Remy Presas
Remy Amador Presas | |
---|---|
martial artist | |
Known for | founding Modern Arnis |
Remy Amador Presas (December 19, 1936 – August 28, 2001) was the founder of
Early life and training
Presas was born in the town of
Presas was the Arnis consultant in the 1974 Philippines produced film The Pacific Connection. While working on this film he instructed and became friends with US actor Dean Stockwell.[5]
Beginning with a small gymnasium in Bacolod in the 1950s, he attempted to spread the art to the local youth as both a cultural legacy and a form of physical development or sport. Presas instituted a ranking system with Modern Arnis to identify the ability level of each student: likas(green belt), likha(brown belt), and lakan(black belt). Lakan encompassed ten degrees. He issued certificates of rank, and began using the title Guro which became widespread throughout all Filipino Martial Arts Circles.[6] Presas developed what came to be known as the "Arnis Uniform" consisting of loose fitting cotton trousers and a karategi style top low cut at the waist.[7]
In 1982 Presas was inducted into the Black Belt Hall of Fame as Instructor of the Year. In 1994 he was again honored by Black Belt as Weapons Instructor of the Year.[8]
IMAF
Presas formed the International Modern Arnis Federation (IMAF) in 1970 as the principal organization for the promotion and administration of Modern Arnis in North America. The organization was responsible for maintaining records of promotions and other administrative tasks. After the founders death in 2001, these duties have since been past on to (MARPPIO)—operated by the Professors eldest son Remy P. Presas Jr with the aid of the founders other children, and the rest of the Presas Family.
There are two other bifurcated groups, one headed by Jeff Delaney and often referred to as IMAF-Delaney, and the other formerly headed by Randi Schea, often referred to as IMAF-Schea. The latter group is the larger of the two.
There are other notable Modern Arnis organizations, including International Modern Arnis Federation Philippines (IMAFP), based in the Philippines and led by some of the most senior Filipino masters of Modern Arnis; Arnis International founded by Bruce Chiu; a group headed by Tim Hartman (WMAA); a German group headed by Dieter Knuettel (DAV); and others.
Private and government sector employment
Presas earned a
Death and legacy
Presas died on August 28, 2001, in
Personal life
Presas was married twice, first to Rosemary Pascual Presas, with whom he had five children, and to Yvette Wong, with whom he had two children.
Publications
- Presas, Remy (1983). Modern Arnis: Filipino Art of Stick Fighting. New York: Black Belt Communications. p. 159. ISBN 978-0-89750-089-0.
- Presas, Remy (2018). Modern Arnis: History & Practice. Virginia: Stirling Bridge Publications. p. 187. ISBN 978-0-99806-540-3.
External links
Notes
- ISBN 978-0-557-37004-7.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8048-3269-4.
- ISBN 978-1-58394-177-5.
- ISBN 978-0-8048-1947-3.
- ^ Rubenstein, Steve (December 1, 1974). "Arnis Has Become Dean Stockwell's Destiny(And what, pray tell, is Arnis?)". Fighting Stars. 1 (8).
- ^ Paman (2007) p. 38
- ^ Paman (2007) p. 35
- ^ "Black Belt Hall of Fame Inductee Directory". Black Belt Magazine. 2009. Retrieved February 9, 2011.
- ^ O'Grady, M.S, Paul (1998). "Who is Remy Presas?". World Modern Arnis Alliance Website. World Modern Arnis Alliance. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved February 10, 2011.
- ISBN 978-1-57607-150-2.