Master Antonio Ilustrisimo Demo

Master Antonio Ilustrisimo
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo (1904 - 1997) was the Grand Master of Kali Ilustrisimo, a Filipino martial art bearing his family name.
Born in Bagong, Bantayan, Cebu in 1904. As a boy he studied eskrima from his father. At the age of nine he decided to travel to the United States, and stowed away on a boat he thought was headed for America. In actuality, he arrived in Mindanao, in the Southern Philippine islands.
Antonio Alulud Ilustrisimo was one of the most well respected eskrimadors of the Philippines; He is famed for winning countless duels and street encounters, as well as serving as a guerrilla against the invading Japanese forces during World War II. GM Ilustrisimo was never defeated in combat, and earned great respect as a result of his brave exploits against the Japanese.
In 1976 Antonio 'Tatang' Ilustrisimo accepted his first students Antonio Diego and Epifanio 'Yuli' Romo. After Tatang's passing in 1997, The primary students of Grandmaster Ilustrisimo are known as the 5 pillars as follows: Master Tony Diego, Master Epifanio 'Yuli' Romo, Master Christopher Ricketts, Master Rey Galang and Punong Guro Edgar Sulite.

[@Fufutae]

He grew old and senile, but he never forgot his Kali. He is truly devoted to the art.

[@luburan1973]

Tatang calls his art Escrima as his father calls it. Kali is a recent branding effort from outside the Philippines.

[@dockilat5576]

​@@luburan1973 yes tinuod na, kali is kalibanga

[@sekyusu]

@@dockilat5576 yawa man ka brod HAHAHAHAHAH

[@DuplicitousDark]

Tatang's arnis is different from most bec he honed most of the techniques from actual fighting rather than just going thru drills. He had no numbering system and would counter-attack instinctively. GM Yuli Romo said that they developed the numbering system to try and analyze the movements that he made. They had to have someone attack Tatang just to see what moves he would make. Still the exact same nuances of his method and timing are extremely difficult/impossible to replicate...

[@christineglaraga5920]

lolo ko po yung mahaba ang buhok, so proud of you lolo rip i love you ❤

[@antondelacruz9362]

Over the years this has remained one of my fave ilustrisimo videos on youtube. Too bad maestro sioc doesnt have more videos online. Rest in peace, lolo.

[@kasama4christMedia]

yes, not sure if he learned from my grandfather Regino Ilustrisimo directly, but our lineage runs deep. The Ilustrisimo style is very effective.

[@luburan1973]

I think he said that Regino Ilustrisimo is his uncle. That makes Tatang your uncle.

[@michaelangelo4583]

according to his living students he learned some from Melencio Ilustrisimo specially the lutang and retirada. but the fighting style he learned it through fighting real adversaries. according to his students Tatang ended 8 lives in his lifetime.

[@luburan1973]

@@michaelangelo4583 I think you are mistaken, Tatang was a contract killer for the ship owners of Manila docks. He was a merchant marine. He is just one of the many men of his times.

[@mas7168]

He reacts instinctively.. obviously his skill came from actual fighting..not thru drills...no numbering

[@Stopadmincmommands]

Proud being part of the Tatang's Blood! I love you tatay!!

[@icebear8802]

😲 Wow That's Legendary

[@erwinrommel1398]

Ito ang dapat na mas pinagaaralan ng lahat ng mga Pilipino, hindi yung mga Hapon , Korean. Mas matatanim sa puso at mabubuhay ang dugong pagka-Pilipino.

[@jayr122001]

sana ibalik ang arnis sa mga elementary schoo programs

[@roballington2319]

Fantastic

[@dilf6jstv466]

Im very Proud to have my GrandFather my GrandMaster👍❤️

[@nozenkyuzero]

2:59 im sorry guys but i love it when he does that

[@MrEdium]

Truly Amazing !

[@t0nyr4m0s]

Tatang you're the best ever.

