A BRIEF HISTORY OF ARNIS

Native Filipinos used arnis to defeat the invading horde of Spanish soldiers
led by Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. However, even after Magellan's defeat,
more Spaniards arrived years later and overpowered the native islanders.
After establishing their rule, the Spaniards outlawed all forms of martial
arts, including arnis. Many Filipinos continued practicing arnis in secret,
however. Arnis and similar forms of martial arts are now legal in the
Philippines and are practiced along with more familiar forms of martial arts.