The History of Linambay Palotak System
The Linambay Palotak approach to fighting was adopted from the late Dalmacio Laseras Alicaway.
He was born during the World War 1 (1914-1918) in the city of San Fernando, Cebu. He was only four years old when the war was ended with the Allied powers (Europe, Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, Romania, Japan, and USA) against the Central powers (Germany, Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, and Ottoman Empire). It was The Allied Powers who dominated the World War 1.
It is during the World War II in 1939-1945 where Dalmacio Alicaway utilized his expertise on how to use the bayonet knife, deck knife, and bowie knife against the Japanese soldiers incorporating the Linambay Crab-Style approach.
In addition, Dalmacio Alicaway became one of the soldiers of the Anderson Fil-American Guerilla also known as Police Bantok back in 1942-1945. When the war was over, Dalmacio Alicaway reminisced on how he and his comrades defended themselves against the Japanese soldiers using the Crab-Style approach to fighting. Only a few people knew about the Linambay Crab-Style strategies way of fighting and the effectiveness of it. Due to a very limited supplies of weapons available, it was this strategy that has been found very effective in fighting against the Japanese guerrillas. The utmost goal was to avoid the Japanese Sniper soldiers who were waiting to see their heads appeared on the horizon so that they can cut them using the assault rifles.
Dalmacio Alicaway never came public of his ability and skill to fight using the Linambay techniques except revealing it to his grandson Jun Dacayana, who would like to revive this traditional approach. Dalmacio was a manananggot worker would use the sanggot as his main tool to cut coconuts and other parts of the coconut palm, he had expertise in combat knife and knew the value of other parts of the coconut palm as improvised weapons.
GM Jun has used this knowledge to formulate and evolve his grandfathers combat technique into he Linambay Palotak system and wants to share it with others who are interested in this type of approach to defend against an attacker.
The weapons of the Linambay System
The weapons used within the Linambay system are historically derived from traditional tools and plant resources.
Historically the manananggot worker would use the sanggot as his main tool to cut coconuts and other parts of the coconut palm . Like many martial arts weapons the sanggot is a tool that became a weapon.
The Sanggot is a unique sickle shaped implement which is both a tool and a deadly weapon if used in combat.
As a tool it would cut the coconuts and other parts of the plants which would provide a variety of uses from firewood to decorative items.
The other main weapons of the Linambay system are derived from the products of the coconut cutting process. Historically the Takong/Takung and Palwa formed the basis of the Palo Palo or ‘Paddle’.
The Palo Palo started life as a laundry tool. It is a traditional piece of wood used to beat clothes as part of the laundry process to ensure total cleanliness! In recent years the tool has been used within organisations both as an initiation tool or weapon and as a weapon for defence.
The Linambay System uses the Palotak or Palo-Tak derived from the Palo Palo and Takong which mimics the length and weight but is specifically designed as a weapon.
The Palotak can be a brutal weapon with the ability to break bone in just one strike and end the fight easily.
The Linambay system also teaches Butay techniques with modified weapons simulating the approach that could be taken with this ‘flail’ like part of the coconut plant. Alongside the Combat knife and the traditional short rattan stick the practitioner will learn a whole new approach to weapons combat.
The system is designed to be used alongside Dacayana Eskrima or, like the Alicaway Combat Knife System (ACKS) as a separate area of study.