THIS IS MY LOVE, NOT MY CAREER.

Now a days I have read the postings of Masters and Instructors of Kuntao/Silat, and people say that they have lost their minds. I say it’s a hard fall from the top, or a hard claim to the top when this is all you have. In the late 80’s and 90’s Kuntao/Silat was an unheard of art, even though it’s been in this country since the 1950’s thanks to Masters like William Wetzel, and Willem Reeders. Now, you can find Kuntao/Silat all over this country.

In the mid 80’s these few people were the all around Masters to train with, but today they must compete with others for the center stage. Instructors with grandiose titles like: Pendekar, Mas Goeroe Agoeng, Grandmaster, Grand Tuhon, and so on. Instructors claim heir to a family system from the Grand Pendekar/Mas Goeroe Agoeng/ Tuhon/ Ultimate Grand Master. They talk about Hormat (Respect), but they bad mouth Masters that has passed away. They talk about how their art is a made up art, and has no true lineage. My favorite is how they say that this Masters art was really just Kung Fu, or Karate.

Right now I can say I could have kicked William Wetzel, Willem Reeders, and Rudy TerLinden ass at the same time all I want. The truth being known, I wouldn’t stand a chance with just one of these Masters, little on all three at the same time. However, they can’t 1. Defend themselves, or 2. Make me back it up, so why bad mouth the dead. I have seen people bad mouth Dutch-Indo Silat saying, “This is pure Indonesian Silat, not Dutch-Indo. It’s to fluid for that”. Is this the Hormat they’re talking about?

Then you have the instructors wanting to be the next Inosanto, or Suwanda. These instructors want fame at all cost, no matter what. They claim to know more because they spent a few weeks in Indonesia learning this one art. You promote yourself shamelessly and what happens? Some Indonesian or Filipino comes to that country and is an instant star in these arts. Your greed for fame and/or money fuels your art, and not the art it’s self.

As I was getting mad about what I was reading, I found myself laughing at them. I realized that this is their career. Only by trying to make others look bad, or grinding an axe with someone that made them mad is the only way to make themselves look better. When you bad mouth a deceased Master, it just makes you look bad, not them. When you bad mouth the Dutch-Indo Silat, you could be bad mouthing a friend along with the person you’re mad at. Now you’re saying, Guru Jim, aren’t you doing the same thing? No, I have not wrote one name down, or called anyone out on the carpet. If this sounds like some you know, then it’s about them.

What makes me different? THIS IS MY LOVE, NOT MY CAREER. I love these arts and I just want to share them with others. Right now, I’m putting out more Filipino Martial Arts because I want to help promote my Instructor Tuhon Tony Marcial. You read it correctly; I want to promote someone other than me. I make DVDs, write articles, and I’m currently writing my first book called “The Articles, Teachings, and Ramblings of Guru Jim”. Volume one is on Pangasinan Arnis that was taught to me by my instructor to help promote him.

I’m busy right now with teaching my students, writing my book, making DVDs, and trying to get my Masters Degree in Business Administration. As I said, these arts aren’t my career, they’re my love. I have a few people that know who I am, and I get to pass on my knowledge to whoever wants it, and is a good up standing person to receive it. I do what I do out of the love for what I know, and what I hold near and dear to my heart. You can say that I’m not a true Silat/Kuntao/Kali person. You won’t be the first, and you won’t be the last. I have strong shoulders. I can hold your BS on them.


Who should you train with? Someone who loves these arts, and wants to pass it on. Someone who is more concerned with your learning and not their fame. Someone who doesn’t openly bad mouth other systems. There are system out there I don’t like, but they’re just not for me, however, they are still skilled masters. I’ll just sit in the shadows, and help my Brothers and Sisters in these arts out from behind the scenes.

Guru Jim is 100% about helping his fellow martial artist before himself. I talk about Hormat, and I practice it as well. How many of you can say that. I may not die rich and famous, but I’ll have some really good friends to remember me for years to come.

Take care, and God bless you and yours.

Guru James Hogue