Realistic View of Philippine Martial Arts: Lapu Lapu was bad ass

The original article

http://www.thearma.org/essays/influence.htm

The Short of it: Lapu Lapu was bad ass.

The long of it: Tell you one thing about Lapu Lapu, It wasn't a fluke. Rajah Humabon offered 25 of his best to compliment Magellan's own numbers. Which was around 16-20 if i remember (8 died and they were said to bring a score of men).

I don't know if you would believe the 1500 mactan warriors vs 20. First you have to consider that mactan is a small island (62 sq km) . The Spanish cite that it was around 1500 mactan warrior, an exaggeration of course (to impress the king no doubt and to eliminate any question to why they lost). But if you look at Mactan the island can only support about a 500 people, at most and without heavy trade for food, given the era. 1500 warriors means that mactan must have a population of 30,000 and all their men are fighting.

According to spanish records which cite that Sugbu was 20,000 people, that would give 1000 males who are of combat able age. And if you consider that Humabon offered 25 of his best men, you can see its not a bad ratio if your drawing from 1k of able bodies.

16-20 arquebussiers(sp?) vs. 25-50 Orang Lauts. Consider that the forces of Montezuma were roughly 10,000 warriors compared to the Conquistadors. Numbers shouldn't affect the Spanish side, or shouldnt it?

We all know the end of it, Lapu Lapu was bad ass.

The reason they called him Lapu Lapu was because, when you stab or hook a Lapu Lapu it keeps fighting. Lapu Lapu's a berserker fish :))

Why did they win? Easy, Lapu Lapu, as I said, was bad ass. Its all in the demographics, to make a claim that they fought 1500 is freaking BS. I've been doing the demographics for Mahadlika and I WISH the population was that big at that time.

He had more than 4x the number of Lapu Lapu and for the longest time, He couldn't beat him. Now comes this guy who thinks he's just a dumb indio. Haha!!! Circled half the world for a dumb ass mistake.

Even all the considerations of technique John Clements makes, he forgets one thing about "them savages". Combat is a way of life. Fighting is a profession in europe, in tribal societies where things are settled with trial by combat (not talking about code of kalintanao its a fake of course) being able to fight is essential for right to live (and pursue happiness).

Legaspi took manila not because of the superior arms of spain. It was the supperior arms of the Visayans. 90 arquebusiers and 20 sailors, and 400 to 500*** Visayans, from Panay and Cebu, came to fight the slave raiding muslims to the north. On Soliman's side a pop of 2k, that would be roughly 100 able males. I think it was pretty one sided.


* Cited by Carlos Quirino and Manuel Martinez. BTW these guys wear mail shirts.

** Why else did Humabon Offered 25 of his best. Would he offer 25 if they fought 1500 knowing this would certainly wipe his men out? The idea is to have x2 the number of forces. Even with a machine gun 1,500 is not a sure win. Talk about gross exaggeration. If your consider the reverse, for all you know only 15 warriors came. To exaggerate at that proportion means they maybe making up for a really terrible loss.

*** again we see the demographics. 1500 vs 20 my ass. (Numbers don't lie).

Citing my sources: Manuel Martinez's Assassination and Conspiracies and Carlos Quirino's Filipinos at War. Check out Medival Demographics to learn how much a given area can support also consider that the technology level of the time was a notch lower and wasnt' organized/fuedlized thus a smaller population support.

Last Word: Filipinos should know what makes them proud to be Filipinos, be it history or anything. Filipinos are just as bad ass as anyone else and no one should ever doubt that.

Mahadlika Quote:

" How do you kill a man who's skin's is steel?" - Zula

" You hit him in the eyes" - Datu Pula










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