  In this overview I sketch briefly the path to the so-called {\em t-J model}
derived for the first time 30 years ago and provide its original meaning within
the theory of strongly correlated magnetic metals with a non-Fermi (non-Landau)
liquid ground state. An emergence of the concept of {\em real space pairing},
is discussed in a historical prospective. A generalization of this model to the
many-orbital situation is briefly discussed. The emphasis is put on didactical
exposition of ideas, as they were transformed into mathematical language. The
concept of {\em hybrid pairing} is introduced in the same context at the end.
