Two Sword Fighting – Estilo Macabebe

GME Leo M. Giron who introduced

Bahala Na to the US. He served as a

secret operative under Gen. Macarthur.

I addressed the two sword fighting style on the most recent FightWrite.net edition of The Geek Block. Specifically I spoke of the Estilo Macabebe, a Bahala Na fighting style. The first video tells a bit of history, in the second you will see the actual style. It’s beautiful. The sweeping movements are very effective but were originally used to intimidate.

This is a style that was born of a need within a lifestyle which is the way all martial arts and fighting styles begin. (The only excepting being light sabers which has an actual choreography and style you can now learn. For reals. I saw a light saber “master” on Mythbusters.)

Two sword fighting styles are not common, certainly not as common as single blades. I believe that’s simply because they didn’t have a necessity in many lifestyles. Weaponry is native to an area because it suits the area and, again, the lifestyle of the people. Nunchucks are from rice farming, the yawara from Buddhist symbolism, the sai from farming, tonfa from milling and a bo staff is just a big stick. (See pics) The Macabebe carried two bamboo poles and they learned to use them in self defense, not the other way around. They didn’t look for a way to defend themselves and picked up two poles.

Look at the lifestyle of your character and their culture. Are they in a profession that requires the use of both hands? If they learn it as cultural tradition, what in their culture called for that? Every martial art and fighting style has a specific purpose that fits that culture.