Espada y daga
Espada y daga
Fighting with a long weapon in one hand and a short one in the other, in Filipino martial arts typically a stick or sword and a knife.
Quick Facts
Term typeClassification of techniques, arts and schools
LanguageSpanish
Formphrase
Pronunciation[es-pah-dah ee dah-gah]
Alternative Namessword and dagger
Definition
Espada y daga is Spanish for “sword and dagger”. In Filipino martial arts it means fighting with a longer weapon (sword or stick) in one hand and a short one (knife or dagger) in the other. The name reflects Spanish influence in the Philippines, where Spanish terms became established for many fighting methods. The longer weapon keeps distance and covers, the shorter one decides up close. It requires coordination of both hands and footwork. It belongs to the advanced parts of arnis, eskrima and kali.