Edgar Sulite
Encyclopedia
Edgar Sulite was a teacher of Filipino martial arts
. He was the creator of Lameco Eskrima
and trained such notables as: Dan Inosanto
, Ron Balicki
, Larry Hartsell
, Fred Degerberg and Diana Lee Inosanto
.
Born in Tacloban City
, Philippines
, he trained with several martial arts masters including Leo Gaje of
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, Jose D. Caballero of De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal
and Jesus Abella of Modern Largos. He created a new style and called it Lameco Eskrima
. The name was a combination of the Largo (long), Medio (Medium), and Corto (close quarter) techniques that he learned during his studies of the Filipino martial arts.
In 1981, he moved to Manila
and became friends with Roland Dantes
, a famous Filipino film celebrity and martial artist. This created opportunities for him to train various stuntmen, celebrities, and prominent businessmen. Also at this time he started to train under Antonio Ilustrisimo
.
Completing college, Edgar earned his Bachelors in Arts and Majored in Economics. During his time in college, he sought out different Eskrima Masters to study under. Edgar was honored for his many achievements in the Filipino martial arts. He became a member of Bakbakan International
(An Organization governing the legitimacy of the Filipino martial arts). He also became the representative for Leo Gaje's national Arnis Association of the United States.
instructor of Dan Inosanto
, Diana Lee Inosanto
, Ron Balicki
and Larry Hartsell
. His plan was to bring his family over from the Philippines, own his own home, and spread Lameco throughout the world.
Edgar managed to bring his wife, Felisa Sulite from the Philippines in 1992 however his children would have to reside with relatives in the Philippines for several more years. Two further children were born in the US bringing the total of children to five.
Filipino martial arts
Filipino Martial Arts refers to ancient and newer fighting methods devised in the Philippines, the most popular of which are known as Arnis/Eskrima/Kali. The intrinsic need for self-preservation was the genesis of these systems. Throughout the ages, invaders and evolving local conflict imposed new...
. He was the creator of Lameco Eskrima
Lameco Eskrima
Lameco Eskrima is the system of Filipino martial arts founded by the late Edgar Sulite based on his training and experience with various Philippine Martial Arts masters, with heavy influence from Jose Caballero and Antonio Ilustrisimo....
and trained such notables as: Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto
Daniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
, Ron Balicki
Ron Balicki
Ron Balicki is an actor and stuntman for various films and television series. He is also a well known martial arts practitioner, teacher and author. He is a student and the son-in-law of Dan Inosanto.-Biography:...
, Larry Hartsell
Larry Hartsell
Larry Hartsell was a martial arts teacher and author, best known for his involvement with Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.- Biography :...
, Fred Degerberg and Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto is a Filipino American actress, stuntwoman, martial artist and film director, sometimes credited as D. Lee Inosanto.-Personal:...
.
Born in Tacloban City
Tacloban City
The City of Tacloban is a port city approximately 360 miles southeast of Manila. It is the first in Eastern Visayas to be classified as a Highly Urbanized City. It is the capital of the Philippine province of Leyte and is the largest city in terms of population in Eastern Visayas...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
, he trained with several martial arts masters including Leo Gaje of
Pekiti-Tirsia Kali, Jose D. Caballero of De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal
De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal
De Campo Uno-Dos-Tres Orihinal is a form of Filipino martial arts. The majority of its techniques are based on fighting with a single stick as opposed to the double stick method used in most Filipino martial arts....
and Jesus Abella of Modern Largos. He created a new style and called it Lameco Eskrima
Lameco Eskrima
Lameco Eskrima is the system of Filipino martial arts founded by the late Edgar Sulite based on his training and experience with various Philippine Martial Arts masters, with heavy influence from Jose Caballero and Antonio Ilustrisimo....
. The name was a combination of the Largo (long), Medio (Medium), and Corto (close quarter) techniques that he learned during his studies of the Filipino martial arts.
Life in the Philippines
As a young boy, Edgar's father (a boxer and arnis practitioner) introduced him to the Filipino Martial Arts.In 1981, he moved to Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
and became friends with Roland Dantes
Roland Dantes
Rolando Pintoy Dantes was an actor, champion bodybuilder and Filipino martial artist who trained with Remy Presas for over 30 years.He was born on June 15, 1943 in the Philippines....
, a famous Filipino film celebrity and martial artist. This created opportunities for him to train various stuntmen, celebrities, and prominent businessmen. Also at this time he started to train under Antonio Ilustrisimo
Antonio Ilustrisimo
Antonio "Tatang" Ilustrisimo was the Grand Master of Kali Ilustrisimo, a Filipino martial art bearing his family name.- Early life :...
.
Completing college, Edgar earned his Bachelors in Arts and Majored in Economics. During his time in college, he sought out different Eskrima Masters to study under. Edgar was honored for his many achievements in the Filipino martial arts. He became a member of Bakbakan International
Bakbakan International
Bakbakan International is a martial arts association headquartered in Manila, Philippines and founded by Christopher Ricketts. It has chapters in Australia, Canada, and the United States...
(An Organization governing the legitimacy of the Filipino martial arts). He also became the representative for Leo Gaje's national Arnis Association of the United States.
Life in the U.S.
On June 30, 1989, he relocated to the United States and became the EskrimaEskrima
Eskrima is the umbrella term for the traditional martial arts of the Philippines, which emphasize weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives and other bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons...
instructor of Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto
Daniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
, Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto
Diana Lee Inosanto is a Filipino American actress, stuntwoman, martial artist and film director, sometimes credited as D. Lee Inosanto.-Personal:...
, Ron Balicki
Ron Balicki
Ron Balicki is an actor and stuntman for various films and television series. He is also a well known martial arts practitioner, teacher and author. He is a student and the son-in-law of Dan Inosanto.-Biography:...
and Larry Hartsell
Larry Hartsell
Larry Hartsell was a martial arts teacher and author, best known for his involvement with Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do.- Biography :...
. His plan was to bring his family over from the Philippines, own his own home, and spread Lameco throughout the world.
Edgar managed to bring his wife, Felisa Sulite from the Philippines in 1992 however his children would have to reside with relatives in the Philippines for several more years. Two further children were born in the US bringing the total of children to five.
Notoriety
He has had numerous appearances in popular martial arts magazines including three cover stories, a multi-volume instructional video series, and he has written three books:- Secrets of Arnis - (out of print)
- Advanced BalisongBalisong (knife)A Butterfly knife, also known as a fan knife or Balisong, is a folding pocket knife with two handles counter-rotating around the tang such that, when closed, the blade is concealed within grooves in the handles. It is sometimes called a Batangas knife, after the Tagalog province of Batangas in the...
- (out of print) - Masters of Arnis, Kali and Eskrima - (out of print)
Sources
- Filipino Fighting Arts:Theory and Practice by Mark V. Wiley, ISBN 0-86568-180-5 Tuttle PublishingTuttle PublishingTuttle Publishing, originally the Charles E. Tuttle Company, is a book publishing company that includes Tuttle, Periplus Editions, and Journey Editions...