2016 - The Blade Maker of Kalibo

I visited the Philippines in January. Since I started practicing Filipino Martial Arts I wanted to visit the islands. 
In Kalibo there are the last blacksmiths who forge and make traditional blades in the old traditional way. It is a dying art and they are trying to preserve it. 
This is a series of pictures I took while visiting one of the blacksmiths. I had the chance to watch him work. He showed us how the blades are made.

 

2016 – The Smoking Sticks from GM Rodel Dagooc

In the last years I was focused on training Filipino Martial Arts (FMA). I love the art and because of this, recently, I visited the Philippines.
During this trip to the Philippines, I had the chance to visit GM Rodel Dagooc and his ‘Smoking Sticks’ shop in Batangas. GM Rodel Dagooc is one of the old masters of Filipino Martial Arts. He started training in Modern Arnis - one of the many systems of FMA. Since 2010 he is promoting his own system Dagooc Arnis and Smoking Sticks - his shop in which he manufactures training gear for FMA practitioners around the world.
His sticks are right now some of the best on the market.

During this visit he showed us how our training gear is made, and walked us through the process of making the sticks. Making these sticks is really hard work and at his age GM Rodel Dagooc is very much active and involved in this.
This visit made me appreciate more the sticks and gear these people are making.

Smoking Sticks Arnis Cane Maker
Photos by Ciprian Ortan.

 

  

  

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 - Oradea