The Pacific Island Gathering stick and knife fighting tournament will be held the weekend of Oct. 11 and 12 2009, at the Midwest Kodenkan in Chicago Illinois. The rules are demostrated at the youtube site "pacific island tournament rules" There are two videos. If you practice the martial arts of the Phillipine islands you may be interested in competing.

I have an update on the tournament. The prize list for each event is as follows. First place in each event will recieve a balisong knife, second and third place will recieve a handmade flat stick from one of two imported hard woods. There are three different awards for the top dog winners, one will be a talibong sword, the other a sanzibar sword and the final one is a kukri knife.

(I am not an official of the tournament, I am relaying information I have heard, that info. is subject to change and clarification from the actual officials)Tournament prizes for the Pacific island gathering tournament are: First place in each event is a balisong knife made in the Phillipines. Second and third prize are hand made flat sticks made from phillipine hardwoods(?). The top dog prizes are a talibong sword, a sanzibar sword and a kukri knife. For more information on the events, rules and fees and prizes, contact the Midwest Kodenkan in chicago illinois. John Bednarski is the point of contact for the event. Thanks.

The school is actually the Midway Kodenkan, not the midwest.

The updated tournament information is at the midway kodenkan website. There is also the schedule for the seminar instructors on Saturday before the tournament. The fee for the tournament and the seminars is there also. From what I saw there will be several kali/escrima/arnis masters teaching that saturday as well as a wing chun master teaching his family style of wing chun.