Jopet's Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club Celebrates 40th in Toronto
by Norman Bituin
"Dr. Joe", as Brod Jose "Jopet" Laraya DVM, UPD'63, is warmly called, visited Canada on Sept. 7-26, 2016 to be at the martial arts club he founded 40 years ago in Toronto. Both old and new members of the Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club in the Toronto suburb of Oakville and elsewhere came in full force and tendered a dinner reception in his honor. The brods from the Beta Sigma Fraternity Toronto Chapter led by GP Bogs Cabanatan and myself were also invited to share the evening of celebration and reminiscences at Summit Garden, a Chinese restaurant. Jopet's older brother, Joelo UPD'60, then a U.P. ROTC cadet officer, an electrical engineer and computer pioneer, provided pictures at Jopet's original club in Oakville and a vintage photo when Joelo left in 1962 for a 5-year scholarship in electronics in Japan (below).
Dr. Jopet Laraya aka "Dr. Joe" (seated center) and his martial arts club in Oakville, Ontario - circa early 80's.
[Standing rightmost is David Ellsmere, the most senior student and is now the head of Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club, see him in Arnis seminar with Jopet].
Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club, so renamed for the Hong Cha discipline that puts emphasis on the dragon and tiger in the Five Animals system.
Joelo Laraya departs for 5-year Japan scholarship - Manila International Airport, 1962
l-r: Pong Lustre, Segy Gazmin, Pet Grajo, Boy Morales, Joelo Laraya, Toti Que and Ed Soliman.
Back to Jopet, a bit of history and background. He was a dedicated student of Brod Johnny Chiuten'60 at the U.P. Beta Sigma Kung Fu Karate Club. He also trained under RP Chinatown Hong Sing Grandmaster Lao Kim, originally from Southern China, from 1964-1970. Jopet served as Diliman GP in 1969 graduating with a DVM. In 1970, he moved to Toronto and joined the Jing Mo Kung Fu Club in Toronto Chinatown. He completed a combined DVM/MSc. program at the University of Guelph from 1970-73 and his residency at Oklahoma State University from 1973-74. As a side note, he did the technical drawings for Dr. James Archibald's textbook "Canine Surgery" while in Guelph. In 1975, he started his veterinary practice in Oakville. At the building's ground floor was his animal clinic and the dojo was at the second floor. The club was renamed Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club in recognition of the Hong Cha training and techniques that puts primary emphasis on the dragon and tiger and as promoted by GM Lao Kim in the Five Animals martial arts system (dragon, tiger, crane, leopard, snake) that allegedly originated in the Henan Shaolin Temple. In 2002, Jopet moved to Hong Kong and now almost exclusively limits his practice to his specialty, which is orthopedic surgery. He has plans to open a similar specialty practice in his farm in San Jose, Batangas next year. In the meantime, Jopet continues to provide free professional care and shelter to about 150 rescue dogs plus an assortment of other animals in his residence in Lantau Island.
Grandmaster Lao Kim
*Left: GM Johnny Chiuten, with Chou Chi Man of 7th Star Praying Mantis. *Right: JC Betan tribute, Dec. 2003.
U.P. Beta Sigma Kung Fu Karate Klan kimono patch
Brod Jopet's free animal rescue center at his HK Lantau Island residence
[from Travelogue article "A Tale of Two Cities: Puerto Princesa and Hong Kong"]
When I learned about Jopet's 40th anniversary reunion, I wasted no time in booking my flight to Toronto. It was a homecoming of sorts for me too as Boygee Ganza'62, Joelo, Jopet and I were among the first brods to live in the city - for me, from 1974-76 before I moved to California. Joelo, Jopet and his travel companion, Sifu Patrick Lee, the HK-based head of the International Fu Style Tai Chi Bagua Federation, picked me up at the airport. We spent some time walking the familiar downtown streets and sights and later having dinner at Chinatown with Jopet's family.
Kensington Market is a multi-cultural neighborhood in downtown Toronto close to Chinatown.
Recreational and medicinal cannabis dispensaries and mom-and-pop weed shops have sprouted, no pun intended.
