Miguel Quijano

Master of the art of Mani

Interviewed by Aurélien Henry OBAMA

Shiai Magazine: Welcome to Shiai Magazine Miguel Quijano, tell us about your life and what brought you in the practices of martial arts?

Miguel Quijano Well, I am Irish & Puerto Rican. I was born and raised in New York. But we also lived in Puerto Rico. My father comes from a rich Afro-Rican musical back ground, deeply rooted in Bomba, Plena, Jibaro and other forms of music. When I was a kid, he would always be playing music with other relatives or friends, and he would call me to come grab a musical instrument and play. Didn’t matter if it was the congas, maracas, the guido, or whatever instrument was available, I had to play. This is how we grew up. Music is part of my life. One time in Puerto Rico when I was a kid, we went to Loiza Aldea, which probably has the strongest African heritage anywhere in Puerto Rico, where the people still live strongly by their Yoruba roots. There were two Afr0-Rican men, dressed in white playing the game of “Mani”. I asked my father what was that and he responded that was a deadly game that the African related people played. My dad told me that this game had nothing to do with peanuts, which is also the Spanish word for “Mani”. For years after we returned to New York, I couldn’t find anything like it. I studied many other arts which included: Wing Chun, Karate, Muay Thai, etc. I even studied Capoeira for years in Oakland first, then San Jose California. But it was never the same.

 

For years, I continued my search. Every Puerto Rican that I came in contact with didn’t know of the arts. Some white Cubans that I spoke to even claimed that it was propaganda created by Fidel. Incredible! I eventually met some Cubans and Puerto Ricans who claimed that they knew the art, but they really didn’t. They didn’t know the music, the base movements, the songs, the rituals, and the history.

I came across a book written by Fernando Ortiz, a great ethnographer who wrote: Los Bailes Y El Teatro De Los Negros en El Folklore De Cuba. It has about twenty pages related to “Mani”. I searched through the dance and religious communities of the area, and every one kept saying the same name over and over again: Juan De Dios Ramos Morejon.

When I met Juan De Dios, I pestered him with questions while he was teaching Afro-Cuban dances at the Alice Dance Center in Oakland. I asked him questions of the history and I asked him if he knew the base movements, which he demonstrated right away. I knew right then and there that I had found some one who knew the real art of “Mani”.

Shiai Magazine: Most people are aware that African martial arts systems are found in Brazil; do they exist in Puerto Rico or other parts of South America?

Miguel Quijano Yes, they do. In Puerto Rico, Cuba, Martinique, Venezuela, etc. Where ever African slaves were brought during history, they survived, adapted and continue to practice their arts. Sometimes, not out in the open, and sometimes only in a folkloric form.

Shiai Magazine: What is the art of Mani?

Miguel Quijano : First, “Mani” means war. Again, it has nothing to do with peanuts like some claim. Some people just read books or the internet then claim to know the art. You can only know the art by practicing it with a real master. It is a martial art that was brought with the African slaves to Cuba and Puerto Rico. The system is similar to Capoeira from Brazil or Lagya/Damaye from Martinique. I like to say that it is the missing link to these two other forms of African derived combat forms. Although, not as gymnastically inclined as Capoeira Regional, it is much closer to Capoeira Angola or Lagya. Mani is performed to the music of Palo.

Shiai Magazine: Have you been to Africa before?

Miguel Quijano Yes, with the military.

Shiai Magazine: tell us what the arts of Kalinda «and» Cocobale and their differences?

Miguel Quijano: Kalinda (Calinda) was practiced in both Cuba and Puerto Rico. It was the combative form of stick fighting. Also practiced to the beat of the drums and with in a circle. Cocobale is another name for Kalinda which is practiced in Puerto Rico to the music of Bomba, an African derived drumming music. The art is only practiced in a folkloric form now a day. These arts are African derived forms of combat. Kalinda is way better known in Trinidad, but is also practiced in other islands and South America.

Shiai Magazine: Who is Juan De Dios Ramos Morejon?

Miguel Quijano: Juan De Dios is both an accomplished artist and practicing initiate of a spiritual lineage brought to Cuba by Africans during the slave trade. He was a founding member and principal dancer of the Conjunto Folklorico Nacional (Cuba’s National Folklore Company) and is currently the director of Raices Profundas, one of Cuba’s premiere folklore companies.

Juan is a santero and Babalawo as well as Akpon (cremonial singer) versed in Yoruba, Palo, Abakua, and Arara traditions. He is known throughout Cuba as a singer of religious songs and Rumba. As a living reservoir of the cultural treasures which came to Cuba from Africa, Juan is recognized internationally as a dancer, singer and teacher.

