08/27/2025
About the Logo:
The Balintawak Arnis Escrima Taboada System Logo: A Fusion of Filipino and Hawaiian Heritage
As a Filipino-Hawaiian descendant with 30 years of dedicated service in law enforcement and an equal depth of experience in the Hawaiian martial art of Kempo, under the late Grandmaster Martin Thomas Buell, whose art emphasized the practical self-defense and cultural roots, my Balintawak Arnis Escrima Taboada system logo serves as a profound emblem of my dual heritage, personal journey, and martial philosophy. Balintawak Arnis, a renowned style of Filipino martial arts (FMA) originating from Cebu and refined by masters like Venancio “Anciong” Bacon and later Grandmaster Bobby Taboada, focuses on close-quarters stick fighting, agility, and practical combat efficiency. By incorporating elements from both Filipino and Hawaiian traditions, the logo transcends a mere visual design—it becomes a narrative tapestry that honors my heritage, my commitment to justice and protection, and the harmonious blend of two island cultures united by themes of resilience, community, and warrior spirit.
The logo, at its core, depicts the top half of the triangle (representative of the escrima or arnis weapons central to Balintawak training), with the sword or “barong” completing the base of the triangle. The barong’s significance extends beyond combat into deep cultural symbolism, representing strength, heritage, respect, and social status in Filipino society. The sticks and barong are encircled or overlaid with symbolic motifs drawn from the Philippine flag and Hawaiian iconography. This design not only pays homage to the fluid, adaptive techniques of Balintawak—where sticks and the barong symbolize both offense and defense—but also weaves in my Hawaiian roots, creating a unique system that bridges the Pacific. Below, I’ll break down the key elements of the logo, explaining their significance, historical context, and how they tie into my heritage and life experiences.
The Crossed Sticks: Foundations of Balintawak Arnis and Cultural Bridge
The prominent crossed sticks in the logo are the heartbeat of Balintawak Arnis Escrima Taboada, embodying the art’s emphasis on single-stick fighting, disarms, and flowing counters. In Filipino martial arts, these sticks (often made from rattan or bahi wood) represent not just weapons but tools for self-discipline, survival, and cultural preservation—roots tracing back to pre-colonial Philippines, where indigenous warriors used them against colonial oppressors. For me, as a Filipino descendant, this element honors the indomitable spirit of my ancestors, who adapted arnis into a covert form of resistance during Spanish and American rule.
Yet, the sticks also serve as a bridge to my Hawaiian heritage. In Hawaiian culture, wooden implements like staffs or clubs (such as the traditional leiomano or pololu) evoke the warrior traditions of ancient Polynesia, where combat arts like Lua emphasized bone-breaking techniques and spiritual balance. My 30 years in Hawaiian Kempo—a hybrid art influenced by Hawaiian, Chinese, Japanese, and American styles, often incorporating strikes, grappling, and practical defense—mirrors the adaptive nature of Balintawak. The position of the sticks symbolizes unity and intersection, reflecting how I’ve blended these arts in the system: Filipino precision with Hawaiian Kempo grounded power, all informed by my law enforcement background, where de-escalation and controlled force are paramount.
The Two Dots at the End of One Stick: Symbols of Friendship and Brotherhood
At the tip of the right stick, two small dots stand out as a subtle yet meaningful detail. These dots symbolize friendship and brotherhood, core values in Balintawak. They add a layer of interpersonal harmony to the otherwise combative imagery of the logo. In martial arts contexts, such symbols often represent duality—much like the yin-yang in Eastern philosophies—where opposing forces (e.g., conflict and peace) coexist. Here, the dots evoke the idea that true strength lies not in isolation but in bonds forged through shared struggle and mutual respect.
For my Filipino heritage, this ties into the concept of “bayanihan” (communal unity), where Filipinos come together as brothers and sisters to lift one another, much like warriors in arnis training who spar to build trust rather than harm. In Hawaiian culture, it resonates with “ohana” (family) and “aloha” (love and compassion), principles that extend brotherhood beyond bloodlines to include community and fellow practitioners. As someone with decades in law enforcement and Kempo, these dots reflect my philosophy: martial arts and policing are about protecting bonds, fostering alliances, and turning potential adversaries into allies. Placed at the end of the stick, they suggest that even in defense or combat, the ultimate goal is connection— a reminder that the system teaches not just fighting skills but lifelong camaraderie.
The Filipino Sun: Rays of Freedom and Revolution
Dominating the central or background layer of the logo is the iconic Filipino sun, directly inspired by the national flag of the Philippines. This sun features rays emanating from its core, signifying freedom, independence, and the revolutionary spirit that birthed the modern Filipino nation. Historically, on the Philippine flag (designed during the 1896 Philippine Revolution against Spanish colonial rule), the sun’s rays represent the provinces—Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Laguna, and Batangas—that were the first to rise in armed revolt. It stands as a beacon of hope, illuminating the path from oppression to sovereignty, and its golden hue evokes the tropical warmth and resilience of the archipelago.
