Another Great Law Enforcement Seminar

 

Another fantastic class attended by the great men and women of the Law Enforcement community wrapped up this week.  We have been teaching our WARRIOR'S EDGE TACTICAL method of edged-weapon defense and empty-hand close quarter battle for close to 10 years now - and it's a consistent favorite with us, and the students!

Our thanks to "Lt. Ungyo" and Officer Jason "POW-der" for keeping our streets safe and for helping me train yet another fine cadre of Michigan's finest.  Thanks also to our students for their enthusiasm, questions, and willingness to train hard.  I know you have a very dangerous and often thankless job.  The old saying is true "As You Train, So Shall You Fight".  I hope I've given you some insight into being a smarter, more aware, more effective operator.

Just a few of the comments from the Participants-in-Blue:

“Guro Davidson’s training is an outstanding compliment to the PPCT instruction we receive at the Police Academy.  The training is fluid and adaptable.  This is a must for any police officer!” 

- M.J., Wayne County Sheriff Department

“Guro Davidson’s class introduces effective martial arts skills that are far superior to those typically taught in the U.S.A.  This course will enlighten the trainee not just to techniques, but an entire philosophy of Defensive Tactics.  I highly recommend this class”

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- R.L., Oakland County Sheriff Department 
“As a long time martial artist, I was very impressed with Guro Davidson and his instructors.  This was the most effective Police self defense class I’ve ever had in my 19 year career.”

-          - M.B., City of Eastpointe Police Department

“I’ve been an officer for over 12 years and am certified in two states as a Police Defensive Tactics Instructor.  The first 2 hours of Jeff Davidson’s class blew the past 12 years of my training away!”

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  - T.P., City of Troy Police Department

“Outstanding!  Clear, concise instruction using natural movements.  This class is a must for all Law Enforcement personnel.  I wish I would have known this prior to getting stabbed on duty years ago.”

- P.M., Sterling Heights Police Department

 “Guro Davidson teaches nothing less than pure survival in its simplest and most effective form”

- D.B., Wayne County Sheriff Department  

Seminars Are Great!

 

I had the pleasure of Guro Davidson’s teaching at several seminars.  I had been drawn to silat in high school because it seemed to offer much more complexity and subtlety than what I saw in the bulk of martial arts schools I had attended. I could tell from the movements in the silat system I began at that time, that there was much more to the art than was being taught--either because my instructors kept it to themselves or, more likely, had lost touch with the depth of their art and had homogenized it.  

 

After 7 years I felt I had learned relatively little of use, relatively little to differentiate it from any other run of the mill martial arts school save for some stylized movements in jurus whose martial application was neither practiced nor explained.   I chose to change arts but my desire to learn what I considered to be effective silat continued.  

 

That desire was first sated during seminars with Ka Jeff.  His instruction on those few occasions at seminars restored my hope that I may again find good instruction.   He is a very approachable, humble and inquiring martial artist and instructor and generous in his teaching approach.  I may very well have learned more from him about silat in a few hours than I had in the 7 years I spent training long ago.  He is a clean, crisp and sensitive/perceptive practitioner and his understanding and application of techniques is nuanced, subtle and precise.  Most importantly, he knows how to teach what he does.  

 

 He is also the only person I have seen teach an authentic african martial art--which was a pleasure to be introduced to.  And he learned it there, off the well-traveled path, doing it.   

 

His breadth of knowledge on Malaysian Silat, Kali, and African martial arts of Yoruba is impressive as is his ability to integrate them. Were it possible to make a daily 900 mile commute I would attend his school in a heartbeat.  If any serious martial artists need a reason to tour Detroit, Michigan, you’ve got one. 

Ed

Yoruba Martial Arts

My good friend Asis - Blacksmith and Martial Artist

I took a serious interest in the culture of the Yoruba people of Southwest Nigeria in the late 80's. Throughout the 1990's I was fortunate to be able to study under some very knowledgeable Elders such as Medahochi Kofi Omowale Zannu, Chief Adebolu Fatunmise, and Dr. Afolabi Epega. I made my first “pilgrimage” to Yorubaland in 2001, and have returned every year since with a new group of select, intrepid students for continuing education.

The Yoruba have an indigenous martial arts tradition that is largely unknown outside of West Africa. Interestingly enough, their arts appear quite different that the Muslim-influenced martial traditions typically found in the North. A close parallel to the Filipino Martial Arts is that the Yoruba styles are essentially the same theme with variations from village to village. I have observed these fighting styles in Ode Remo, Sagamu, Ile Ife, Ibadan, Abeokuta, as well as in ethnically Yoruba enclaves found “next door” in the Republic of Benin.*

The Yoruba word for warrior is Akin (literally “A Brave Person”). Akin can refer to a prolific military leader or even a distinguished hunter (Ode). In traditional culture, hunters exist on the very fringes of society, and have an extensive awo (secret knowledge) pertaining to fighting and combat, yet are not what we would think of as “martial artists” in our common usage of the word. Some of the terms used to describe martial arts practitioners as we would think of them are: Oniijakadi, Alonilowogba, and Eleeke.

The umbrella term for the martial art of the Yoruba is “Gidigbo”. If this word has an exact translation, I am unaware of it. Gidigbo encompasses various sub-disciplines such as wrestling (catch-as-catch-can), punching, and kicking - similar to the neighboring Hausa martial arts of Dembe, Ishakafa, and Kukawa - as well as fighting with machetes. Gidigbo matches are sometimes organized around important social functions, although regional tournaments just for the sake of sport are also common throughout the year. The bout typically begins with both opponents facing off, hands crossed (Enter the Dragon style) and quickly closes to all-out grappling - with elbows and head-butts added for good measure. When one of the wrestlers is thrown or otherwise knocked to the ground the match is concluded. Its all in good fun, but take it from me they do it with great gusto and it is very easy to be injured. Broken fingers, dislocated elbows/shoulders and torn knees are quite common.

The savvy Oniijakadi does not rely on mere physical strength alone, but brings all manner of strange charms (juju), incantations (awure) and paraphernalia obtained from a trusted Onisegun (medicine man) to the fight in order to gain an edge over the competition. This is very similar the concept of orasion (prayers) and anting-anting (amulets) in Filipino martial culture.

Whenever I go back to Nigeria and Benin, I have a number of teachers and sparring partners that I hook up with to learn new techniques or to rekindle old rivalries (strictly in a friendly way!) Of course, I spring for the refreshments afterwards, and I also reciprocate by teaching them some Kali in return (there is no problem finding sticks). On our most recent trip to Ijebuland, I had the teenagers collect old pillowcases, rags, and sandals and with some duct tape that I had brought we had a perfectly functional outdoor boxing gym - complete with heavy bag and focus mitts - and were soon working on punching drills. Being that I neglected to introduce the concept of a mouthguard, I hope those kids still have their teeth by the time I go back next year.

* I am in the process of editing footage of West African Martial Arts including matches, festivals, interviews with fighters and teachers, and other cool surprises that I have filmed during my travels. Stay tuned.