What it Means to be a Bayani Part 1
When I first decided to begin the foundation of Bayani Warrior back in 2003, I knew that I didn't want it to be merely a group of individuals that were able to fight with sticks and blades. I wanted it to be something much more than that. I wanted it to not only provide a physical outlet for people to learn how to protect themselves, but I also wanted it to be a place where people could develop themselves spiritually and mentally through the Filipino warrior arts. I wanted Bayani Warrior to not only be a group of close-knit training partners and fighters, but I wanted it to be a group that stood for something more...something that I felt has been missing not only in the Filipino martial arts community, but in the Filipino and American community as well.
In this entry, I will cover the first part of the Bayani-Warrior name. The word "Bayani" is a Tagalog (Filipino) word that translates to "hero". A hero is an individual who places the needs of their family, their loved ones, and their community above themselves. A hero is a person who performs extraordinary acts to help others, even if it means that they may suffer grievous consequences in the end. A hero possesses a distinct sense of right and wrong; They are NOT morally ambivalent. Heroes place what is right over what is easy.
Above all else, a hero is an individual who stands for something greater than just themselves and their desires. A hero is, after all, an individual who sets the example for those around them. It's easy to be able to fight. It's easy to perform and master drills and techniques. But, to be the example for others to follow is difficult.
I decided to use the word "Bayani" as part of the group's name as a result of an experience while in the Philippines. I spent a week in Baguio with my brother and a few others building homes for the poor in a small mountain village. The people referred to us as "Bayani". I had no idea what it meant at the time. After a hard day of work, we would head to the hotel and we would often meet during dinner and the chaperones on the trip would teach us the meaning of the word "Bayani" and what it meant for us as people. The word was inspiring, profound, and was also easy to pronounce and remember. When I got back home to the USA, the experience stuck with me. I decided I would continue the Bayani lifestyle, and that I would combine the ideals I learned that week in Baguio to my Filipino martial arts training.
Heroes are present everyday, and everyone has the capacity to become a hero in their own lives. This may sound idealistic, but in reality, all one has to do is look around and you will see that heroes truly are present all around us. Of course, we have the heroes in society who have made it their living to serve and protect those in the community: police officers, firefighters, doctors, EMS workers, those in our Armed Forces, etc. But, there are many other heroes that exist in our society that rarely get recognition or praise: the single parent who works 2 jobs to support their kids...the school teacher that sacrifices their time and energy to ensure that the next generation is a better one than the last...the social worker who wants to help those that society may have forgotten.
Filipinos are no stranger to heroism. Throughout history, our ancestors have fought and sacrificed to fight oppression and stand up for what they believed in. Names like Lapu-Lapu, Andres Bonifacio, and Jose Rizal are synonymous with what being a Bayani is all about. That heroic blood still flows through us Filipinos today, and I am doing everything I can to make sure the next generation remembers that.
I know that what I have just said may sound overtly idealistic, particularly in today's world. We live in a world where people place greed and money take precedence...a dog-eat-dog world where people will stab people in the back just to get ahead. Our society has gotten so extremely idealistic that people only care about themselves and what they want. I myself have studied heroes my whole life, both real and fictional, and I must admit that while I seek to be the Bayani in my own life, I realize I do have work to do. I don't feel that should dissuade us from seeking to be the Bayani in our own lives. I believe that being a Bayani is a constant process...a process of self-improvement, self-discovery, and self-awareness that remains constant in one's life as long as they seek to act toward the benefit and aid of those around them.
The next entry will discuss the Warrior. Stick around.
In this entry, I will cover the first part of the Bayani-Warrior name. The word "Bayani" is a Tagalog (Filipino) word that translates to "hero". A hero is an individual who places the needs of their family, their loved ones, and their community above themselves. A hero is a person who performs extraordinary acts to help others, even if it means that they may suffer grievous consequences in the end. A hero possesses a distinct sense of right and wrong; They are NOT morally ambivalent. Heroes place what is right over what is easy.
Above all else, a hero is an individual who stands for something greater than just themselves and their desires. A hero is, after all, an individual who sets the example for those around them. It's easy to be able to fight. It's easy to perform and master drills and techniques. But, to be the example for others to follow is difficult.
I decided to use the word "Bayani" as part of the group's name as a result of an experience while in the Philippines. I spent a week in Baguio with my brother and a few others building homes for the poor in a small mountain village. The people referred to us as "Bayani". I had no idea what it meant at the time. After a hard day of work, we would head to the hotel and we would often meet during dinner and the chaperones on the trip would teach us the meaning of the word "Bayani" and what it meant for us as people. The word was inspiring, profound, and was also easy to pronounce and remember. When I got back home to the USA, the experience stuck with me. I decided I would continue the Bayani lifestyle, and that I would combine the ideals I learned that week in Baguio to my Filipino martial arts training.
Heroes are present everyday, and everyone has the capacity to become a hero in their own lives. This may sound idealistic, but in reality, all one has to do is look around and you will see that heroes truly are present all around us. Of course, we have the heroes in society who have made it their living to serve and protect those in the community: police officers, firefighters, doctors, EMS workers, those in our Armed Forces, etc. But, there are many other heroes that exist in our society that rarely get recognition or praise: the single parent who works 2 jobs to support their kids...the school teacher that sacrifices their time and energy to ensure that the next generation is a better one than the last...the social worker who wants to help those that society may have forgotten.
Filipinos are no stranger to heroism. Throughout history, our ancestors have fought and sacrificed to fight oppression and stand up for what they believed in. Names like Lapu-Lapu, Andres Bonifacio, and Jose Rizal are synonymous with what being a Bayani is all about. That heroic blood still flows through us Filipinos today, and I am doing everything I can to make sure the next generation remembers that.
I know that what I have just said may sound overtly idealistic, particularly in today's world. We live in a world where people place greed and money take precedence...a dog-eat-dog world where people will stab people in the back just to get ahead. Our society has gotten so extremely idealistic that people only care about themselves and what they want. I myself have studied heroes my whole life, both real and fictional, and I must admit that while I seek to be the Bayani in my own life, I realize I do have work to do. I don't feel that should dissuade us from seeking to be the Bayani in our own lives. I believe that being a Bayani is a constant process...a process of self-improvement, self-discovery, and self-awareness that remains constant in one's life as long as they seek to act toward the benefit and aid of those around them.
The next entry will discuss the Warrior. Stick around.
posted by Mike Pana at
8:12 PM
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