Logging off for now

I apologise for the absence in articles on Silat Melayu: The Blog. I am currently in the middle of a personal change (positive!) and haven't had the time to sit down and write. However, I will be back, hopefully within a week with some interesting things to read.

Until then, Salam Persilatan!

Vietnam to host regional pencak silat championships

The International Pencak Silat Federation has selected Vietnam to host the first Southeast Asian Pencak Silat Championship in May.

The regional tournament is scheduled to take place at Ho Chi Minh City’s Rach Mieu Gymnasium.

The head of the Vietnamese Pencak Silat Federation said the national team would train for the event at the National Sports and Training Centre No. 1 in Hanoi. Ahead of the tournament, members of the national squad will also participate in the National Pencak Silat Championship in April.

Vietnam, Indonesia and Malaysia lead the world at pencak silat. (VNA)

Sourced from http://www.nhandan.com.vn/english/sport/280208/sport_v.htm

Guidelines for Silat according to Islam

The following are guidelines for Silat in Malaysia as stipulated by the JAKIM, the Department of Islamic Development Malaysia. I intend to translate them when I have the time, but for now, I'll put up the Bahasa Melayu version. When the translation is complete, I'll repost it to a later date. I invite discussion and/or debate from readers on the guidelines presented.

1. PURPOSE

1.1 These guidelines are prepared to ensure that Muslims, especially those involved in traditional self-defence arts (silat) are tno involved in any practices that deviate from the true aqidah and shariah of Islam.

2. INTRODUCTION

2.1. Islam amat menitikberatkan soal-soal akidah dan syariah. Segala amalan dan kepercayaan yang tidak berdasarkan kepada sumber-sumber asal Al-Quran, Hadis, Ijmak dan Qias adalah ditolak. Kepercayaan-kepercayaan dan amalan-amalan tertentu dalam masyarakat Islam di Malaysia sedikit sebanyak ada hubungkaitnya dengan pengaruh fahaman Anamisme, Dinamisme, Hindu, Buddha dan Syiah (Ghulu) yang sebahagiannya telah menjadi darah daging kepada pengamal suci mempertahankan diri tradisional (silat).

Oleh itu garis panduan ini perlu dijadikan asas dan panduan supaya dapat mengelakkan diri dari terjerumus ke dalam penyelewengan akidah dan syariat Islam. Allah berfirman dalam surah Yunus, ayat 106:

ولا تدع من دون الله ما لا ينفعك ولا يضرك فان فعلت فانك اذا من الظالمين
(سورة يونس : 106)

Bermaksud:

“Dan janganlah kamu menyembah apa-apa yang tidak memberi manfaat dan tidak (pula) memberi mudharat kepadamu selain Allah; sebab jika kamu berbuat (yang demikian) itu, maka sesungguhnya kamu termasuk orang-orang yang zalim”.

2.2. Dalam sejarah Islam memang wujud pahlawan-pahlawan yang tekemuka di kalangan para sahabat Rasulullah s.a.w. Mereka telah berjuang menentang Musyrikin Quraisy dan penentang-penentang ajaran Islam dari kalangan Munafikin. Antara sahabat berkenaan ialah Saidina Ali, Khalid Ibnu Walid, Amru b. As-As, Abu Ubaidah b. Al-Jarrah, Saad b. Abi Waqas dan lain-lain lagi.

Di dalam Al-Quran didapati banyak ayat-ayat yang menunjukkan bahawa perlunya umat Islam mempersiapkan diri dan kelengkapan senjata serta kemudahan-kemudahan yang perlu untuk mempertahankan agama, diri dan negara. Antaranya ayat 61 surah Al-Anfaal:

وان جنحوا للسلم فاجنح لها وتوكل على الله انه هو السميع العليم
(الانفال : 61)

Bermaksud:

“Dan jika mereka (pihak musuh) cenderung kepada perdamaian, maka engkau juga hendaklah cenderung kepadanya serta bertawakkallah kepada Allah. Sesungguhnya Ia Maha Mendengar, lagi Maha Mengetahui”.

2.3. Di dalam ilmu persilatan terdapat beberapa syarat yang perlu dipatuhi sama ada ketika hendak masuk silat, setelah masuk atau selepas tamat dan diijazahkan. Di antara syarat-syarat tersebut:

(a) menyediakan pengeras seperti pulut kuning, limau purut, kain putih, bayaran pengeras dan sebagainya.

(b) mandi dengan air mandian tertentu sebagai lambang membersihkan segala kekotoran zahir dan batin.

(c) tidak boleh meninggalkan sembahyang.

(d) Tidak boleh banyak bertanya ketika guru sedang mengajar atau mempersoalkan sebarang tindakan guru.

(e) Melakukan gerak silat membuka atau menutup gelanggang setiap kali memula atau menamatkan latihan silat.

2.4. Guru memainkan peranan penting di dalam menyampaikan sesuatu ilmu bagi menjamin kesahihan dan kesempurnaan ilmu tersebut. Di dalam ilmu persilatan, guru adalah lambang kesempurnaan.

2.5. Sesuatu seni mempertahankan diri tradisional (silat) itu perlulah didasarkan kepada garis pandua berikut bagi mengenalpasti ianya terhindar dari perkara-perkara yang bercanggah dengan syariat Islam:

(a) Asal Usul Silat

(b) Syarat-Syarat Silat

(c) Guru Silat

(d) Ikrar Sumpah dan Taat Setia

(e) Pantang Larang

(f) Adab

(g) Gerak Langkah

(h) Amalan Dalam Silat

(i) Pengijazahkan

(j) Matlamat Silat


3. GUIDELINES FOR SILAT AND SELF DEFENCE ARTS

3.1. Origins of Silat

3.1.1. Demi menjaga kesucian akidah Islam, beberapa perkara perlu diambil perhatian iaitu setiap individu atau kumpulan tidak boleh mendakwa bahawa:

(a) Silat mereka bersumber dari Nabi Muhammad s.a.w. para anbia atau diambil dari Al-Quran dan Hadis atau berasal dari amalan para sahabat Nabi s.a.w.

(b) Teknik atau pergerakan persilatannya berasal dari ibadat-ibadat tertentu seperti rukun-rukun sembahyang.

(c) Seni silat mereka bersumberkan mimpi bertemu Rasulullah s.a.w. atau para anbia yang lain atau para sahabat serta ulama.

3.2. Conditions of Silat

3.2.1. Bagi mempastikan syarat-syarat di dalam ilmu persilatan tidak bercanggah dengan ajaran Islam maka:

(a) Semua perkara yang wajib dilakukan atau ditinggalkan oleh seorang Islam, yang mukallaf tidak boleh dijadikan syarat di dalam silat seperti sembahyang, puasa, jangan durhaka kepada ibubapa, sehingga mendatangkan anggapan bahawa perkara wajib tersebut menjadi wajib hanya apabila dijadikan syarat.