Juan de Dios learnt the art of Mani first in the streets of Cuba when he was young. Later, he went on to study with Argeliers Leon, with seven other students. Leon was known as a great Manisero. His students went on to work with Conjunto Nacional. These eight graduated and knew the art of Mani in its entirety. Juan went on to teach other members of the group a folkloric version. The only remaining practitioners alive today are Juan De Dios, Carlos Aldama and Rogelio Martinez Fure. One of Juan De Dios friends, Alberto Pedro, a well known investigative writer in Cuba, also fought in the streets using Mani. Although, he shared a lot of information with me, he no longer practices the art.

Shiai Magazine: Why are music, dance and African spirituality are so much connected in fighting systems originated from slaves of Africa in South America such as caoperia?

Miguel Quijano: First, let us examine history. When the African slaves were brought to Brazil, Cuba and Puerto Rico, they could not speak Portuguese or Spanish. They were forced to work the plantation fields of sugar and coffee for very long hours six days a week. Sunday was usually a rest day for them. This was their way to relieve themselves from a hard work week. They would practice their arts right under the noses of their slave owners. To the slave owners it appeared to be a dance because of the music and the songs. But some owners knew that the art was more deadly than what appeared. Sometimes people would bet on the fights and this included the slave owners.

The slave owners tried to strip the slave population of its identity, cohesion, and dignity, so as to secure a work force that was totally dependent on the white planter class. But on the other hand though, the planter class organized slaves into pre-established ethnic groups to provide a source of self protection against a possible rebellion.

Music, drumming, the combat arts kept the slaves in communication with their heritage. Mani (capoeira, kalinda, cocobale, etc) was their only form to protect themselves from their captures abuse. Many Africans eventually assimilated with other ethnic groups (Spanish and Whites, etc). But many kept their religious beliefs intact and arts by forming secretive groups. These groups were mostly made up of men. The music and religion portion flourished through these groups.

Although, in Puerto Rico, there was not a large influx of slaves from the Congo region, they were later brought in from Cuba, after many of the indigenous Indian group known as the “Tainos” were killed off, to supplement the slave force.

Shiai Magazine: Can you mention names of famous African martial artists you have worked with or train together or met in your life?

Miguel Quijano I have trained with and I am certified as a Master Instructor under Juan De Dios since 1997. I have also learnt techniques from Alberto Pedro. I am now studying with Carlos Aldama who is also world renown for his work with Conjunto Nacional. I have been studying bomba and the arts associated with it from my father, and also Miguel Serrano a well known musician, folkloric member and practitioner. We have our own folkloric group.

Shiai Magazine: What is the major difference between Asian and African martial arts?

Miguel Quijano: I believe it is the religious aspects that bind us together more so than our Asian counter parts. Although religion can be found in Muay Thai for example, in the African based arts, music, singing, combat, socializing, family type atmospheres are more prominent.

Shiai Magazine: One of your aims is to open cultural center for the Afro-Cuban and Afro-Rican music, culture and martial arts? Why so?

Miguel Quijano: Well, this endeavor has been a work in progress. As you know, I don’t do this for money. I have a full time job. So my aims are honorable: These arts that I have been blessed to study and to carry on, must live and develop. They are forms that you should die out. Our children need to learn these arts of their heritage and to be proud of the rich tradition that they come from. I want to give back to the arts and people which have given me so much life, enjoyment, and I have met so many good people that really care about the arts that I teach.

Juan De Dios, Carlos Aldama and Alberto Pedro told me that it is so rare nowadays that a person such as myself wants to learn and teach these arts. Nobody in Cuba wants to learn these arts, why? Because they are too busy trying to make a living. This is why many of these arts were dying out. Could you imagine being a black man, even during the time when the slaves were free, you had competed against the whites for jobs. That is why many of these arts are not practiced today. As long as I am alive, I will do what I can to revive these arts.

Juan De Dios and I toured many colleges and universities together throughout California, while he taught Afro-Cuban derived songs and dance. Before he left he announced to all of his students and the communities, that if you wanted to learn how to dance, then learn from his student Jose Francisco Barroso (founder of Obakoso dance group) and if you want to learn Mani, to learn it from Miguel Quijano. Barroso was very helpful during my tenure with Juan and was also captivated by my intense desire to learn these arts. Jose is also an astounding instructor of Afro-Cuban music, dance and songs.

Juan stated that before and during my time with him, nobody wanted to learn Mani. Now that I have learnt the art, people are now asking him to teach them. Juan has politely told them to study with me. I have a small group of students that I am teaching right now. I also have two study groups under me, Da”mon Stith in Austin Texas and Fernan Vargas in Chicago.

This center will be a place for Afro-Cuban/Afro-Puerto Rican and others to come explore the deep African derived arts of Mani, Cocobale, Kalinda, music, songs and dance. It is my sincere hope to have Aldama and others come and instruct the rich Cuban and Puerto Rican arts at this center.

