Noted Cebuano eskrimador Alberto Dacayana Jr. is set to leave for London this weekend to teach arnis.
Dacayana, an employee of the Cebu City government, learned the rudiments of arnis from his grandfather, Dalmacio “Enciong” Alicaway of Toledo City. He took more advanced eskrima training from his father, Alberto Sr.
Alberto Sr. specifically trained his son the deadly techniques of Eskrima de San Miguel that he learned from Felimon “Momoy” Canete, the grand old man of Doce Pares.
Alberto Jr. will bring family tradition and that of other the masters with him when he introduces arnis to the British.
The growing popularity of arnis as a martial art had foreigners tapping the services of masters here in Cebu. Before Dacayana’s trip, many noted Cebuano arnis masters had stints abroad.
Masters Jo Biggs and Marcie Harding are sponsoring Dacayana’s trip. — Caecent No-ot Magsumbol