(b) Tidak boleh mengaitkan sesuatu pengeras dengan suatu akibat yang dipercayai boleh merosakkan pegangan akidah.

(c) Tidak boleh percaya kepada sial seperti mandi membuang sial atau mandi-mandi tertentu yang dikaitkan dengan persilatan.

(d) Tidak boleh melakukan gerak silat atau bacaan tertentu yang mengandungi unsur-unsur meminta izin atau bantuan dari kuasa-kuasa makhluk “ghaib” dalam acara “gerak membuka atau menutup gelanggang”, “’ayat kebal” atau “pukulan angin maut” atau sembelih ayam dalam gelanggang.

(e) Tidak boleh mentaati guru atau seseorang pada perkara-perkara yang jelas bercanggah dengan akidah dan syariat Islam.

(f) Sebarang syarat yang bertentangan dengan akidah, syariah dan akhlak Islam.

3.3. Silat Masters

3.3.1. Guru silat yang beragama Islam hendaklah bukan terdiri daripada:

(a) mereka yang melakukan perkara-perkara syirik, sama ada melalui perkataan, perbuatan atau iktikad.

(b) mereka yang melakukan maksiat/jenayah dan yang bertentangan dengan moral.

(c) pemecah belah masyarakat.

(d) Mereka yang mentafsir ajaran agama Islam mengikut hawa nafsu.

3.3.2. Jika seseorang guru silat hendak melibatkan diri dalam hal agama hendaklah mengetahui asas-asas agama Islam sama ada fardhu ain atau fardhu kifayah seperti rukun Islam, rukun Iman, cara mengerjakan sembahyang dan sebagainya.

3.3.3. Guru silat dilarang memasukkan atau menggunakan unsur-unsur yang bercanggah dengan Islam seperti sihir dan ilmu kebal di dalam ilmu persilatan.

3.4. Oaths and Promises of Loyalty

3.4.1. Sumpah tidak dibolehkan sebaliknya hanya ikrar.

3.4.2. Murid-murid tidak boleh taat secara membuat tuli kepada guru. Mereka hendaklah mengikut perintah guru selama tidak bercanggah dengan perintah Allah.

3.4.3. Sumpah tidak boleh digunakan kepada perkara-perkara yang telahpun diwajibkan di dalam Islam seperti bersumpah akan taat kepada ibubapa, bersumpah akan taat kepada Allah dan Rasul dan sebagainya.

3.4.4. Bacaan-bacaan, amalan dan ikrar yang terdapat di dalam sumpah hendaklah mengandungi perkara-perkara yang tidak bercanggah dengan akidah dan syariat Islam seperti memuja dewa, atau nama berhala.

3.4.5. Di dalam upacara sumpah dan bai’ah sama ada dari segi fizikal atau mental hendaklah tidak mempunyai unsur-unsur yang mensyirikkan Allah dan menjatuhkan maruah seseorang sebagai umat Islam.

3.5. Taboos & Restrictions

3.5.1. Suatu pantang larang hendaklah bukan daripada perkara-perkara yang jelas diwajibkan di dalam Islam seperti tidak meninggalkan sembahyang, jangan berkelahi sesama ahli dan sebagainya.

3.5.2. Suatu pantang larang tidak boleh dikaitkan dengan unsur-unsur pemujaan, meminta izin, perlindungan atau bantuan daripada makhluk-makhluk ghaib seperti larangan berludah kerana ditakuti tidak menjadi.

3.5.3. Tidak boleh memenuhi kehendak pantang larang sehingga melakukan perkara-perkara yang ditegah di dalam Islam seperti meninggalkan tanggungjawab sebagai suami atau isteri dan sebagainya.

3.5.4. Perkara-perkara yang harus dan halal tidak boleh dihukumkan haram.

3.6. Etiquette

3.6.1. Etiquette between Student and Master:

(a) Guru tidak boleh menganggap dirinya yang paling mulia dan tidak pernah bersalah.

(b) Guru hendaklah mengelakkan diri dari dianggap orang yang perlu ditaati secara mutlak.

(c) Guru tidak boleh menganggap orang lain lemah dan lekeh.

(d) Guru hendaklah melarang murid-muridnya memuja, mengagung dan taksub kepadanya.

3.6.2. Etiquette between Student and Fellow Students:

(a) Seseorang murid tidak boleh memberikan hak secara khusus kepada murid seperguruannya sahaja, seperti memberi ucapan salam, tidak boleh bergaduh sesama ahli dan sebagainya.

(b) Seseorang murid tidak boleh menanam atau mengapi-apikan perasaan bangga diri dan taksub kepada kumpulannya sehingga memandang hina dan negatif kepada orang lain.

3.6.3. Etiquette between Student and Other People

(a) Seseorang murid tidak boleh mengutamakan guru silat dan murid-murid seperguruannya sehingga mengabaikan hak dan kewajipannya kepada ibubapa, suami, isteri, anak dan ahli keluarga.

(b) Seseorang murit tidak boleh memandang rendah dan hina terhadap orang bukan dari kalangan ahli silatnya.

(c) Seseorang murid yang beragama mesti menjalinkan ikatan persahabatan sama ada sesama ahli atau orang lain.

3.7. Physical Movements

(a) Gerak langkah silat tidak boleh dikaitkan dengan zat Allah dan sifat-sifat-Nya atau merupakan maksud di sebalik kalimah atau nama-nama Allah atau sifat-sifatNya.

(b) Gerak langkah silat tidak boleh diertikan sebagai maksud yang tersirat daripada ahli atau jasad Rasulullah s.a.w., para malaikat, nabi-nabi dan orang soleh.

(c) Gerak langkah silat tidak boleh dimaksudkan dengan perkara-perkara yang berkaitan dengan agama Islam atau perlakuan-perlakuan ibadat yang tertentu seperti dua kalimah syahadah dan sembahyang.

3.8. Spiritual Practices In Silat

(a) Tidak boleh memuja dan memperhambkan diri kepada sesuatu kuasa atau peribadi yang boleh mendatangkan nasib baik atau buruk kepada seseorang seperti hantu, dewa, keramat, kubur, keris, busut dan sebagainya.

(b) Tidak boleh menggunakan tangkal dan azimat yang mengandungi rajah-rajah atau tulisan-tulisan yang tidak difahami, objek-objek tertentu dan bercampuraduk dengan ayat Al-Quran.

(c) Tidak boleh mengamalkan bacaan-bacaan tertentu yang tidak difahami maknanya dikhuatiri mengandungi kata-kata pemujaan kepada berhala, iblis, syaitan atau nama berhala orang kafir serta bercampur aduk dengan ayat al-Quran.

