YASAY SABLE COVER PAGE IN RAPID JOURNAL

The indigenous Bagoueño art of Yasay sable made history when it was featured as the cover page of the Vol. 10 No. 2 4th quarter issue of the Rapid Journal, making it the first Negrense Filipino martial art (FMA) to be so featured in the Philippines’ one and only and longest running martial arts magazine/resource.

Previously, two Negrense FMA made it to the pages of Rapid Journal - tapado (Vol. 4 No. 4, artciel by Dr. Ned R. Nepangue of Cebu) and Lapu-Lapu Viñas arnis (Vol. 9 No. 3, article by James U. Sy Jr.) - but they were not cover features.

“The Deceptively Fast and Deadly Blade Art of Yasay Sable” by Negros’ foremost martial arts researcher and writer James U. Sy Jr. is actually an updated version of his original work “Yasay Sable: Deceptively Fast and Deadly Blade” which was published in three past issues of Western Visayas Journal (founded: 1983). The WVJ article was the first written record of the art while the RJ article was the first revision to reach the national and international readership. Rapid Journal is a quarterly publication based in Binondo with subscribers in Finland, France, and the USA and copies sold in Canada, Germany, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Taiwan, and Thailand.

“The Deceptively Fast and Deadly Blade Art of Yasay Sable” is a comprehensive documentation of the Yasay sable line, perhaps the oldest style of FMA in Bago City with a traceable and verifiable lineage. It can go as far back as 1900 during the time of the brothers Great Grandmasters Paterno and Daniel Yasay. The article traces the art’s possible origins, its transmission from one generation to another (now on its 5th generation), and its evolution to its present form and systematization as well as its technical characteristics. The article appearing in Rapid Journal is a shortened version of the Yasay sable entry for the author’s upcoming book on Negrnese FMA.

The historical piece is supported by 18 black and white action packed digital pictures that depict the trademark techniques of the style.

Today, Yasay sable is headed by 3rd Generation Grand Patriarch Paterno “Pater” V. Yasay, the grandson of Great Grandmaster Paterno Yasay and the son of Great Grandmaster Guillermo “Guimoy” Yasay. Grandmaster Paterno “Pater” V. Yasay taught the art to 4th Generation Masters Alvin Yasay (his son) and Ferdinand Emmanuel “Bobot” Y. Gayoles (his nephew). Master Gayoles is presently training the 5th generation of sabledors.

Parties interested to get a copy of Rapid Journal see information at www.rapidjournal.com.