Sikaran — Philippine Foot Fighting from Baras
Sikaran is the Philippine art of foot fighting — practiced for centuries in the community of Baras, Rizal, with 90% leg techniques and the legendary Biakid kick as its signature.
Contents
Sikaran (from Filipino sipa — kick) is the traditional Philippine martial art of foot fighting — an art that fights almost exclusively with the legs. Hands are used only for blocking and balance control — 90% of all attack techniques are kicks. Originating in the farming community of Baras, Rizal Province, Sikaran began as playful competition among rice field farmers: they kicked mud at each other to see who had better kick control and balance. From this game, over centuries, a sophisticated combat system developed. Sikaran’s most legendary kick: the Biakid — a complete 180-degree spinning kick that hits the side or back of the opponent’s head. In its execution — lightning-fast, from close range, with maximum body rotation — the Biakid is considered one of the deadliest kicks in Philippine martial arts. Meliton C. Geronimo (retired Lieutenant Colonel of the Philippine Air Force and Mayor of Baras) formalized Sikaran in 1958 and founded the World Sikaran Brotherhood — transforming the folk art into a structured competitive sport system.
History
Pre-Colonial Folk Tradition
Sikaran is said to have been practiced in Baras even before Spanish colonization (before 1565). The rice farmers of the region developed kicking techniques as part of their daily work — on slippery rice fields, maintaining balance and precise kicking required natural force and coordination.
The Geronimo family is the historically most significant Sikaran family:
- Bonifacio Geronimo — early master, taught his son Cipriano
- Cipriano Geronimo (1892–1993) — trained for 101 years; renowned for extraordinary leg technique
- Meliton C. Geronimo — Cipriano’s nephew, formalized the system in 1958
Formalization (1958)
Meliton C. Geronimo founded the World Sikaran Brotherhood in 1958 — the first international Sikaran organization. He developed a structured teaching program, competition rules, and grading system. In 1975 he also founded the World Sikaran Arnis Brotherhood — linking Sikaran with Arnis (Philippine weapon art).
Technical Foundations
Basic rule: Hands only for blocking. No fist strikes in Sikaran competition.
Fundamental kicking techniques:
| Kick | Filipino | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sipa | ᜐᜒᜉᜓ | Front kick — most fundamental kick |
| Sikad | — | Side kick |
| Biakid | — | 180-degree spinning kick — signature |
| Gunting | — | Back kick |
Biakid — the iconic kick:
- Starting position: standard stance
- Complete rotation of the body backward (180°)
- The leg whips in a full circle
- Hits side or back of opponent’s head
- Can be executed from close or medium range
Philosophy
Sikaran developed from collective community practice — not the secret knowledge of a single master, but the accumulated bodily knowledge of an entire community across generations. This collective origin gives Sikaran a different character from most martial arts: it belongs to no one except the community.
“Sikaran belongs not to the master. It belongs to Baras. It belongs to the Philippines.” — Sikaran tradition
Connections to Other Martial Arts
- Yaw-Yan — Philippine sibling system; both are kick-emphasized Philippine martial arts; Sikaran is purer (only feet), Yaw-Yan more complete (also hands)
- Taekwondo — structurally similar (kick emphasis); Taekwondo is Korean, with different cultural context
- Savate — European kick fighting system; both permit only foot attacks (no knees/shins)
Today
Sikaran is actively practiced in the Philippines and shown at national games. Internationally it slowly gains attention as part of the FMA ecosystem.
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