(d) Tidak boleh meninggalkan ibadat-ibadat wajib yang dituntut di dalam Islam seperti sembahyang lima waktu dan puasa di bulan Ramadan ketika melakukan amalan silat.

3.9. Initiation/ Graduation

(a) Tidak boleh melakukan isyarat sembah atau gerak tubuh yang melambangkan ketundukan yang menyamai atau melebihi ketundukan yang hanya layak kepada Allah sahaja seperti tidak sembah kepada guru.

(b) Tidak boleh melakukan upacara-upacara yang mengandungi unsur-unsur penyembahan, pemujaan, memohon bantuan atau memperhambakan diri kepada kuasa-kuasa atau tenaga-tenaga ghaib seperti mempersembahkan sedulang makanan, menyembelih ayam dan sebagainya.

3.10. Objectives of Silat

(a) Matlamat silat hendaklah matlamat yang baik seperti untuk kesihatan tubuh badan, mendisiplinkan diri, hidup bermasyarakat, untuk mempertahankan diri dari bahaya dan sebagainya.

(b) Matlamat silat tidak boleh:

(i) Untuk membalas dendam, menuntut bela, membuat aniaya, menakut-nakutkan dan mengugut orang lain.

(ii) Untuk menanam sifat berani yang keterlaluan sehingga hilang hormat kepada ibubapa, guru, ahli keluarga dan lain-lain.

(iii) Untuk memupuk sentimen perkauman atau taksub golongan/kumpulan ekstrim agama yang melampau di kalangan ahli.

4. CONCLUSION

Dengan mengikut garis panduan ini diharapkan para pengamal silat dan seni mempertahankan diri supaya dapat menghindarkan diri menyimpang daripada ajaran Islam yang benar, agar hidup sentiasa dirahmati Allah S.W.T.

http://www.islam.gov.my/e-rujukan/silat.htm

Department of Islamic Development Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur.

Silat documentary hurting feelings?

There is good news of a local television production company making their rounds to gelanggangs and classes to film various silat styles for a documentary. It's expected to be screened on a government channel soon.

However, I have received comments from two masters who were directly involved with the filming concerning the conduct of the host and the crew. The host is someone I'm familiar with. I suspected miscommunication between them, but to have two different styles complain about the same thing got me wondering.

If they're reading this, I hope they ask those masters they interviewed what put them off and made them regret ever giving those interviews. Perhaps apologies are in order. The Malaysian silat scene is a small world and word gets around. It would do well to keep the lines of communication open.

In any case, congratulations on the effort and news on the documentary will be forthcoming as soon as I get it.

Rare Book on Silat Olahraga Now Available in Limited Quantities on Amazon.com!

Silat Olahraga (or "Sports Silat") was recently featured on the Discovery Channel's show "Fight Quest".

Silat Olahraga was developed in the late 1970s in order to allow Silat practitioners from different countries and systems with a way to compete based upon a standardized set of rules and regulations. Silat Olahraga is now a part of the SEA Games (South East Asia Games). Recent powerhouses include Vietnam and Thailand.

This book (in English with over 500 pictures and illustrations) features techniques from the Malaysian martial art of Seni Silat Gayong Fatani. Silat Gayong Fatani originated in the Fatani province of Southern Thailand and is a popular Silat system in Thailand and Northern Malaysia.

This book has been out-of-print since 1993. A limited number of copies were misplaced and were recently discovered in a warehouse in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. These books are new, but show some slight discoloration along the edges due to their age and the Malaysian environment.

Click here to buy Silat Olahraga on Amazon.Com

Revisiting the Keris- How We Betrayed Our Ancestors

The team at The Other Malaysia (TOM) http://www.othermalaysia.org/ is kicking off what a planned semi-regular series of public lectures.

The TOM team invites all interested to a free public lecture by the controversial socio-political scholar Dr. Farish A. Noor on the theme: Revisiting the Keris- How We Betrayed Our Ancestors.

Time: 3.00 pm
Date: 1st March 2008 (Saturday)
Venue: Annexe, Central Market, Kuala Lumpur.

Be there or be square!

Hang Tuah and me - by Burhan Baki

For many Melayu writers, for many writers concerned with the question of Melayu itself, Hang Tuah and the four musketeers are figures that still demand to be confronted, either negatively or positively.

And I believe that The Great Malay Novel – if such a notion makes sense anymore – must, on some level, speak of the country’s political and historical lineage from the eras of the Melayu Sultanates, a lineage that, in turn, cannot help but channel the Hang Tuah figure and the hikayat that bears his name.

A few months ago, I was with a friend at Central Market in Kuala Lumpur, looking for a souvenir to buy for a shared acquaintance. Bored, cheeky and, obviously, a reader of psychology, my friend snickered and said that the finely crafted keris daggers that we were pretending to admire were none other than phalluses.

"And Tamingsari," he said in a solemn Orson-Wellesian voice, as if reciting from a book, "serves as the legend’s totemic object, the fetish that is the source of respect and invincibility."

There was nothing new in his remark – he admitted this. Such psychoanalytical interpretations are too easy – all symbols and significations are phallic, says Jacques Lacan – and usually say less about the objects themselves than about the speaker’s attitude towards them.

Still, my friend and I wasted the rest of the evening at the food court upstairs, eating lunch and amusing ourselves with further naive Freudisms, such as trying to explain the meaning behind the dagger’s shortness (perhaps, therefore, a different undercurrent behind Melayu sexuality and masculinity, i.e. "It’s not how long it is, but how skilful you are at wielding it"?), speculating whether Hang Jebat’s rebellion was the result of his death drive, or wondering whether his devotion to Hang Tuah was the manifestation of a latent homosexuality.

The souvenir that we bought later didn’t take much thought to select: complete with a clock and thermometer at the base, a pewter statuette of the Petronas Twin Towers.

Two thumbs up, my friend said. Or two phalluses.

Reflecting on this scene, another idea: in the same way Tamingsari is for Hang Tuah, the image of Tuah is for me. For it must be confessed – it would be useless to deny it now – that my fixation with the epic was none other than a fetishisation that came out of the complex that I have from being Melayu, a complex, I am also sure, shared by a majority of Melayu today.

I use the concept of the fetish-object so that I could invoke a matrix of meanings:
The anthropological fetish: Hang Tuah as the locus point (among the rakyat) to which all Melayu "culture", power and allure must return, as the alpha-male capable of the greatest mental and physical feats, the knight-cum-scholar-cum-monk who personifies the Melayu paradigm in all its esoteric ceremonies, beliefs, loyalties and secrets.

The Marxist fetish: Hang Tuah as a commodity, as cultural and symbolic capital.

The Freudian fetish: my Hang Tuah obsession as something "deviant" (I simplify things, I know).

