In the midst of a bustling Family Weekend, Anderson Hall was abuzz with intense focus and martial arts instruction.
Running from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, the second annual Southeast Asian Martial Arts Gathering featured various martial arts masters from around the Midwest come together to teach visitors the basics of various techniques.
Paul Wright, a professor of kinesiology and physical education who organized the first and second events in coordination with the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, was ecstatic they surpassed their attendance goal.
“I feel so good about everyone who showed up,” Wright said. “We did this last year on short notice and had around 24 or 25 people show up. This year we advertised a lot sooner and our intention was to get 100 people. Well, we succeeded and half of them are from outside of NIU.”
Throughout the event, various martial arts masters and instructors, as well as their students, guided the beginners in learning specialized techniques. Participants varied in age from kids and adolescents to college students and adults. Many parents and relatives watched from the sidelines.
During each session, students experienced various types of solo and partner drills, practicing fighting
techniques including five angles, tapi-tapi and silat among others.
One of the first training drills, tapi tapi, was taught by master instructor Rodolfo T. Poblacion, Jr. of the World Martial Arts Academy USA. He involved a combination of high-low hits with the use of one or two rattan and escrema sticks.
Tapi tapi focuses on strengthening reaction time, reflexes and coordination; the drill can also help with improving basic hand-to-hand combat, which the group focused on later as well.
Rodolfo additionally led the group in solo practice swings before moving on to instructing them to practice empty handed combat in pairs — one person being the attacker and the other the defender.
Lino Jimenez, a resident of Downers Grove and student of one of the instructors, was happy to see new beginners take an interest in the sessions and practice.
“It feels encouraging to see,” Jimenez said. “I’m really thankful for the South East Asian department for opening this up to a wider audience and community.”
Another drill students were led through was silat, a style with faint similarities in basic stance and jabs to American boxing.
Silat is a combat style that utilizes a wide range of strikes including high, low and side kicking, blocking and grappling movements. Each participant was led through each motion and rhythm using standard punching mitts and demonstrating full combinations of offensive and defensive movements.
Attendees and their families were also provided a free lunch from Stix & Noodles, a food truck that serves homestyle Filipino cuisine. The NIU Thai Music Ensemble also performed.
Wright discussed how appreciative he was of the collaboration between the Asian American Certificate Program, the NIU Department of Music, the Kinesiology and Physical Studies department and the Center for South Asian studies in advertising to make this event happen and reach out to more members of their community.
“This is going to become our signature event,” Wright said. “It’s amazing to see different parts of the community come together to take part in our lessons and learn.”
