Jose Rizal Free Day of Fencing for Filipino-Americans

On December 30th, to commemorate Jose Rizal’s death, the All-American Fencing Academy is offering a Free Day of Fencing for Filipino-Americans.

All Filipino-Americans are invited to try a beginner fencing class, FREE!

Ages 7-12:  December 30, 2018, 10AM-11AM
Teens and Adults:  December 30, 2018, 11AM-12PM

Who is Jose Rizal and what does he have to do with fencing?

Coach Gerhard Guevarra (if you can’t tell from his name 🙂 ) is Filipino.

José Protasio Rizal Mercado y Realonda, widely known as José Rizal, was a Filipino nationalist and polymath during the tail end of the Spanish colonial period of the Philippines.  He is widely considered one of the greatest heroes of the Philippines; his writings eventually led to the Philippine Independence from the Spanish colonial government.

Besides poetry and creative writing, he dabbled, with varying degrees of expertise, in architecture, cartography, economics, ethnology, anthropology, sociology, dramatics, martial arts, fencing and pistol shooting.

According to Rizal: His Life, Works, and Role in the Philippine Revolution, Rizal almost had a duel with a French businessman, Mr. Juan Lardet, over the latter’s purchases of logs from him, some of which were of poor quality. Lardet confided and wrote this problem to Antonio Miranda, a friend of Rizal. Rizal flared up in anger and challenged the French man to a duel. The commandant however, when informed of the incident warned the Frenchman, “My friend, you do not have a chance in a fight with Rizal on a field of honor. Rizal is an expert in martial arts, especially in fencing and pistol shooting.” He followed the commandant’s advice and sent a letter apologizing for his mistake.