And, finally, the Zizekian fetish: Hang Tuah as the "security blanket" that is held in order to be able to succeed in contemporary reality, the reality of urbanisation, globalisation, liberalisation (whatever it means), and multiculturalism.

Neither the ability to believe nor disbelieve – this is what I mean by the Melayu complex. With the changes that have been taking place in the country since independence, ties to the old, to tradition and "culture", have lessened, and it has become difficult for today’s Melayu to believe in them wholeheartedly.

For when we study the hagiography of Hang Tuah today, we cannot help but hasten towards the point that transforms his image into something so utterly extreme that is almost terrifying. His obedience seems ridiculous to some of us, but it is this very absurdity that draws us to him.

Jebat’s rebellion was mad. But, today, in the so-called age of liberal democracy, when everything is a matter of choice, there was a greater madness to Tuah’s faith: the madness of "duty" itself and the madness of "being reasonable". He is the impossible in all its allure and nostalgia.

We hold on to his image just so that we know that the possibility of faith still exists. Even if we don’t believe in tradition, Tuah believes it on our behalf.

Or rather, our belief or jealousy towards his belief believes it for us.

Sourced from The Sun 20 Feb, 2008

Silat Kuntau Tekpi 2nd Podcast

Cikgu Muda Jeff Davidson and Cikgu Omar Hakim discuss Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the three combat assumptions of Silat Kuntau Tekpi, the Silat Kuntau Tekpi combat formula, the role of pecahan in Silat and Silat training methodologies.

Click here to listen to the podcast.

SENI BELADIRI Nominated for award

I am proud to announce that our own local martial arts magazine, SENI BELADIRI has been nominated for the Martial Arts Publication Media Award by the World Head of Family Sokeship Council.

The Sokeship Council has taken notice of Malaysia ever since they awarded Guru Mazlan Man of Persatuan Seni Silat Ikatan Kalam Utama (PIKUM or Silat Kalam) two years ago with the title of Grandmaster. Since then, they have observed the dedication and sacrifices of the magazine and its founder, guru Azlan Ghanie.

First published in 1997, SENI BELADIRI immediately found a quick following amongst the martial arts fans of Malaysia and served to spur renewed interest in silat. It follows a published policy of assisting established perguruan to spread their messages while reintroducing to the public unknown or vanishing silat styles. Often, this resulted in those masters reestablishing their gelanggang for the younger generation who never knew they existed.

I am proud to have been associated with SENI BELADIRI since 1997 and serving there for five years as journalist and editor. My hat's off to you SB and guru Azlan. This recognition is a long time coming, and I pray that the nomination realises into a win. For us all. Congratulations once again.

Another Tekpi baby!

Silat Melayu The Blog, SMC, Mohd Nadzrin Wahab and Nor Azlan Abdul Wahid would like to wish cikgu Omar Besim Hakim and his wife Souad a hearty congratulations on the birth of Ayah May Hakim at 11.20am, 7 February 2008 in Austin, Texas, USA.

Cikgu Omar is the President of Silat Kuntau Tekpi USA. Another Tekpi baby joins the ranks!

May baby Hakim live long and strong, hale and healthy. Amin.

The Origins and Nature of Silat

There are many myths and legends concerning the origin of silat yet one story frequently features, albeit in slightly different forms and this is the one that the authors favour because of the lessons it embodies.

The story starts with a defeated warrior stumbling away from the battlefield. He is wounded and disheartened; his only desire to escape from the horrors that he has seen. In his confusion he wanders into a forest and stumbles blindly on until he reaches a fast flowing stream.

Following the water upstream he comes to a waterfall which drops into a pool and here he pauses to rest. As he watches the water dropping into the pool he sees a lotus flower come rushing down the torrent to end up floating in the water.

Something about this beautiful flower floating on the water intrigues him and he watches as the current carries it this way and that, sometimes away from the waterfall and then sometimes under the raging water. Each time it is hit by the power of the rushing water it disappears under the surface only to bob up somewhere else.

Seeing this he picks up a rock and throws it at the fragile lotus. Even though the rock hits it, the flower just sinks below the surface of the water and then bobs up again. Interested enough now to forget his own wounds and his despair he picks up a stick and throws it at the lotus but to no avail, it just twists and spins, flowing with the current.

With a snarl the warrior draws his sword and splashing into the stream slashes and thrusts at the offending flower. Is the lotus affected? Not one bit. Every slash just causes it to swirl and twirl and softly twist away. Every thrust just pushes it under the water only to surface again somewhere else.

At last exhausted the warrior stumbles and falls into the water. Spluttering and gasping he arises and stumbles up the bank and slumps down, back against a tree to contemplate what has just happened. How could it be that something so small and so fragile as a lotus flower could avoid destruction at his hands.

And as he sits there deep in thought he comes to a realization that will change his life, turn victory into defeat and create an art that will be passed on from generation to generation down the centuries. What is it then that this warrior stumbled on that day in the forest? The answer is simple and profound. The apparent weakness of the lotus flower and the softness and yielding nature of the water combine to create something that no force can destroy.

To the warrior this means that a new avenue is opened up to him in his study of the fighting arts. By using this principle of the soft and the weak to deflect and overcome the hard the warrior creates a new way of fighting both at the personal tactical level but also in the broader strategic sense.

No longer will he meet the enemy’s powerful blows with forceful blocks. Instead he will avoid, deflect softly and wait till his opponent’s strength is exhausted, or his balance has gone and then he will step in and counter.

As the warrior continues his research he notices how all of nature is teaching him. He observes animals at play and in combat and notes how the two are the same. The tiger plays with its cubs and so teaches them to fight. The bird swoops and soars when attacking its prey but also does the same across an empty sky, seemingly moving just for the joy of it.

The warrior now starts to treat his practice like play, he moves for the pure joy of movement and in doing so he learns more about his body. Instead of forcing it into fixed and rigid patterns he allows the body to move as it wants.

Now the warrior uses his new found knowledge and expertise to examine all that he has previously learnt. He recalls the stories of mythical warriors of the past and sees that they too followed these principles; they were true to their own nature. The mighty princes and princesses of the past used their grace and power and commanding presence to subdue foes weaker than themselves.

The mythical dragon twisted and turned using its coiling body and mystical powers to conquer enemies. All of these stories now taught the warrior truths that he could use in his new art. But now he was realizing that it was more than an art; it was a way of life and that everything he did now conformed to the principles he had discovered.

It is this warrior’s art that we call silat that we have inherited and it is these principles of the soft, weak and gentle overcoming the hard that we are practicing and that is what the Malay Dance of Life, Silat Tua, is all about.

What is Silat?
First and foremost it must be stated that Silat is not a martial art! It is much more than that. Silat is the art of fulfilling human potential; this is often practically manifested as the art of survival. In Silat the exponent explores all that makes him or her truly human.