[@geoffhardy3420]

The man was last acquitted of murder in his 90's! I believe 9 men challenged him and lost there lives. He is using a live blade like it was a stick. Unreal what a legend

[@AMGO71]

beautiful

[@iggyspirit]

Wonderful video, thank you

[@WarriorVillageTV]

Even kuya Shok is so weary of Tantang here... =P - Saplit disarm delivered to Guro Allen’s feet. TAAAAKBOOO

[@tapap1990]

dont forget, grandmaster tatang is also adopted son of one of the powerful sultan in mindanao. I do believe guru tatang skills and techniques that he learn from his uncles n father in cebu is enhanced by silat that he learn in the south. if not why only tatang version of kali is different and more powerful than other kali practitioner? its also give us ideas actually north and center of filipino actually very close with their brother in the south. but maybe corrupted political peoples ruined it

[@bobli5315]

Not him or any of his students mention silat influence. A lot of different styles of kali even within the Philippines. Silat uses forms. Silat uses internal breathing. Nether were ever taught by GM Tatang. Silat also uses deep stances, animal forms, and long drawn out/ pullback knife & sword techniques. Non that you can see GM Tatang do. Silat also uses the cabang (sai), and karambit. Non of these were ever taught by GM Tatang. He was just a very skilled man.

[@luburan1973]

​@@bobli5315 tatang has no need for karambit or any of the other item you mentioned because he is a Mariner / Merchant Marine. A stick or a screw driver will do. When the Americans took over the Philippines, they outlawed the carrying of blades unless you are a farmer or butcher.

[@bobli5315]

@@luburan1973 I said "taught". Nether karambit or cabang are found in Filipino martial arts (at least very very very uncommon). There are plenty of youtube videos showing Tantang demonstrarting with blades, sticks.

[@luburan1973]

@@bobli5315 it doesn't make sense to have a karambit or all those commercial things because I grew up in an agricultural territory, one blade is enough. Actually a blade and a sharpening stone is already heavy with water and food. You have to carry this to work, you will look stupid with so many blades. That is how I see city folks learning Martial arts. When you get old , you will learn that the sharpening stone is the most important kit. As for the Kris daggers , it is a Man 's jewelry kept at home for important occasion or formal events. You have to understand that a well dressed fighter would still carry his ammunition, M16A1 and heirloom blade. Because you are going to die. The blade hopefully will give you a last chance at life.

[@MatawguroRobbie]

Inocencio "Sioc" Glaraga

[@rodolfomeba]

Pugay po mga maestro, uunahan kona kayo ng kalabit hintayin kopo ang inyong tapik. Arnisador din po ako.

[@freshbreez101]

Great stuff

[@DuplicitousDark]

there was an incident where a mugger got his stomach ripped and face smashed bec Tatang happended to be in the jeepney he was trying to stickup. Tatang used a pipe I think.

[@robertrobinson7269]

😂 Wow, this is really old school from "Lion Heart" I still got mine on VHS tapes. 😂 Hondo 🙏🏾 Strength and Honor

[@nozenkyuzero]

1:14 perfection

[@twobitmage]

Who is the younger master in this video?

[@streetninja81]

What was the name of this video series again? I had this on vhs many years ago but I can't find it

[@tapap1990]

is it true kali kills silat? or silat kills silat or maybe kali kills kali. whatever the name, actually this is a same martial art come from same Austronesian peoples. silat n kali itself have many names btw they have lot similarity. the main similarity that distinguished kali n silat compared to other martial art is body twist that look like dancing, the movement flow of hand wrist and what the most important thing is a tendencies to catch and grab opponent hand.

[@luburan1973]

It is just the same Silat and Escrima.

[@tapap1990]

i read also about tatang kills guy in mindanao. but is it true this guy is silat practitioner? maybe truth bcoz moro peoples are warrior and war peoples that fought hundreds of years against invaders not like their siblings in the center and north filipino. btw is it true tatang never learn silat n nobody teach him in mindanao? coz tatang came to south just only 9 years old and comeback to the north at 18 years. the perfect age and perfect term to learn MA. also perfect age to graduate.

[@ryan-smith]

Tatang lived from the Visayas to Pampanga, but his nickname "Tatang" is a Tagalog word. How come? I'm confused. When was he started to be called "Tatang", was it during the Luneta days? So it was only recently? What was Tatang's nickname when he was younger?

[@johnboy2349]

Tatang can be translated to "Father" and is used for older men. So, yes, it must have been used during his Luneta days when he was much older.

