NT First to Embrace the Filipino Martial Arts

In 1981 Rodel Dagooc spent several months in the Northern Territory promoting the Filipino Martial Art known as Modern Arnis, a form of Filipino Stick Fighting developed by Balintawak Eskrima Master Professor Remy Amador Presas.

During the 1970's Sensei Robert Fitton travelled to the Philippines on many occasions to train with Grandmaster Rafael Reston who was a local Kempo Karate master in the Philippine city called Angeles City. During his travels he come across the Indigenous Filipino art of Arnis. He trained in the art with Modern Arnis with Instructors Rodel Dagooc and Roland Dantes.

During 1981 Rodel Dagooc dedicated himself to promote the Filipino Martial Art of Modern Arnis to the Northern Territory Martial Arts Community.

The following are details of what Rodel Dagooc achieved in the Northern Territory:

Arnis Instructor at Fitton's Kempo Karate Modern Arnis Centre. Darwin, N.T. Australia

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StartFragmentArnis Instructor at the King Cobra Fighting Society, Darwin, N.T. Australia

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StartFragmentArnis instructor Kormilda College, Darwin AustraliaEndFragment [if lt IE 9]> <![endif]

StartFragmentArnis P.E. Instructor, Darwin High School, Darwin, AustraliaEndFragment

Arnis Instructor Northern Territory Police Force. Nhulunbuy Station, NT, Australia

The Northern Territory was the first place to teach the Filipino Martial Art of Arnis in Australia. This encouraged many more Darwin Instructors to journey to the Philippine to learn Arnis. The introduction of Arnis to Darwin in 1981 has lead to a huge growth of Arnis in the Northern Territory.

In 1987 1 brought Doce Pares Eskrima Grandmaster Cacoy Canete to Darwin who was assisted in this seminar by Sensei Col Davis and Sensei John Tenasis.

In 1994 I brought Grandmaster Rodel Dagooc and Hanshi Tino Ceberano to Darwin to hold several seminars. The locals again embraced GM Rodel Dagooc and were again mesmerized by his incredibly fast Arnis skills. We had close on 100 people attend these seminars.

Local Instructors who have trained in Modern Arnis:

Robert Fitton - Resides in Thailand

Terry Dunstan - Resides in Sunshine Coast, QLD

Brian Decresas

Wally Nicholls - RIP

Martin Gardiner - Resides in Alice Springs

Paul Graham

Craig Radcliffe

Local Instructors who have trained in other forms of Arnis, Kali, Eskrima:

Louie Sayson - Doce Pares

Tony Antonio

Martin Gardiner - Doce Pares - Resides in Alice Springs