Our Founder
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Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay
Founder of The Inayan System of Eskrima
Founder of The Inayan System of Eskrima
Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay had the privilege to study privately under two great Eskrima masters, Max Sarmiento and Angel Cabales. It was Michael G. Inay who proposed to Angel Cabales that he should form an organization to preserve and promote the Cabales Serrada style of Eskrima. Suro Inay not only helped Grandmaster Cabales form the first Cabales Serrada Association in Stockton, Ca. but he also developed a ranking structure for the system. This was one of the many contributions Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay, made in the Filipino martial arts scene.
Suro Inay later co-founded the West Coast Eskrima Society with its first chairman, Max Sarmiento, in 1979. The West Coast Eskrima Society was formally inaugurated in his home in Los Gatos, Ca. The West Coast Eskrima Society was founded in the hopes of preserving, propagating, and promoting the Filipino martial arts. The society was able to unite several Filipino masters under one organization. Among the notable Eskrima masters who joined it were: Max Sarmiento, Michael G. Inay, Jimmy Tacosa, Jeffrey Elliott, Sam Tendencia, Dentoy Revillar, Gilbert Tenio, Leo Giron, Narrie Babao, Dan Inosanto, and Richard Bustillo.
Suro Inay began teaching law enforcement throughout the United States and developed several courses dealing with pressure sensitive nerve areas, riot baton, and advanced knife training. He also developed the use of the knife as an alternative weapon for executive protection in instances where a firearm is not warranted or safe to use. At the request of a large Midwest law enforcement organization, PPCT, Suro Inay developed the first nationwide law enforcement knife defense program called "Spontaneous Knife Defense". He also appeared on Law Enforcement Television Network (LETN).
Suro Inay traveled abroad conducting seminars and clinics on his personal style of Eskrima in England, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Canada and Australia. During this period, he developed and refined the Inayan System of Eskrima. Inayan Eskrima is comprised of seven distinct styles of Eskrima, including the three core styles of Inayan Serrada, Inayan Kadena de Mano, and Inayan Largo Mano. Each of these styles has a complete set of basic, intermediate, and advanced techniques and concepts that make them viable independent of one other. Placing a learning structure over these styles and a ranking system for grading, he elected to call all of the styles he taught "Inayan" to avoid confusion with other teachers and styles that might have the same or similar names. This also reduced the amount of controversy and claims of validity others could or could not profess with regard to "Inayan" Eskrima. Mangisursuro Michael G. Inay died in 2000 while doing what he loved the most - teaching Inayan Eskrima. While alive and head of the system he was referred to by his unofficial title Suro; since his passing he is referred to as Mangisursuro, his official title.
