Ted LucayLucay was the first student to graduate under Dan Inosanto from the Kali Academy in both Kali and Jeet Kune Do. Ted received his certification in both these arts but he was also certified an instructor by Leo Giron in Arnis , Angel Cabeles in Serrada and by Ben Largusa in the Villabrille-Largusa Kali system. Ted was my J.K.D Brother in Dan's Back Yard Group and I was honored when he asked me to become an apprentice Instructor in LucayLucay Kali Jeet Kune Do. I have since been promoted to Associate Instructor by Guro Greg Allen one of the two senior Instructors in the LucayLucay Kali Jeet Kune Do system.

 

When Goru Ted Lucaylucay died, he left two full Instructors Goru. They are Leonard Trigg in Oregon and Goru Greg Allen in El Paso, Texas. We refer to them as Senior Instructors with Leonard being the senior of the two. Ted gave them both the authority to promote to full Instructor. He also left various Apprentices and Associate Instructors with the right, as I will show later in a letter from Ted to his Instructors, to promote and recommend to a certain level. He also left a written curriculum for us to follow. While Ted was developing his program, he was also making videos. The context of the videos changed as he researched and developed his final written program. So what you see in his earlier videos is an earlier version of what he ended up with. You can’t take the videos as the final way but I think you can rely on the written way. Bruce Lee’s Tao of Jeet Kune Do is another example. What you see in the Tao is Bruce’s experimentation not the final product and a lot of the time, it is out of context. The Tao was just notes to himself. Again, not necessarily what he ended up with. The Tao is certainly worth reading just as Ted’s videos are worth seeing. Just remember that they are good for reference, not gospel. My time training with Bruce was short but just the short time I was there, I saw these discrepancies and I believe others who were there would agree with me. Both he and Ted were constantly revising and re-constructing while simplifying. As Bruce would say, “Cutting away the unessential.” Goru Russ Lafuente and I, both associate Instructors under the supervision of Goru Greg Allen, are teaching what we call Original Lucaylucay Kali Jeet Kune Do, which is the written way and is not modified except by Ted himself. We think this is what he would have wanted. Those Instructors of Ted’s that agree with us on this, we welcome your comments.

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Greg Allen Senior Instructor in LucayLucay Kali Jeet Kune Do.

 

 

An Open Letter from Sifu Jerry:

Certification……Line of………..Authority

My Thoughts on Certification and Line of Authority

Usually when an Instructor or Master is ill and knows he is nearing his time, he will (if he already hasn’t) leave one senior Instructor designated as his successor. My experience first came when my Kenpo Instructor Ed Parker passed on unexpectedly. I believe Mr. Parker left many high ranking black belts but no particular successor. Consequently, many of these individuals immediately promoted themselves to tenth degree or to so-called masters or grand masters. No one will deny Mr. Parkers right to that title even though I believe his only certification from William Chow was a first degree Black belt. But are we all as innovative as he was? I don’t think so. Some of my ex- Kenpo Black belt friends have the nerve to call themselves Grand Masters. What comes next? Super Grand Master or Super Duper Grand Masters? I myself am a Great Big High Uppity Up… Top that!

I think insecurity and ego may have something to do with the title you give yourself. Bruce Lee, when I studied with him, was Sifu or instructor. Dan Inosanto, who probably is the most knowledgeable in Jeet Kune Do and in the Filipino Martial Arts, has never taken a title other then Goru or Sifu (Instructor). He’s secure in what he knows so he doesn’t need a high-ranking name. Ted Lucaylucay was Goru (instructor) in the Filipino arts.

Now how does the deceased instructor's family play a part in this, especially if they are not instructors themselves? Do they have the right to promote? No! Do they have the right to demote or to take away the authority or have the right to promote to a certain level that was given by the deceased instructor? I don’t think so! So what rights do they have in relation to the Art? They have the right of respect just as we respect anyone who has lost a family member.

I once promoted a First Degree Black belt. His skill level was good and as far as I knew, also his character. Then he, in turn, turns around and within a year he promotes his best friend who was a green to First Black. What were my options? Could I take away his belt (his skill)? No! All I could do was disaffiliate him from my organization. So basically, all a family member can do is remove you from their organization. So what are you getting out of the organization? Is it worth what you’re paying into it? That, my friend, is up to you.