Villabrille-Largusa Kali
Filipino kali system of Floro Villabrille, which according to the school's website was organized by his successor Ben Largusa. The school lists weapons, empty-hand fighting and kicks.
Quick Facts
PhilippinesCharacter & Origin
Training
Who It Suits
Organisation & Competition
What the style is built from
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About Villabrille-Largusa Kali
Villabrille-Largusa Kali is a Filipino kali system based on the teaching of Floro Villabrille, which according to the school's website was organized by his student and chosen successor Ben Largusa, after whom the system is named. In the book Filipino Martial Culture (1996), Wiley calls Largusa the heir of Villabrille's kali system and ranks him among three names connected with the arrival of Filipino martial arts in the United States. According to the school's website, Villabrille was born on 18 February 1912 in Cebu and died at the age of 80. Black Belt reported in 1992 that he died on 8 March 1992 at the age of 79. According to Black Belt, at eighteen he fought one of his most memorable matches against a Moro stick fighter and won it after five rounds. The school's website gives as his last match in the Philippines a duel on 4 July 1933 with Elario Eran, a datu from Mindanao. Wiley writes that the story of a Moro prince who defeated Dizon and was then defeated by Villabrille did not, according to research, happen. According to Dan Inosanto, Villabrille competed from 1933 to 1936 and for the last time in 1948. The Kali Association of America, which the school's website calls the governing body of the system, was founded on 27 January 1973.
History
According to Black Belt and the school's website, Villabrille began training at fourteen and his favorite teacher was the blind princess Josephina from the island of Samar. In an interview with Jose Fraguas (2001), Largusa names Villabrille's uncle, Master Villagan, as his first teacher and says that Villabrille came to Hawaii in his late teens and settled in Honolulu. In Wiley, Antonio Ilustrisimo recalls that in Manila he befriended his cousin Floro Villabrille, as well as Felicisimo Dizon and Angel Cabales. According to the school's website, Ben Largusa (1926 to 2010) trained under Villabrille for seven years from 1951, received the title tuhan in 1972 and became grandmaster in 1992.
Technique
The school's website says the schools still teach Villabrille's weapon techniques, the empty-hand kinamot and panantukan, and sikaran kicks. Dan Inosanto (1980) writes that eskrima matches of the time were full contact without armor, the stick was usually held in the right hand and the left struck, and at close range elbow, knee and head were used. According to Fraguas, Largusa describes Villabrille's system of four corners with imagined opponents and principles shown by geometric figures, such as the figure eight.
Training
According to Black Belt and Inosanto, before a match Villabrille would go alone into the mountains and imagine an enemy attacking him. The school's website says that Largusa had to promise Villabrille that he would teach no one except his own sons. According to Fraguas, his training was almost secret, with no sparring partners other than Villabrille himself.
Ranks and progression
The school's website says that, by Villabrille's wish, the system has only one grandmaster and one master. According to the website, Largusa was tuhan from 1972 and grandmaster from 1992, and Mel Lopez was named tuhan in 1994. We have not found a belt system, as the website knows only the titles guro, tuhan and grandmaster.
Competition
Dan Inosanto (1980) states that rounds lasted two minutes with a one-minute break and that Villabrille competed from 1933 to 1936, after which the matches were interrupted until 1948, when he had his last match. The school's website writes that shortly after his last match these matches were banned.
Today
The school's website names Grandmaster James Berdal and Tuhan Willie Berdal as its leadership and remembers Grandmaster Mel Lopez and Ben Largusa, who died on 3 October 2010. According to the website, the Kali Association of America describes itself as a nonprofit organization and the governing body of the system and its member schools. In 1990 Black Belt named Greg Lontayao of Wilmington, California as one of the main instructors of the system.
Did you know
According to Fraguas, Largusa states that Villabrille worked for MGM studio in Hollywood, where he met Frank Sinatra, and was a fisherman. The school's website and Inosanto state that Villabrille's certificate from Governor General Frank Murphy hangs in a museum in Cebu next to a painting or statue of Lapu-Lapu. According to the school's website, in 1964 Largusa demonstrated kali at Ed Parker's championship in Long Beach.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Villabrille-Largusa Kali?
Based on the teaching of Floro Villabrille, the system was according to the school's website organized by his successor Ben Largusa, after whom it is named. Wiley calls Largusa heir of Villabrille's system.
When did Villabrille fight?
According to Dan Inosanto, from 1933 to 1936 and for the last time in 1948. Black Belt states that at eighteen he defeated a Moro stick fighter after five rounds.
What is taught in Villabrille-Largusa Kali?
According to the school's website, weapon techniques, empty-hand kinamot and panantukan, and sikaran kicks.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.