Shiai Magazine: Tell us more about your book and DVD on the art of Mani?

Miguel Quijano: Well, the instructional DVD at this point will not be for sale. It will be for my instructors under me. Like I said, I am not in this for the money. But I will have a documentary filmed as well for future generations to value and support. It will include footage of Juan, myself and others in it.

As for my book, I will actually have two of them coming out. One will cover the arts of Mani, Kalinda and Cocobale. It will cover the history, my relationships with my instructors, technique, etc. The other book will cover the music and the songs related to these specific arts. They are almost done and I hope to have them published before December of this year. Although, I did not cover a lot of the aspects of Mani in this article, I will cover them in the books.

Shiai Magazine: As a soldier in the US army for 14 years and presently a police officer in Oakland, have you had a chance to put your martial arts training in application in real life fighting situation?

Miguel Quijano: Yes, I have. The arts teach us to be cunning and deceptive. We have evasive and escape techniques which come in handy especially when confronting multiple opponents. We are not static and we are always moving, which makes us a hard target.

Shiai Magazine: Today many people of African origins across the world are promoting their cultural diversity such as martial arts through books, DVD, films, seminar, comic books, cartoons and so forth. Why a sudden pride in the African heritage?

Miguel Quijano: Why not? I think that it is great that many people are proud of their heritage, which has long been shadowed in secrecy and prejudice. The time is right. Look at how music has transcended all people from around the world, from hip hop to R & B, to Salsa, etc.

Shiai Magazine: What do think of the upcoming international African martial arts movie Lost Brother “Waka-waka man” which is going to be filmed in Cameroon? Do you think that movie made in Africa starring African actors can succeed?

Miguel Quijano: Again, the time is right. It is hard to talk about discrimination throughout the history of America without people taking it the wrong way. Look, back in the 70’s we had what was called the “Black Exploitation Era of Films’. Then it died out. Not because of the African based population but because of others who were in charge of the film industry. Now, times have changed, hopefully for the better, except not in every facet of racial tensions and discrimination. I believe that the film will be a success regardless of what it attracts and draws in at the gates or money wise. It is about time don’t you think so my brother?

Shiai Magazine: What advice can you give to African child who wants to succeed in life although things are not always easy for him due to poverty?

Miguel Quijano: Well, my parents have always taught me the value of family. When you are poor financially, you can be rich in love and friends. Life is a struggle a fight, but you have to have goals and live life one day at a time. There are always obstacles being thrown at us. I have failed many times in life, but what makes you a success is that you keep going and that you learn from your mistakes. When you are poor, you can still keep a clean place, you can still be organized, you can still keep smiling no matter what. Find mentors who can and will help you, direct you to your goals and don’t give up. You can always keep learning. Talk to people, read books, learn crafts, be productive, work hard and smart. I am not by any means rich financially, but I am very happy with my life. I have not always taken the easy way, and God knows this, but I have succeeded because you have got to have faith in your family, your religion, your past, and yourself.

Shiai Magazine: What is your opinion of this African online martial arts magazine? Do you think that this African initiative should be supported?

Miguel Quijano: First off, I am so happy to work with such a fine magazine devoted truly to African derived martial arts. It is about time that we have a forum for our arts. I strongly believe that many should support your magazine as I will always continue to do so. Before I encountered your magazine there was no other out there. I read about you. I feel that you are an honorable man and martial artist.

Shiai Magazine: Do you have any last words or any project you will like to talk about even if it is not related to martial arts?

Miguel Quijano: Yes, I would like to invite everyone to my “El Juego de Mani” page on face book. I need your support. Second, check out my website “ http://quijanosmartialarts.com Third, I invite anyone who truly wants to learn these arts to come and learn from me. Only those that art are serious in learning these arts will be accepted. I warn you that there are many charlatans out there claiming the art of Mani. If they can not prove their lineage, know the base movements, the songs, the music and dances associated with these arts, be careful. I truly hope that there are other legitimate instructors out there who will teach the arts and not rip people off. My goal is to have groups throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico teaching these arts. I am not looking to control any of these groups; we can all grow together by banding together. My association, the United Mani Association is starting up, please support us. We may change the name in the future.

Shiai Magazine: Thank you brother Miguel Quijano for accepting our interview, we hope one day you will visit us in Cameroon “Africa in miniature”, God bless you and your entire family. Let our ancestors guide your path.

Miguel Quijano: My brother, thank you so much for this great opportunity to share these arts. It is my sincere hope that many will enjoy, become motivated and will come and study these arts with me. I will visit you in the future and you are always welcomed in my home. Much peace and love. God bless.