PEKITI TIRSIA KALI

The Pekiti Tirsia ranking system includes traditional kawal, warrior, ranks based on technical skill as well as instructor ranks which reflect greater leadership, responsibility and contributions in promoting the art of Kali. Each rank is divided into sublevels or hagdan, which means step or rung, such as on a ladder. The Pekiti Tirsia System focuses on developing instructors, not just followers; so many of the ranks represent stages of leadership rather than only technical skills.

Student Ranks 

Yakan – known as a full student, the yakan is a student who is committed to learning Pekiti Tirsia.

Lakan – translated as first step, is an intermediate student. The lakan has developed a solid foundation in the system.

Instructor Ranks 

Lakan Guro – is a first level teacher. A Lakan Guro is an advanced student who is learning how to teach and lead by serving as an assistant instructor.

Guro – guro means teacher. This is someone who is a full instructor and is able to teach the technical skills of Pekiti Tirsia.

Mataas Na Guro – this is a master instructor or one who has really mastered the technical skills of Pekiti Tirsia. The Mataas Na Guro is truly an expert in the art and represents refinement of functional ability and understanding.

Advanced Instructor Ranks

The Pekiti Tirsia Advanced Instructor Ranking system is based on a representation of traditional Filipino culture as found in the Visayas. The growth of an instructor and his understanding is represented by a metaphor of rice cultivation and the clan or chiefdom system. Each level of growth in the process of instructor development is mirrored by a corresponding stage in rice farming and group leadership status.

This advanced instructor ranking system is presented in the Illongo language, which is indigenous to the land where Pekiti Tirsia was born.

Manunudlo – meaning one who is knowledgeable in many things is an advanced instructor of the Binhi stage. Binhi means seed, and it refers to the technical foundation of the art. In planting and in all things we begin with a seed. In the chiefdom system, the manunudlo is one who teaches and leads the farmers in all the technical matters concerning farming. He is a sort of manager.

Maginalamon – translated as knowledgeable, is an advanced instructor in the sabud stage. Sabud means to sow or to throw seeds for planting. To grow, seeds must be sown. In the chiefdom system, the maginalamon is a sophisticated advisor who is a sort of multitalented scientist. He researches meteorology, astrology, medicine and metaphysics, and he guides others in their decisions and affairs.

Hangkilan - Makilas – hangkilan is translated as very fast and fierce, makilas is very cunning or tricky. This is an expert in the gabut stage. Gabut or to pull refers to the stage of growing rice when the shoots have first grown, and they are then pulled out before being replanted in the rice field. In the chiefdom, this is the security or the guard for a farm or estate who protects the land, resources and the people.

Agalon – which means master or mastery is when one has reached the tanum stage. Tanum refers to replanting the rice shoots, which were previously pulled out. In the process of growing rice, after the rice seeds have grown to shoots, they are pulled out and replanted in an orderly way. The agalon is a chieftain who leads more than one small farm. In accordance with our instructor ranks, this is one who perhaps leads more than one small training group.

Mandala Mandatus – Mandala is wisdom and Mandatus means authority or leader. This is now the busog stage which means ripe or full, is the ripened state wherein the rice stalks are ready for harvesting. Mandatus is especially appropriate for one who leads a large group of schools. His training groups have matured into a full organization.

Master Instructor Ranks 

Mandala Maginoo - Maginoo translates as lordship or elder and refers to the wealth of accomplishment one has after successfully planting rice and building a large territory or domain for himself. This is someone who is a senior in the art and higher in the hierarchy.

Mandala Tuhon – Tuhon, also known as taluhoron in Illongo, means your honor or your majesty and refers to a great leader or king who rules a very large domain. In kali it refers to a grandmaster.

Grand Tuhon – this is the title for the highest level in the art and the chief leader of the kali system. It is not only grandmaster, but it is the supreme grandmaster who carries the highest knowledge and true lineage of the art.


Ranking in the Pekiti Tirsia System of Kali is not based on the number of years alone; instead it is based on understanding and skill in the art, loyalty to its lineage as well as contribution and dedication to its growth and cultivation. Ranking is measured considering the totality of these elements and not by one alone.