchen of my house on Mason Street. They were both standing by the refrigerator. I said, ĀProfessor?Ā They both turned automatically to look at me and said ĀYes?Ā at exactly the same time. Then they looked at each other, then we all smiled.
Professor always had me refer to his title as a Āterm of affection from his studentsĀ in anything he asked me to write. Professor Jay uses the title in its Āmartial artsĀ connotation as in his art, and in his teachers art before him, it was used as an official title. Professor did not use the title as such, preferring to be called ĀFounder and PresidentĀ as well as ĀFather of Modern Arnis.Ā When Professor and I spent two weeks on holiday in Jamaica, the resort staff picked up on this use. They all called him. ĀPRO-fessorĀ with a rhythmic lilt, like rap. I recall they paid him a huge compliment, ĀPRO-fessor Can dance!Ā They said. (Clearly I couldnĀt.)
While very unassuming in private, Professor always found titles and big egoĀs amusing, Professor was very respectful, often publicly introducing people along with their professional titles. Thus Randi Schea, his student, was always ĀDoctor Randi,Ā Another example was Lee Lowery. The title, ĀSifuĀ, was from him Kenpo, not Arnis, but Professor always called him ĀSifu Lee.Ā In the same way Dan was not Goru Dan, But SuperDan! Later both received the Professor of Martial Arts moniker independently. In their case, as in Professor JayĀs, the moniker is used as a martial arts title. If we are to use the English title Professor, as is used in academia to denote a master level teacher, certainly both Lee and Dan qualify.
To me, as to many others it seems, Professor was ĀTheĀ Professor. I certainly understand the emotions involved, all come from the love of a great teacher who has left us. But please remember that the title was a term of endearment, carried over from his days teaching at university in Manila, but never a Martial arts title or Modern Arnis title. Neither was the title sacred, Professor would have taken more pride in the association of the title Professor with higher education as he was very respectful of academia and those who had the discipline to achieve degrees. Founder of Modern Arnis, Father of Modern Arnis, these are specific titles that I can only associate with Professor. But before you jump on Dan for his use of founder I can also recall that a few other people gave their own name to their conception of Modern Arnis. This never seemed to bother Professor, he understood that some people had their own following to cultivate and their own living to make. I know first hand that Professor preferred people to work through the Federation, and Dan in particular was one of those he chose to help lead the Federation. So, to me, it is fair and acurate to say that Professor would have preferred that Dan assume his rightful place in the Federation. Dan knows I feel this way and that Professor wanted him involved with the future of his art and legacy. But with that said, may I also point out that I donĀt think that Professor would have been that bothered that Dan chose to be independent. There are several senior people in Modern Arnis who had their own following and organizations as well. Professor allowed, and sometimes even encouraged this, if it was important to the instructor involved. The Datu title, as Professor used it in Modern Arnis, was generally reserved for those with their own ĀtribeĀ within the family of Modern Arnis. Professor never offered titles to exclude others, each was fit to the individual. If the shoe fit type of thing.
In my heart I believe Professor would see us all as being one family and having much in common, despite our unique and individual egos and opinions. After all, out of the billions of souls on this planet, how many face off with rattan sticks and learned from ĀTheĀ Professor, whoĀs memory we now cherish and seek to protect! Even if we are thousands, we are still a small tribe. Even if we all argue, each with the other, how many outsiders would even understand what we were even talking about? I expect if I had sponsored a seminar for Dan some years ago or recently, I would introduce him as Professor Dan Anderson as I also knew him as such. If someone asked me, ĀIs this The Professor of whom IĀve heard, I would say, ĀNo, one of his senior students who has attained the title of Professor as used in the Martial Arts.Ā