[@free2flow]

From what someone told me, it was the late Alex Co that first used Tatang.

[@michaelangelo4583]

according to Mang Tony Diego they don't call him Tatang or father but tanda or oldman.

[@luburan1973]

because he was living in the Tagalog region "Itay" translate to "Father" You don't call your Father Tatang.

[@asdrawr55]

Funny for you to leave out the fact that Tatang was 9 YEARS OLD when that happened.

[@tapap1990]

its so funny bcoz i never get the fact that its happened when he was 9 YEARS OLD. or maybe the history is fabricated to remove moro influences? tatang used barong to chop off enemy head. in fact barong is traditional moro fighter n its the tatang favourite weapon. never mentioned tatang have learned barong from his relatives in cebu. we must always remember the fact that north n central filipin was very easy submit & enslaved to spanish, japan n america without any fightback but its different with moro land peoples.

[@tapap1990]

just to share info with u. bantayan word is also a common word in malaysia n indonesia but we called it as bentayan usually refer the name of panglima or warrior. just my personal opinion through my research, silat n kali is the same martial art just different name we called it. actually the name of silat is also varies such as silek, pencak, maenpo, mpa sila, gayong etc.furthermore there have lot of different school silat n kali. the tatang style is so much different where its look so flowery like dance same with traditional silat which use too much wrist technique than kali where they do look like wing chun same like buah pukul, lian, kuntaw, pencak in malaysia, indonesia n brunei. all of them are chinese influence ma.

[@tapap1990]

may be your comprehension is stupid even your english better than me. late tatang was send back to the north when he was 17-18 YEARS OLD due to avoid conflict with opposite clan of sulu sultan clan bcoz tatang has killed man from another royal family. so its very clear that tatang just did a kill when his age around 17-18 YEARS OLD. the real fact is not 9 YEARS OLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. u make my day today. first class stupidity ever i heard.

[@asdrawr55]

tapap1990 He was 9 years old when he boarded the ship that he THOUGHT was heading to America. My comment was directed at yours when you said that "Stupidity is real in phil" Also, you think my comprehension is stupid? Look at all three of your replies. You're just rambling on and on -- totally unrelated to my original subject matter. Never have I discounted the Moro influences that is evident in Tatang's style and my comment didn't reached you as clear as I have hoped because youtube -- I think you already know the changes.

[@tapap1990]

asdrawr55 bcoz your are cheater n liar. now u twisted back. nevermind, try again

[@curtrod]

safety shoes

[@jeffguira]

Anybody know the name of the narrator?

[@aldrinfrando6880]

Lolo Sioux glaraga

[@MrSolitude14]

he used to sail to reach some place he called USA and he found out that his ship landed on mindanao. then he studied indiginous (read: moro) MA. read his biography cos Stupidity is real in phil.

[@QueensophiaManalang]

Israel ilustrisimo

[@emilioesdabes7086]

That's how you defend when your opponent decides to grapple you.. and it should be allowed in the MMA.. 🤣🤣🤣 one twist you could rearrange your opponent's windpipe..

[@noiJadisCailleach]

I didn't know, tatang is a comedian too! XD Also, So many showboating empty cans in the comments. LMFAO

[@luburan1973]

There is no such thing as moro martial arts, or dress as both predates islamization in the Philippines. Even the animist and pagans fights and dress the same.

[@rosielupita5230]

Historically Hinduism and Buddhism predates Islam influence in southeast that covers what is Philippines, Indonesia, Brunei and Malaysia today. Places where tribal leaders are called Rajah practice Hinduism. Buddhism evolved from Hinduism. It can not be denied there have been indigenous cultural practices in the various kingdoms of southeast Asia including spiritual and self defense exercises that pre dates all these ancient practices but unfairly called as pagans and animists. In the very stage of Christianity it was similarly called pagan practice although no images and statues were not venerated or worshipped then.

[@luburan1973]

@@rosielupita5230 I was born in the 70's from a grandfather who is from a headhunting tribe highly educated because the headhunters would always hold on to their land till the end of their days. And those who have land can always pay tuition serve in the armed forces to get arms to protect their property and be honorable farmers. War has always been a means to capital.