Victorian homes (some people hang out at roof) CN Tower, at 1,815 feet the 3rd tallest tower in the world
THE LARAYAS
Standing: Joelo, Patrick Lee, Jopet's son Jody (my godson) and daughter Ghen.
Seated: Joelo's son Ari, Norman, Jopet holding granddaughter Mireya (from Ghen).
PRONUS SUPINUS ARNIS DE CADENA
(summarized from Jopet's training manual)
GM Johnny Chiuten took some time off from his studies at UP and went back to Cebu to study arnis. He trained with the Balintawak Arnis Club going through all the levels, with the advanced level directly under GM Anciong Bacon. Since the group resisted his suggestions for improvements, JC left Balintawak and worked with former Doce Pares member GM Felimon Caburnay. On the stickwork, JC added the crossleg stance, footwork, jointlocking, trapping and takedown techniques that became the Lapunti Arnis de Abanico. When GM Caburnay died and the leadership taken over by his son, JC decided to establish his own system that infused the principles from all the different Chinese kung-fu styles he had mastered including several Japanese, Korean and Western arts. He chose the name Pronus Supinus to represent the yin and yang movement and the Arnis de Cadena to represent the diverse weapons and techniques. Upon advise of GM Johnny and soon after his death in Sepember 2010, Pakua Chang, which incorporates Taijiquan and Xingyiquan, has been brought into the JCPS SOMA fighting system through the tutelage of Sifu Patrick Lee. Brods Jopet and Ollie Jumao-as tirelesssly persevere to spread and promote Brod Johnny's legacy and art to the brods and their families who request their services.
1st Arnis Fighting Stick seminar - Trinity Club, Toronto, Sept. 15, 2016
Use of the "alive hand" to defend and attack - with David Ellsmere, currently the head of Dragon Tiger.
David trained with GM Johnny Chiuten in Bantayan Island, Cebu in 1989.
One-on-one drill checks
Takedown shots #1
Takedown shots #2
Stick + Knife fighting
Sifu Patrick Lee demonstrates the circular fighting moves of Pakua
Time for a group picture for an evening well spent
Pakua training session - Milton, Sept. 16, 2016
"Miller time"
40th Anniversary Dinner Celebration of Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club - Missisauga, Sept. 17, 2016
Dragon Tiger members perform lion dance
The Betan table
Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club members give GM Jopet a Pakua broadsword
Dragon Tiger
A birthday cake for Sifu Patrick
Jicky - careful with the sword! Hindi pang tuli 'yan:)
2nd Arnis Fighting Stick seminar - Waterloo Kung Fu Academy, Waterloo, Sept. 18, 2016
Patrick and Jopet talk with the club owner David Moylan
Use of footwork and stances
Use of the hands
One-on-one drill checks
Stick + Knife
The poke
Use of two sticks
Time for a group picture for a day well spent
Lunch with long lost Bibiano "Boygee" Ganza'62A - Missisauga, Sept. 20, 2016
l-r: Sifu Patrick Lee, Norman Bituin, Bogs Cabanatan, Tessie & Boygee Ganza, Jopet Laraya and Bart Gacad.
Betan SOMA blackbelter Boygee of the famous "Crane" fighting pose
Yesteryears - Norman, Jopet & Boygee
Circa 1974 - Toronto
Circa 1980 - Toronto. This was the last time I saw Boygee - 36 years ago!
My week long trip to Toronto was thoroughly enjoyable, productive, a bit nostalgic. I remember those years still in my twenties walking the streets of Vancouver and Toronto as a new immigrant. I watched Jopet perform his katas in Toronto Chinatown in the mid 70's to the amazement of the other Chinese club practitioners. Being able to attend the celebration of his Dragon Tiger Kung-fu Club's 40th anniversary to honor him and for me to record the proceedings was a privelege. It was a delight to be with the brods, especially Joelo and Boygee. But I'm just wondering where did all the years go. I thank Brod Jopet and Sifu Patrick for the impromptu lessons in Arnis and Pakua. Cheers!!
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