What is Pencak Silat
An Indonesian
Art
Where did it come
from?
More recently
An Indonesian Art
Pencak silat is the indigenous martial art of Indonesia.
The term, pencak silat, has only been used as a term of general
application since about the 1950s and after Indonesian
independence.
A wide diversity of styles and techniques occur by reason
of the wide diversity of development by different people in
different regions without necessarily emanating from a common
source. There are many hundreds of different styles (aliran)
spread across the 13,000 islands comprising the Indonesian
archipelago and they can differ markedly. [1]
Pencak silat (by different names) is part of a common Malay
culture spanning Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam,
and the Philippines. "Silat Melayu" is a common term for the
types of silat in the Southeast Asia peninsular consisting of
Malaysia, Thailand, Brunei and Singapore. "Bersilat" is used
in Malaysia. "Pasilat" is a term sometimes used in the
Phillipines. Often the shortened version of "silat"
suffices.
The term pencak silat derives from two components. The
word "pencak" (and its dialectic equivalents) is commonly used in
Java, Madura and Bali, whereas the term "silat" (or "silek") is
more likely in Sumatra.
Pencak has different associations in different places. It
is associated with dance performances performed to specific rhythms
provided by drummers and publicly performed. The contrary was
the case for the Javanese people of West and Central Java; for them
it meant self defence and, as such, was inappropriate for public
consumption and certainly not for general display.
It is sometimes said that "pencak" relates to the traditional
dances and "silat" to the self defence aspects (for instance the
Minangkabau of West Sumatra); but this may perhaps be over
simplistic and by no means universally adopted. On this
topic, Donn Draeger said:
"It will be apparent from the definition of pentjak-silat
[old spelling] … that it can be practiced in two different
ways. But underlying all is the fact that pentjak is
practiced to develop silat ability; pentjak is never practiced for
its own sake. With rare exceptions it is only the pentjak
component that the casual observer is committed to see; his
untutored eye is reaches the natural conclusion that what he sees
is the whole. The regulated performance of pentjak utilizes a
beauty of action, fluidity, and quickness that can appear to be a
dancelike rhythm. Add to this the percussion music …, which
usually accompanies pentjak training, and the view's conclusion is
intensified. But the music is used much like a metronome in
order to determine rhythm of movement for trainees, not to make
pentjak a dance form. The music is of course dispensed with
in silat." [2]
Where did it come
from?
The history of pencak silat, as with other martial arts, is
virtually impossible to ascertain as it was an oral
tradition. Further, the practice and learning of martial arts
was often bound up with obligations of secrecy and this is perhaps
even more so in Indonesia than in most other places. The lack
of verifiable documentation makes a precise understanding of the
history elusive.
Similar to many Asian martial arts an inspirational source of
techniques and styles are attributed to the behavior, actions,
character and attributes of animals. Practitioners
copied the movements and stances of tigers, eagles, snakes,
crocodiles, monkeys, scorpions and dragons. Not only are
stances named after members of the animal kingdom, but some pencak
silat styles make such close associations with the animal kingdom
that they take their names from animals such as harimau (tiger) and
garuda putih (white eagle).
Legends vary as to the origins. Some attribute it to the
monkeys and their fighting style which were copied by humans.
In West Java the Cimande style is said to derive from a woman
emulating the movements of a tiger fighting with a monkey. An
interesting aspect in many of the legends is the prominent role
attributed to women as the originators of the art.
Methods of fighting are likely to be as old as mankind
itself. Its systemization and development tend to run in
tandem with the development of kingdoms and the waging of wars
between kingdoms. A substantial influence on the arts
indigenous to Indonesia would have been the interaction with other
kingdoms in South and East Asia, especially in China and
India. The influence of kuntao from China came from the many
coastal towns in Java where trade with the Chinese was
common. Perhaps the strongest influence was in Jakarta
(formerly Batavia) as a result of a large influx of Chinese.
Many Chinese were brought there in 1619 to build the city.
When trying to establish a source from which the plethora of
different styles emanated, the styles of West Sumatra and West Java
are often referred to. In West Sumatra, in the Minangkabau
region pencak silat may have developed from a single source.
In West Java, the well known Cimande style is very prominent.
It is to these regions and styles that the source of pencak silat
is often attributed. Whether they were the source or not,
they were likely to have been integral to developments
elsewhere.
More
recently
Silat schools (perguruan) operated similar to other Asian
martial art schools as organizations for the passing on of cultural
and moral values as well as fighting skills. Ethical behavior
was a requirement and the relationship between teacher and student
was a very important one. Training was much more than simply
engaging in a physical activity.
Silat schools became less important in terms of general
education when the Dutch government introduced a public schools
programme in the early part of the 20th century.
An indirect consequence of this was the development of a more
formal structure being given to silat schools because of the
loosening of the previous informal ties. Masters of the art
set rules regulating the behavior and ethical standards expected of
students. It was usual for the strict enforcement of
regulations, including prohibiting students to study with other
schools and forbidding the teaching of outsiders.
No doubt the Dutch colonial government would have had some
unease about the existence of these schools. The schools
could readily be perceived as organizations with the potential to
promote a nationalistic ideology and resistance to the Dutch
colonial government. It is often said that government
scrutiny forced some schools into a underground existence,
particularly if there was any hint of association with political
activity.
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[1] Donn
Draeger's reference to 157 "officially recognized" styles probably
dramatically underestimated the numbers.Draeger, Donn F "The
Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia"; Charles E. Tuttle Company
Japan 1972, p.33. He refers to "several hundred" in a
subsequent publication: Chambers C. and Draeger D. "Javanese Silat:
The Fighting Art of Perisai Diri" Kodansha International Ltd Japan
(1978)
[2]
Draeger, Donn F "The Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia";
Charles E. Tuttle Company Japan (1972), p.37-8