In Silat Tua the lineage is traced back to the Founders who were hermits who isolated themselves high on mountains or deep in jungles to perfect their art and themselves. Thus in this art there is no rigid training of the “you must do it this way” type. Silat Tua is training to develop human beings not clones. Thus training in the art reflects all that is natural.

Consider the life cycle where the baby at first is weak and totally dependent then he grows strong and independent as it reaches maturity and then finally with the onset of old age weakness sets in again.

Thus the Silat trainee starts weak and gains physical strength but this then declines; along the way, however, experience and the use of strategy and tactics compensate for any decline in mere physical strength. The silat exponent learns to take equal advantage of everything and nothing.

The Pendita Guru, the mythical hermit founder of the art wandered the earth with nothing yet was able to make use of everything in his day to day survival. The Silat exponent knows that we enter the world with nothing and we leave it with nothing and anything that we appear to possess along the way, in terms of material goods cannot be taken with us.

In Silat Tua the answer to the question, “What is Silat?” contains much more than might be imagined. Author Guru Zainal Abidin’s teacher Tok Guru Aziz always stressed that true Silat begins the moment you step out of the house. Every step must be taken with humility and without ego.

The true Silat exponent should express love and compassion to all and behave in such a manner that no one has any reason to harbour ill-will against him let alone want to attack him. Seen in this light Silat is the art of living life to the full, avoiding the dangers and pitfalls that face man and being prepared for any eventuality. Thus it is truly the art of life.

Furthermore since silat is an art based on natural movement it works on the strengths and weaknesses, indeed on the potential of the individual’s body, nothing is fixed or forced. This is the reason that there are very few set sequences of movement or forms. Instead the exponent becomes proficient at basic principles which are then practiced freestyle.

The Silat exponent should not be concerned with winning, only surviving. When you seek to win you give yourself a goal which creates pressure if there is the slightest sign that it cannot be reached. But if you are happy just to still be in the fight there is no mental pressure and the body can perform to its highest potential.

The Silat exponent always strives to move from a position of seeming weakness. His tactics and strategy are dictated by the fact that he is weak while the opponent is strong. In Silat the exponent is trained to make full use of the attributes they already have and to develop others based on their own unique physical and mental characteristics.

The large person moves in a different way from the small person; a person with long arms has strengths that a person with short arms doesn’t, but where there is strength there is also weakness; through Silat training the exponent comes to realize how his own weaknesses may be turned into strengths.

Silat is a lifelong study in the development of character. In Silat Tua the teaching is that at the end of our lives the only things we can truly take with us are our skill, knowledge and deeds, whether good or bad. Thus the Silat student never stops learning or training.

This article is (c) Zainal Abidin and Nigel Sutton 2006. Sourced from http://www.living-tradition.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=21

Silat E-Comic: "Unbeatable"

The artwork above was co-produced by a Malaysian artist, Mohd Faisal Nordin, a.k.a. ICESOUL. I was came across his work and found that he had produced a 24-page silat-themed comic book entitled "Unbeatable" for the Malaysian 24-hour Comics Challenge.

I have compiled those pages into an ebook downloadable at the link below. For more information on this talent, please visit his site at http://www.icesoul.net/

Right click here and 'save as unbeatable.pdf'

The Kujang

There is a unique weapon that originates in Western Jawa, in the Pasundan (Sunda) region. This weapon is called "kujang," (pron. "koo-jaang.").

Lacking the proper English equivalent for this we have used the term, "sickle," even though its form somewhat deviates from the true shape of a sickle. Neither does it resemble the "scimitar" which curves convexly.

In Indonesian a sickle is actually called "celurit." The Jawa living in the eastern half of the Jawa island refers to the kujang as "kudi." To those who are uninformed, the indigenous people of the island of Jawa are not all "Jawanese." The western part of the island is populated by a major ethnic group called "Sunda." The kujang is the sole monument of the city of Bogor here in Indonesia.

The kujang is filled with mysteries. It is said that it carries within its form a magickal force with a mystical purpose. Embodied within its original figure lied the philosophy of the ancient Sunda with its Hindu heritage. It is evident from the foregoing that this mystic blade was created to be more of a talisman, a symbolical objet d'art, rather than a weapon. This is especially so regarded in contemporary times.

The original creation of the kujang was actually inspired by a utensil used in farming. This utensil was widely used in the 4th to 7th centuries AD. The newly created kujang differed slightly from the tilling implements fashioned by the famed blacksmiths, Mpu Windusarpo, Mpu Ramayadi, and Mpu Mercukundo, as can be seen in the local museums.

It was only in the 9th to 12th century that the form of the kujang took the shape that we are so familiar with today. In the year 1170 there was a change in the kujang. Its value as an amulet or talisman was gradually being recognized by the rulers and nobilities of the Pajajaran Makukuhan kingdom, especially during the reign of Prabu Kudo Lalean.

During one of his spiritual retreats, Kudo Lalean was instructed through a psychic vision to re-design the form of the kujang to conform to the shape of the island of "Djawa Dwipa," as Jawa was called in those days. Immediately the sovereign king commissioned the royal blacksmith, Mpu Windu Supo, to fashion the blade seen in his vision. It was to become a weapon embodying mystical qualities and a spiritual philosophy; a magickal object, unique in its design, one that future generations would always associate with the Pajajaran Makukuhan kingdom.

After a period of meditation, Mpu Windu Supo confirmed the vision of Kudo Lalean and commenced with the fashioning of a prototype of the Kujang. It was to have two prominent characteristics: the shape of the island of Java and three holes or round notches somewhere in the blade.

Constructing the kujang blade into the shape of Jawa was interpreted to mean the ideal of unification of all the petty kingdoms of Java into a single empire, headed by the Makukuhan king. The three holes or round notches was to represent the Trimurti, or the three aspects of the godhead of the Hindu religion, of which Kudo Lalean was a devoted votary.

The three aspects or gods referred to are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The Hindu trinity was also represented by the three major kingdoms of that era, respectively, the kingdom of Pengging Wiraradya, located in the east of Jawa; the kingdom of Kambang Putih, located north-east of the island; and the kingdom of Pajajaran Makukuhan, located in the west.

The shape of the kujang evolved further in later generations. Different models appeared. When the influence of Islam grew upon the masses, the kujang was re-shaped to resemble the Arabic letter "Syin." This was largely the stratagem of the sovereign of the Pasundan region, Prabu Kian Santang, who was anxious to convert the populace to Islam.

Knowing that the kujang embodied the Hindu philosophy and religion of the existing culture, the muslim rulers, imams and teachers, anxious to propagate Islam and dessiminate its doctrines, re-modeled the kujang to represent the basis of their religion.

