| Email Grandmaster Mat P. Marinas Sr - Pananandta@aol.com
Introduction:
For many years Master Steve and GM Mat P. Marinas Sr have been writing and sending information to each other which started through an article by GM Marinas explaining about Escrima and European history, Steve posted him a manual on George Silver (which was hard to get in those days) and they have been writing ever since.
They both teach different styles of Escrima and yet GM Marinas always found time to answer Steve’s questions and go out of his way to uncover, scan and send documents to help Steve about Filipino History. Steve always enjoyed Western History concerning weapons but never really was given much information about Filipino Escrima History - GM Marinas always pointed him in the right direction to help his research.
Recently, Steve was going through the EC family tree and an amazing story started to unfold on how many people were connected and cross-trained together or just offered advice. This was helped by GM Marinas who explained his roots and how he began in the USA with others and told Steve of his teachers, friends and influences. This pointed Steve in the right direction to know how to research EC heritage. Steve has had many mentors in his pursuit of weapon skills and history and found that many people contributed directly and indirectly, past and present, for the benefit of everyone. In EC this mainly applies to the European connection as Escrima first hit our shores in the 70’s and in the 60’s and 70’s Escrima was having an impact in the USA and GM Marinas was part of this impact.
GM Marinas has a wealth of knowledge on Filipino History and in the use of a diverse selection of weaponry his friendship has helped Steve open his mind on many things and he is very grateful that GM Marinas gave him his time – read on to know more about GM Marinas and his contribution to the Filipino Arts and History.
Grandmaster Mat P. Marinas Sr – “Pananandata”
GM Amante "Mat" P. Marinas Sr. teaches Pananandata his family’s weapons and empty hand fighting system. GM Marinas is a former Professor of Chemical Engineering at Adamson University in Manila, Philippines. He was introduced to Pananandata by his granduncle Ingkong Leon Marcelo when he was 8 years old. He is originally from Pambuan, a small village in Gapan, Nueva Ecija, in Central Luzon in the Philippines. His province is named after Ecija, a town in Spain. His province was one of the first eight provinces which revolted against Spain, and is one of the eight rays of the sun in the Filipino flag.
In the Philippines, he trained with his uncle in the family system. When he arrived in the USA he felt it best to teach his family system to help local communities and the general public and established the Pananandata system world-wide. GM Marinas also holds Black Belts in Shorin-Ryu Karate from the Commando Karate Club under Sensei Latino Gonzalez and Sensei Anselmo "Pop" Santos and in Aikido from the Philippine Aikido Club under Sensei Ambrosio Gavileno.
When GM Marinas first arrived in the US in June 1973, he tried to locate other teachers by having an open letter released in a Filipino newspaper published in New York City asking for them to write. He had some replies from other practitioners but they soon faded away.
Whilst in the USA he often worked out with GM Leo Gaje Jr who was the grandson and heir of GM Conrado B. Tortal and is the Head of the Pikiti-Tirsia Kali System. Together they promoted, in the 70’s, Filipino Arts on the East Coast of the USA. In August 74 they wrote to Filipino newspapers to connect with other FMA’s to create a National Federation of Filipino Arts in the USA. GM Amante and GM Gaje held the first Tournament in New York in December 1975 with a view to help promote FMA’s across the USA with an aim of taking a team from the USA to go to the Philippines to respect the home of Escrima/Kali/Arnis, etc.
It is not known who were actively promoting the Filipino martial arts before GM Marinas and GM Leo came to the USA. But after their press releases, quite a few came out in the open and many others followed. At this time in California GM Angel Cabales with many others were established but not widely known outside of where they taught, whereas GM Marinas and GM Leo was trying to build a FMA association and used the media to publicise FMA’s.
GM Marinas introduced the Philippine Latiko (horsewhip), the Lubid (rope), the Bagakay (wooden throwing dart) and the Dikin (ring) in the United States and in Europe. An avid Knife and Bagakay thrower (See Below), Marinas has thrown about 1,300,000 times at targets with his knives, axes, spears, and has shot 500,000 + blowgun darts. He teaches 167 openings of the Philippine Balisong.
GM Marinas lives in historic Fredericksburg, Virginia with his wife Cherry. GM Marinas has a son Guru Amante P. Marinas Jr. who currently resides in New York City.
GM Marinas has taught Pananandata in the USA since the 70’s and has given seminars in Germany, Switzerland, and Spain. Author of 10 books, videos and more than 100 magazine articles - he expects to have several more books published in the near future.
To order items below email - store@pananandata.net
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Books written by Amante P. Mariñas Sr. |
Publisher |
Year |
|
Arnis de Mano (with Lanada) |
Self-published |
1974 |
|
Arnis Lanada Book 1 |
Unique Publications |
1986 |
|
Pananandata Knife-Fighting |
Paladin Press |
1986 |
|
Pananandata Dalawang Yantok |
Socorro Publications |
1988 |
|
Pananandata Yantok at Daga |
Paladin Press |
1988 |
|
Pananandata Rope Fighting |
Paladin Press |
1989 |
|
Pananandata Guide to Knife Throwing |
United Cutlery |
1999 |
|
Pananandata Guide to Sport Blowguns |
United Cutlery |
2000 |
|
Pananandata: Its History and Techniques |
Paladin Press |
2002 |
|
The Art of Throwing: Theory and Practice |
Tuttle Publishing |
2007 |
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|
Video Tapes of Amante P. Mariñas Sr. |
Producer |
Date |
|
Pananandata Tape 1 - Single Stick |
ESPY-TV, New York |
1993 |
|
Pananandata Tape 2 - Two Sticks |
ESPY-TV, New York |
1994 |
|
Pananandata Tape 3 - Single Balisong |
ESPY-TV, New York |
1994 |
|
Pananandata Tape 4 - Two Balisongs |
ESPY-TV, New York |
1994 |
|
Pananandata Tape 5 - Philippine Hawakan |
ESPY-TV, New York |
1994 |
|
Pananandata Tape 6 - Pananandata in the Street
The throwing knives are called VM Bulalakaw to honour the memory of GM Marinas father - please order on above email |
ESPY-TV, New York |
Nov-95 |
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