MODERN ARNIS CONTINUES TO GROW
IN THE MIDDLE EAST

In a tradition established in the Philippines by the masters of International Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP) and in furtherance of Master Godofredo Fajardo’s zealous promulgation of the art in the Middle East, several instructors under the leadership of punong guro Wail Irshaid and guro Wael Yahya continue to vigorously teach and promote Modern Arnis in the Middle East, more specifically Jordan, Syria and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, during the past year to the present year, 2009.

Master Godofredo Fajardo is the current commissioner for the Middle East of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP). After several years of actually teaching Modern Arnis while based in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Master Fajardo was summoned back to the Philippines by the IMAFP Council of Masters in 2008 to help in Philippine matters, including its international festivals and tournaments, as well as national seminars and numerous training programs.

Punong guro Wail Irshaid and guro Wael Yahya were seniors students under Master Fajardo while Sir Godo, as Master Fajardo is fondly called, was personally teaching in Saudi Arabia. These two martial arts dynamos have logged in countless hours and miles to teach Modern Arnis in several countries.  Wail Irshaid for example routinely drives 1,600 km. round trip every week, starting on Thursday and returning Friday, to teach his classes.

In the first set of pictures, guro Wael Yahya gave a seminar in Syria on July 1, 2008. As may be seen from the pictures, the seminar was well-attended and the participants enthusiastic about their training.

The second set of pictures shows guro Wail Irshaid with several of his classes and students.  A guest instructor, guro Orly Junio, may be seen teaching at a couple of these classes. Orly Junio is a Manila-based instructor affiliated with Grandmaster Roberto Labaniego, a senior student of the late Grandmaster Benjamin Luna-Lema of Lightning Scientific Arnis.

On behalf of his twin organizations, IMAFP and Filipino Fighting Arts Int’l (FFAI), Master Godofredo Fajardo wishes to extend his congratulations and thanks to these two guros for a job well done.

Guro Wael Yahya’s Seminar in Syria

Guro Wael Yahya demonstrates a technique at the seminar in Syria.

Punong Guro Wail Irshaid’s Classes in Saudi Arabia

Guro Orly Junio of the Philippines, guro Saleh Al-Amri ,and guro Meshal Al shamari  (2nd degree black belt in Modern Arnis and Filipino Fighting Arts International) and
two other students pose in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Guest instructor guro Orly Junio demonstrates a technique with
guro Abdulrahman Sanad during guro Wail Irshaid’s class
in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Guro  M. Basheer Eyyothiyil and guro Saleh Al-Amri.

My thanks to punong guro Wail Irshaid (above) for the pictures
and the update on activities in his part of the Middle East.