Syin is the first letter of the syahadat verse of which one testifies to the witnessing of the sole God and the Prophet Muhammad (blessed in his name) as the messenger. By reciting the syahadat verse, one is automatically converted to Islam. The modification of the kujang broadened the area of the blade which geographically corresponds to the Pasundan or western region of Java to conform to the shape of the letter Syin.

The newly-designed kujang was supposed to remind the possessor of the object of his allegiance to Islam and to the obedience of its teachings. Five holes or round notches in the kujang replaced the three of the Trimurti. They represented the five pillars of Islam.

With the influence of the Islamic religion, some kujang models portray the inter-blending of the two basic styles as designed by Prabu Kudo Lalean and Prabu Kian Santang. Nowadays, the kujang is often decorated in homes as it is believed to bring about luck, protection, honor, etc. They are displayed in pairs on walls with the inner edge facing each other.

There is a taboo, however--no one is to be photographed standing in-between them as this would somehow cause the death of that person within a year. I have been assured by a senior practitioner of Kejawen the truth of this, as he had witnessed this himself.

Why this occurs is not known for certain, we might shrug it off as superstition, coincidence or synchronicity but behind every phenomenon cosmic laws and intelligences are at work; we just need to discover what those laws are and the mind-set of those metaphysical intelligences directing those laws to know the reason for the anomaly.

From the occult side, like the keris, another weapon used by the indo-malayan natives, the kujang was often consecrated with magickal power and familiar spirits attached for specific purposes, such as the protection against psychic attack. Because of the inherent power of the kujang in conjunction with the presence of its spirit guardians, the well-informed natives revere them as sacred objects.

Sourced from http://www.indotalisman.com/Kujang.html

A Tourist Kujang?

My sister just came back from holidaying in Bandung and, knowing her brother well, bought me a Kujang. It reminded me of how I knew of this weapon in the first place.

My first encounter with a Kujang was at a car boot sale several years ago. I initially brought enough cash to buy the RM150 Kujang. Problem is, I was quite disappointed with the quality. It seemed to me to be a Kujang made for tourists and I couldn't understand the reason behind the dearness.

A close friend criticised my decision, saying that the weapon I saw wasn't a combat weapon, but a magical tool, since many Indonesian weapons including the keris, are well-known for their mystical properties, not their fighting value.

Being brought up in Malaysian silat, which focuses on the keris as a combative tool, it took me awhile to accept this. Needless to say, that was an education in itself, as the Kujang was bought from under my nose just as I went back to the next week to purchase it.

So, what do you think? Did my sister get me a tourist Kujang or a really magical one? :)

Who are these pesilat?

This is a rare picture of the late Tunku Abdul Rahman Putra Al-Haj, the first Prime Minister of Malaysia. Rare because he appears with pesilat. I ask for the graciousness of our friends out there to help identify those pesilat in the photo and the style they represent. Thank you.

Silat Cekak Hanafi Instructors' Course and Instructors' Gathering 1429H

The Malaysian Seni Silat Cekak Ustaz Hanafi Association organised the 2008 Instructors' Course and Instructors' Gathering this 7-8 February 2008 at the International Business School of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia. Pictures sent by Mohd Helmi Muda.

More photos available here

Silat Kuntau Tekpi Podcast

Silat Kuntau Tekpi USA has hosted its first podcast on its site and is open to everyone. In the first episode, cikgu muda Jeff Davidson (a.k.a. JDTekpi) interviews cikgu Omar B. Hakim as he describes his early development in the Southeast Asian martial arts under Tuhon Gaje, and his later experiences in Indonesia and Malaysia.

You will hear some fascinating insight into the theory and practice of the Melayu fighting arts from cikgu Omar's unique perspective. Omar is very highly regarded in Pekiti-Tirsia circles - and deservedly so. I am happy that you guys will be able to benefit from his knowledge via this podcast.

Listen to guru Omar Hakim talk about: Kali, Mande Muda, Silat Cekak and Silat Kuntau Tekpi.

Click here to listen http://web.mac.com/tekpi/Tekpi.Org/News.html

Hang Tuah - Man or myth?

Who is Hang Tuah? Warrior, mystical figure or a figment of a writer’s imagination? ALLAN KOAY talks to a historian about whether documentation leans towards man or myth.

Many stories abound, of the great Malay warrior, who – along with his four friends, Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu – upheld and protected the kingdom of Melaka, and who was so loyal to the Sultan that he even killed his own friend who had rebelled against the ruler.

Schoolchildren grow up learning about the adventures of Hang Tuah, older students study them in history lessons. Filmgoers have seen Hang Tuah in many guises, the latest being M. Nasir’s portrayal in the RM16mil epic Puteri Gunung Ledang.

Yet, according to Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Yusoff Hashim, who has written several books and hundreds of articles on Melayu history, there is no solid historical record that could undeniably prove Hang Tuah’s existence. Except for one.

Prof Yusoff, whose books include Persejarahan Melayu Nusantara (Historiography of the Malay Archipelago) and Sejarah Melayu: Persepsi Sejarah dan Kesusasteraan (Sejarah Melayu: A Historical and Literary Perspective), strongly believes Hang Tuah did exist, and that the proof is in the Sejarah Melayu written in 1537.

The main problem, said Prof Yusoff, is that people’s perception of who Hang Tuah is very much coloured by the more fictional Hikayat Hang Tuah.

"Malay literature consists of many genres, such as history, undang-undang (laws), religion and epics. We have to differentiate between them," said Prof Yusoff, who is president and rector of the Malacca Islamic College of Technology. "The story of Hang Tuah comes in two genres – history and the epic."

The only historical record that perhaps could prove the existence of Hang Tuah, portrayed by M. Nasir in the film Puteri Gunung Ledang, is the Sejarah Melayu.

Oral history also plays a part in the story of Hang Tuah, and Prof Yusoff sees that as problematic because oral history can be very speculative.

"People can say anything they want," he explained. "The Javanese say Hang Tuah originated from Java. The Bugis say he originated from Bugis. The Perak people say he came from Perak. These people based their stories on the oral tradition. Of late, they are saying Hang Tuah came from China."

Sejarah Melayu was written much, much earlier than Hikayat Hang Tuah. According to Prof Yusoff, the earliest version of Sejarah Melayu was written in 1537.

"After that, it became a very popular work," he said. "It was copied and re-copied so many times that now, we have at least 29 versions of the Sejarah Melayu."

The Hikayat Hang Tuah is believed to have been written sometime between 1641 and 1726, and as such, the book contains a lot of additions, omissions and interpolations. It is "an epic based on
historical facts" and as such, should not be taken literally as the truth, but should be regarded as truth blended with fiction.