In my logo, this sun ties deeply to my Filipino heritage, celebrating the warrior ethos embedded in arnis. Balintawak itself emerged in the post-World War II era in Cebu, a hotbed of resistance, where practitioners honed skills that echoed the revolutionaries’ fight for self-determination. For me, as a Filipino descendant born in Hawaii, the sun also represents the diaspora experience—Filipinos who carried their culture across the Pacific, adapting while preserving their identity. Infused with my law enforcement perspective, the sun’s rays symbolize enlightenment and justice, much like how I have used these skills to uphold the law, protecting communities with the same fervor as those early revolutionaries.
The Three Stars of the Filipino Flag: Unity
Across Archipelagos
Accompanying the sun are three stars, another direct nod to the Philippine flag, positioned to evoke balance and triangulation. On the flag, these golden stars represent the three major geographical divisions of the Philippines: Luzon (the northern islands, including Manila), Visayas (the central islands, home to Cebu and Balintawak’s origins), and Mindanao (the southern islands). They symbolize national unity, equality among regions, and the aspiration for a cohesive republic amid diversity. Introduced in the flag’s design by revolutionary leader Emilio Aguinaldo, the stars underscore that strength comes from collective harmony, not division.
In the logo, these stars amplify my Filipino roots while subtly mirroring Hawaiian themes of interconnected islands. The Philippines’ 7,641 islands parallel Hawaii’s eight main islands, both archipelagos fostering cultures of navigation, adaptation, and communal resilience. As a Hawaiian-born Filipino descendant, the stars represent my personal unity—blending two heritages into one system. My 30 years in kempo, with its emphasis on holistic body-mind-spirit balance, aligns with this triadic symbolism: three stars for physical prowess, mental focus, and spiritual brotherhood. In a law enforcement context, they evoke the “three pillars” of justice—prevention, intervention, and restoration—that I have championed throughout my career.
The Hawaiian Paddle in the Middle of the Sun: Signifying the Law of the Splintered Paddle
At the very center of the Filipino sun lies a Hawaiian paddle (known as a “hoe” in Hawaiian), a striking fusion element that anchors the logo in my Hawaiian heritage and personal ethos. This paddle symbolizes the Kānāwai Māmalahoe, or “Law of the Splintered Paddle,” a foundational principle in Hawaiian history and law established by King Kamehameha I in the late 18th century. The law originated from an incident where young Kamehameha, during a raid, was struck on the head with a canoe paddle by fishermen protecting their vulnerable family members. Humbled, he later decreed: “Let every elderly person, woman, and child lie by the roadside in safety.” This became Hawaii’s first human rights law, protecting the innocent from harm, and it’s enshrined in the state constitution (Article IX, Section 10) as a commitment to compassion and justice.
Placed within the sun’s core, the paddle merges Filipino revolutionary light with Hawaiian protective wisdom, creating a symbol of enlightened guardianship. For me, with 30 years in law enforcement, it directly reflects my career’s focus on safeguarding the community—much like the paddle’s splintered origin story emphasizes non-violent resolution and mercy. In Hawaiian martial arts like Kempo, the paddle evokes tools of navigation and strength, guiding practitioners through life’s “waters” with balance. As the Late Grandmaster Martin T. Buell once said, “Flow like water and not like ice,” a reminder of the fluidity of the art. The Balintawak system, enhanced by Kempo’s fluid techniques, uses this imagery to teach that true power protects the weak, tying my dual heritages into a philosophy of aloha-infused arnis: fight when necessary, but always with brotherhood and justice at heart.
Conclusion: A Logo of Legacy and Harmony
My Balintawak Arnis Escrima Taboada system logo is more than an insignia—it’s a living testament to my Filipino-Hawaiian identity, forged through generations of island warriors and refined by my 30 years in law enforcement and Kempo. By intertwining the sticks of arnis with the sun and stars of Philippine pride, and centering the Hawaiian paddle of compassionate law, it encapsulates a martial path that honors heritage, promotes unity, and upholds protection. Whether in training, teaching, or reflection, this logo reminds practitioners of the deeper bonds—friendship, brotherhood, and aloha—that elevate combat arts into a force for good. It’s a beacon for future generations, much like the sun it features, illuminating the shared Pacific spirit that defines me and my life in the martial arts.
“Attention, from my heart, you’re welcome, with respect and aloha….”
AP Professor/Guro Vince Domingcil
