Sikaran evolved throughout the Sitio Baras. Baras Rizal is an idyllic town situated between the towns of Morong and Tanay. In the old days in the Sitio of Baras, the residents made their living by planting vegetables and other root crops, as well as by fishing from the Laguna de Bay. Baras was made up of mountains and plains and the life of the people was plain and simple.
The Origin of Baras
There are different versions of the origins of the Baras Rizal. The first version has Baras Rizal founded through the Franciscan Missionaries in 1595 under the leadership of Father Jun de Pacencia and Father Diego de Oropesa. They founded a visita in Morong or the present site of Boso Boso South of Painaan. It was known as Visita de Santiago or Santiago until such time it became Baras. Another version of its origin was that it was founded by the Spanish priest, Father Francisco Barasoin, who was known for his kindness and therefore the community was named after him.
The third version of of the origin of the Bara dates back to the olden times when there was plenty of hardwood which was made into baras or two pieces of wood between which the house was harnessed and later became Baras. In 1750, it was divided into Barangays. It was under the jurisdiction of the province of Laguna from 1606 to 1853.
In 1929 to 1931 Baras was classified as a fifth class municipality and had settled its conflict with Morong and Tanay.
Through the Executive Order No. 57 dated November 24, 1920, His Excellency, the Governor General of the Philippines, it became a full pledged municipality.
Grassroots Sports in Baras
The first sport was known as patintero, where lines were drawn in the fields or streets by means of water. There were at least three or four players on each team, one for the front line, one for the rear line, one for the vertical lines and the other for the center line. The objective of the game was to outsmart the other team, to accumulate as many points as possible by passing the lines without being tagged.
The next sport was hide and seek (tago-taguan). This is a game in which the “ik” will go behind the tree and will give time to the players to hide by counting from one to ten. The “ik” will then look for the players and whoever is found is the next “ik”.
The third sport was (karera ng Bangka) or the boat regatta, a series of boat races. This racing event featured rowed or sailed water craft, three or four boats would race, and the first boat to reach the designated finish was declared the winner.
The fourth sport was water wrestling (Buno sa Tubig). Partners would be paired up in a river with water at breast height and they would carry their partners on their shoulders wrestling with their opponents in the water and whichever team went down three times would lose the game.
Another sport was known as the Mud Flip (Sabuyan ng Putik) where two or three players would throw mud at each other using hands and feet. This sport paved the way for the sport of Sikaran, the ancient art of Filipino Foot Fighting.
Evolvement of Sikaran
Sikaran is a sport that uses the legs and hands. Farmers had well developed feet and theis sport emphasized the use of the feet. The farmers developed Sikaran in Baras, in the Province of Rizal. They often prepare the fields for planting palay, (rice) and would normally usually grind the palay. This became the staple food of the Tagalog region. When farmers would rest after a day of harvesting palay, all the farmers would bring their water buffalo to the mud hole. In those days the teenagers would play in the mud and have mud fights, but out of respect for one another they were careful not to harm on another. They would become covered mud and would then jump into the river together with the water buffalo. The people of Baras were a strong people as there occupations of working in the fields, gathering wood in the mountains, planting root crops, and fishing in Laguna de Bay required great strength.
The farmers walked barefooted under the heat of the sun and so they had well developed legs and wide flat feet. They used their strong, well developed, hands and feet, and anyone experiencing a kick from their opponent would be brought down.
Sikaran in the War Eras
Sikaran was also used for defense by the people of Baras in the year 1640, when the people of Baras suffered at the hands of the Chinese, who burned down their houses. It was also used in 1898 when the people of Baras were called on to join the a revolution against the Spaniards under the leadership of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. During the Second World War, Sikaran was also used against the Japanese.
Animals as Models of Sikaran
Animals were used by the farmers working in the fields. By imitating animal behavior, they developed kicking techniques and they gave different colorful and descriptive names to these techniques.
One animal used daily by farmers in the field was the water buffalo, and these animals were constantly observed by the farmers. One of the kicks used in Sikaran was derived from the kick of the water buffalo. Called “Pitik-putik” (mud flip), this kick was used to flip mud at the opponent with their feet. The farmers also discovered that a hit on the right side of the body, which was the opposite of the kick of “Sikad Kalabaw” landed on the right side of the opponent which proved to be very effective, and when the hit landed on the right side it would take the opponent down. The players discovered that the hit on the right side was very effective and they practiced the kick on the right side and named it “Sikad Baka” (cow kick). In all the animals, the cow is the only animal which can hit on the right side.