But Hikayat Hang Tuah proved to be the more popular work, as it contains fantasy and romance, unlike Sejarah Melayu which contains facts and records of historical events that, to the layman, may be dull and boring.

In Hikayat, the famous warrior is portrayed as having mystical powers and lethal fighting moves. He even possessed the ability to speak many languages, after being given a magical potion by a prophet. All he had to do was dab his lips with the potion and he would be able to speak the local tongue of whatever locale he was in.

As such, the writer of Hikayat wrote that the warrior was an ambassador sent by the Sultan to many foreign countries such as India, China and Turkey. He is said to have even performed the Haj.

Prof Yusoff said none of this is mentioned in Sejarah Melayu. But he believes the writer probably referred to various written works for ideas. In fact, Prof Yusoff made an interesting discovery in his research.

"The writer also referred to the Bustan’us-Salatin (Garden of Kings), which was a historical and religious work by Sheikh Nuruddin ar-Raniri (a religious scholar from Aceh)," he explained.

"This work was written in the early part of the 17th century. So it was written earlier than the Hikayat Hang Tuah. I found that the writer of the Hikayat not only referred to the Garden of Kings, but also copied certain passages word-for-word, to make up the story of Hang Tuah visiting Turkey.

"And the story about Hang Tuah visiting China was taken from the Sejarah Melayu, from the story about Melaka delegates headed by Tun Perpatih Putih who were sent to China.

"Hang Tuah may have been an ambassador, but he was probably sent to only as far as Indonesia and other places in the Melayu Archipelago."

Hang Tuah, according to Sejarah Melayu, also never met Puteri Gunung Ledang, but it was instead a member of his entourage who met the princess and noted her conditions for marrying the Sultan. Hikayat Hang Tuah also claims that Hang Tuah and his entourage went to Majapahit 10 times, but in the Sejarah Melayu, they only visited it once.

Hang Tuah also never went to Pahang to bring Tun Teja back to Malacca, as written in Hikayat, but it was a court official by the name of Hang Nadim who did so. Hikayat’s immense popularity, said Prof Yusoff, could possibly account for the many discrepancies and variations pertaining to the story of Hang Tuah, and it even prompted some people to claim that Hang Tuah never existed and was just a figment of someone’s imagination. And the many versions of Sejarah Melayu also add to the confusion.

It has been long known that it was not Hang Jebat but Hang Kasturi who was killed by Hang Tuah, and Prof Yusoff said this was written in the original Sejarah Melayu. But the more popular story that involves Hang Jebat prevails in people’s minds. That episode alone has over the years divided opinions.

In the P. Ramlee film Hang Tuah, as Hang Jebat dies in his arms, Hang Tuah (played by P. Ramlee) utters: "Siapa yang bersalah? (Who is wrong?)"

In the 1960s and 70s, the popular opinion was that Hang Jebat was the hero, and Hang Tuah was giving blind loyalty to the ruler. But Prof Yusoff said this view was borne of the anti-establishment mindset of the time.

"To me, Hang Tuah was the hero," he elaborated. "He was the one who really upheld the kingdom. Without this kind of character, the kingdom would have fallen into chaos and collapsed. Whatever happened, regardless of what people said about him, he remained loyal to the ruler, until the day he died.

There was even an anecdote about how, one day, the Sultan’s horse fell into a pool of faeces. No one dared rescue the horse, except Hang Tuah. He jumped into the pool and pulled the horse out. After that he had to clean himself for seven days and seven nights.

"That may be a joke, but the message is about undivided loyalty. The king is the highest, without whom there would be no kingdom. After all, the word kerajaan (kingdom or government) comes from the word raja (king)."

But it remains that no definitive historical record exists to prove Hang Tuah’s existence, except for Sejarah Melayu. Even in The Suma Oriental, by Tome Pires who came to Melaka in 1513, two years after the collapse of the empire, there is mention of a laksamana (admiral) but no specific mention of Hang Tuah by name. But the site claimed to be the grave of Hang Tuah in Tanjung Kling, Melaka, was gazetted by the state government more than 10 years ago as the true Makam Hang Tuah.

And Prof Yusoff remains strongly convinced that Hang Tuah was a real person, of flesh and blood, who lived in Melaka and served under three rulers, and died during Sultan Mahmud’s rule. And his reason is more than convincing.

"I dare say that Hang Tuah was a real figure, and I base my conclusion on the Sejarah Melayu," he said. "If you deny Hang Tuah’s existence, it means you also deny the whole historical text of the Sejarah Melayu."

Sourced from www.tourism-melaka.com/melaka/hangtuah.pdf

Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Review

Here's a review of the Fight Quest - Pencak Silat episode by a good friend, Azizul Ismie Mohd Puad (a.k.a Djambu), a pesilat currently studying medicine in the Ukraine. Visit his blog here about life as a Malaysian student in Odessa.

"I watched the episode after successfully downloading it from the internet. The line was quite bad, but I managed to download it after a few days of trying.

"This time, a pair of white guys [Jim and Doug] go around the world to learn the various martial arts from each continent. They reached the nation of Indonesia and studied the art of silat under guru Rita Suwanda and guru Dadang.

"In the end, they have to battle with the champs of pencak silat [or maybe the champs from Perguruan Silat Mande Muda] The episode is absolutely better compared to the Human Weapon: Silat episode [The History Channel].

"I say this because this time, the program managed to get their facts straight. No made-up stories to spice up the show. Just plain, true and simple facts. The training session also looks more gruel and demanding even though I'm quite sure that the secret training ground is not so secret [if it's secret, it won't be shown on tv right?].

"I loved the part when Jim says that he can't really get the 'art' part in 'martial arts'. At least, he admitted it and tried. I also loved the part when guru Rita Suwanda expained why the hand movements are done so and so and the difference between the guarding pose [as explained by Jim].

"Still, the guarding pose is used in Mixed Martial Arts bouts to protect the face but in pencak silat tourneys, the face and neck are not to be hit. In one of the training sequences, Ddoug accidentally hit his opponent's neck causing him to gag.

"But later he got his fair share of pain when his foot hit the other guy's elbow and began swelling like 'a zombie in a movie'. The fight scene in the end also was more fair compared to the Human Weapon episode because this time, they fought in a proper ring, proper attire and with proper juries.

"Human Weapon: Silat episode's final fight was supposed to test the white guy with 5 vs 1 but it was really 1 vs 1 with 5 guys, one after another. [In the end the white guy passed. I'm sure if it's really the final test for Silat Gayong, the guy would have failed]

"Even though Jim and Doug lost their matches, I think guru Rita and guru Dadang have done a great job in promoting silat to the world".

Thanks for letting me pinch the review djambu!

