5 September 2022, The Hague – Filipino national martial arts “arnis” is gaining popularity in The Netherlands as seen through the well-appreciated demonstrations conducted by the Warisan International Martial Arts Academy at the Embassy Festival in The Hague on 3 September 2022.
Considered as one of the world’s most potent self-defense martial arts, the Philippines’ arnis, also known as kali and escrima, is an indigenous-style weapon-based fighting technique that uses sticks, machetes, knives and karambit (curved knife). The Warisan Academy was founded and led by Mr. Marcel Horstman who underwent a seven-year training in Filipino martial arts in the Philippines under six different grand masters, notably master Abraham Ganzon.
The Philippine Embassy commended Mr. Horstman on his mastery of arnis and for propagating its practice in the Netherlands and the rest of Europe. Arnis exercises build physical strength and agility, enhance one’s health and well-being and are most useful for self-defense. “The Filipino, Dutch and the international community – both practitioners and enthusiasts – also warmly welcomed arnis as another unique immersion of Filipino culture,” said Ambassador J. Eduardo Malaya.
With 35 years of experience in martial arts and related disciplines, Mr. Horstman provides trainings on “panuntukan,” a boxing component of Filipino martial arts. The Warisan Academy offers workshops on “silat suffian bela diri,” a Bruneian martial arts, and “isshin ryu karate,” “okinawan kobudo,” “shotokan karate,” and “tajitsu” of Japan. “Little Warriors Program” is also available for children from 5 to 10 years of age. Other seminars are self-defense for children and women, knife defense, and instructor courses.
The Warisan Academy also conducted in June this year an arnis workshop at the Kalayaan Fiesta Foundation’s commemoration of the 124th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine independence held in Amsterdam.
The Warisan Academy (https://www.warisanmartialarts.com/) is located at Badhuisstraat 177, 2584 HM, The Hague and may be contacted through email address This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or telephone number +31(0)619376747.