As Sikaran continuously evolve another animal which they observe constantly was the horse. They studied ithe horses moves and developed the double alternating front kick and combined this with the prowess of the chicken “labuyo” and the result is the “Dublihang Sikad Paharap” or “dambang paharap”.
There was a saying in the old days that went “Huwag kang dumikit sa baka o kabayo baka masikaran ka” which means, “Don’t get near the cow or the horse or you might be kicked.” The saying has its roots in undomesticated animals which were could be ferocious.
The farmers of Baras worked in the fields and mountains planting, harvesting and slashing and burning and kaingin (slash and burn) was part of how they farmed. Barrio Lagundi was the boundary of Baras and they invited farmers from Morong to join the tournament. The ancient name for Sikaran was “Paniggara.” They had different competitions with the different Places of Baras, in Pulo, Patadyan, Suro-suro, Basud, Ulahang Bato, Salang Bato,these were the places in which the competitions took place.
As years passed many forms of competitions were developed such as “Patas naLabanan” two opponents draw a circle with a space of eight feet diameter. It was a competition between two males with the same age and height. This is a game of accumulating points by hitting the other, if the opponent falls three times, he loses the game. Another competition is known as “Labanang Haragan” the competitors usually use the field with the size of 25 square feet. This is a game of chasing up to the time that the opponent will raise his hand as a symbol of defeat.
The next game is known as “Partida Laban” there are different types “Labanan sa Hagdang Bato” a game in which the strong men are on top and the loser is under and he will kick the strong men up to the time he reaches the top of “Hagdang Bato.” The next game is known as “Isa Laban sa Dalawa,” one against two. They will fight in a circle with a size of eight foot diameter. Whoever will be able to push the strongest outside the circle will be declared the winner.
Many years had passed and the farmers developed ways of playing Sikaran. They discovered a kick pattern using the sickle as a model. It is a combination of the horse kick and the use of the sickle for gathering palay in the field. The kick that was developed is like the use of gathering palay using a sickle and burying the palay in water and makes an upward movement. By using this sickle kick the feet is free to move upward and free to kick the opponent. The other movement that was patterned in the using of their daily living was “Sikad Palakol o Sikad Pasibak” axe kick, this movement makes the feet to kick upward and strongly bring it downward, it is either axe kick pointing outside or axe kick pointing inside.
The major kick of the art of foot-fighting was known as “Biyakid” it is a kick where the center of the force is at the back of the heel. It is the most powerful kick. It can be delivered in all angles, and usually controlled by the hip, thigh and legs to the heel and the back. The largest muscles that run in the body control the kick. The farmers used this kick for sports and used it for self-defense.
The different styles of this game evolved like “Labanang May Hangganan” opponents will fight inside the circle with the size of eight feet in diameter.The weak ones who will be thrown out of the circle are the losers.
Another style used by the players is known “Labanan sa Suga o Lubid” here the two opponents with a string attached to their hips with the size of three (siko), this is a game of accumulation of points by pinning the players down or making them accept defeat. They can pull the string to make the opponents come closer.
The Origin of Biakid
When the folks of Baras discovered Sikaran, teenagers and almost all folks who were strongly built play the sports. They joined the different competitions whether it was rainy or dry season. It was also the time for the males to show off to the females. They enjoy the games especially if the women of the barrio were watching. They can’t accept that they will lose the game or be kicked in any part of their bodies especially if they are being watched.
The competition which was called Labanang Labo-Labo is a competition of three four, five or more players they will play in a circle with the size of eight diameters and whoever will be forced out of the circle will be the loser. It is the most difficult game in Sikaran.
The game “Labo-Labo” became a mind boggling situation for the players of Sikaran. The space is limited and it is quite difficult for the players to move and kick. In those times to be declared as the King of Sikaran is very coveted title for the males, but it is quite unusual that the females also joined this tournament and proved themselves good in the Art of Sikaran.
The Labanang Labo-labo paved the way for the game of Sikad Biakid. There were some modifications that took place in the game and paved the way to the modern Sikaran.