International Paris Open Pencak Silat 2008 (IPO 2008)

The International Paris Open Pencak Silat 2008 (IPO 2008) will held in Paris on March 21-23 2008. It consists of demonstrations, Silat Olahraga and Silat Seni tournaments. I will post more information as they become available.

Watch the snazzy trailer for the event below.

Pendekar

In Malaysia, Pendekar is a term normally associated with persons who have very good or exceptional mastery of Silat Melayu.

This term is probably the best starting point if one wants to understand what Silat is and the attitudes, mentality and culture of the people who practice this very deadly art form.

The word Pendekar comes from a combination of two malay words, 'Pandai' which means clever and 'Akal' which means mind or intellect. It is hard to convey the actual nuances when these words are expressed in malay but roughly Pendekar can mean 'Clever Mind'. This meaning trancends just mere martial arts skill alone as a Pendekar is also respected by the society that he lives in for his wisdom and knowledge, an embodiment of an ideal concept. He is sought for his counsel and ability to heal, a contrast to his deadly skills.

In the art that the Pendekar practises, this utilization of the intellect to rationalize the full range of weapons that he has been naturally endowed with is expressed in the way that he uses the body as an integrated system devoted to the subjugation or destruction of his enemies whichever is most suitable for the situation at hand. In Bahasa Melayu this is expressed as 'Dari hujung rambut ke hujung kaki', meaning 'from the tips of our hair to the tip of our toes', all are potential weapons to be used at the right moment.

He is not locked in by a single paradigm but understands that his knowledge and perception is limited, humility and nobility is his character and reflected in his behaviour. In many cases the Pendekar is also a religious leader in his community. Frequently he would have travelled extensively and studied under many masters of different styles.

The Pendekar may teach an amalgamation of these styles but not giving any name to the art form that he teaches. He normally chooses to teach in small groups of students and often the best teach in this manner.

To a layman, the Pendekar may not be recognisable as a fighter. They are quite often small in stature typical of the people from this region, soft spoken and gentle, moving with the grace of a dancer. When a Pendekar executes the 'Bunga' silat, a flowery dance like form typical of Silat styles you see grace and very little power.

And yet when a Pendekar explodes into action, the whole body moves with grace, precision and power, making full use of the opponents own momentum to subjugate and destroy him. Often, it is the opponents own aggresiveness force that defeats him for the Pendekar will flow with the attack, never confronting force with force unless it is absolutely necessary.

You will not see a Pendekar moving in an uncoordinated manner, he will normally stand still upright in a relaxed stance not quite what a layman expects. At times he may assume postures to confuse or entice an enemy to fall into his trap.

He may simply stand with both arms to his side even in the face of an agressive opponent calmly devoted to the remembrance of his Creator even as he faces his enemy. His attitude is that all his opponents and he himself are encompassed within the power of their Creator, there is no power that can subjugate but the Creator's and it is to HIS will does the Pendekar submit.

A true Pendekar will teach his students this for when the opponent is full of rage, we must be calm, for in calmness via this remembrance will, god willing, victory come to us. Rage will reduce our intellect and by so doing the full execution of our Silat is not possible. Fire must never be fought with fire but with elements that will douse that fire.

Perhaps the best way to illustrate this is a response to a simple punching attack to the solar plexus. As the punch is executed by the opponent, the Pendekar who may stand upright in a normal standing position rotates his body by explosively rotating his hips, putting his weight on the balls of his foot.

Force is generated by the rotation of the of the hips, ball of foot, shoulders, which is also flexed at the instance of striking, and a flick of the wrist so that the full force of his body and arm arrives as a highly focused one or two finger strike to the opponents throat.

He makes no move to block the punch at all and the opponents fist may actually hit him but because he has rotated his body the punch has lost it's lethal power. The Pendekar realizes that a strike is only effective if it is focused, move beyond the range of this focus even a little bit and the opponents strike is of no consequence. A simple movement will suffice. Why run when we can walk?

A term for this kind of close range combat is called 'sepadi'. 'Padi' is a grain of rice, so this word means that the distance between us and the opponent is just one grain of rice. The style of flow is called, 'angin se angin, colek secolek' which is a bit difficult to translate. 'Angin' can mean wind or breeze, 'colek' is like a gentle playful stroke or prodding with our finger.

Roughly it conveys the meaning that we move like the air striking with precision, often the finger or toe is used as nerve strikes. Light taps are used to unbalance the opponent keeping him under the Pendekar's control.

This is the essence of Silat, subtlety, speed, flow, often seemingly gentle to the point of impracticality and utilization of the human intellect. A Silat style as practised by the PENDEKAR reflects the culture and attitude of the Melayu, a race known to be gentle, polite, soft spoken and yet fierce when provoked.

A book I would love to own, but is only available in libraries today.

This article was written by Abu Mansur and was sourced from http://www.geocities.com/~pendekar/

Appreciate, before it's too late

Silat. Pencak. Gayung. Call it what you want, there’s just no denying that all of these are a part of the whole. Melayu, Bugis, Sunda, Minang, Mendeleng. They’re just names to describe a particular origin. But when you strip away the black cloth or gold-threaded ornamentation, the palace or peasant origins, the aggressive striking or undulating gestures, you’re left with nothing but a man.

A man who shoulders the heavy burden of caring for his family, his nation and his way of life. Of what use is self-defence if not to defend these? Of what import is combat if not to combat evil? Of what worth is life if not to sacrifice for worthwhile ideals? These are the true reasons an martial art is born, to champion the cause of truth, to empower the weak of ways and to preserve the tranquility of peace.

And yet, there are those in this world who would betray those who imparted those values, those martial arts to them. They seek benefit from the glow that this virtuous expression of the human soul provides. For self-interest, they would auction off what pride they had left to the highest bidder to create mindless, emotionless yes-men whose only task in life is to revere them.

This post is dedicated to the masters who have spent their lives in anonymity, suffering in silence as their ‘students’ race on, never to look back. If they did, they would see that the humble fountain from which they drank their fill has now dried up for lack of kindness.

SILAT MELAYU: THE BLOG weeps for those forgotten ones. The Living Treasures who have now left us, and those who are still unappreciated amongst us. Who are they? They are the elders. He might be that lonely man in your village waiting for someone to ask what he knows, or the bench potato who decides to die with his knowledge rather than sell them meagerly to ungrateful offspring. They have all been forcibly retired from their love.

It is ironic then, that the power, speed and grace of Silat pales in comparison with the poison of its greatest enemy. Apathy. Have you appreciated your Living Treasure today? Salam persilatan!

Fight Quest - Pencak Silat episode download links

Here are the download links for Fight Quest - Pencak Silat courtesy of our blog reader, Mr_Hulk.

Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 1
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 2
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 3
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 4
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 5
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 6
Fight Quest - Pencak Silat Part 7

Gnarly, huh? Wait for the review...