THE HISTORY OF PENCAK SILAT

The history of Pencak Silat

In prehistoric times the inhabitants of the regions where today Pencak Silat is practiced, are Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei, probably invented techniques with which they could defend themselves against wild animals or hunt them to get some food . During the early emigrations of nations on the south-east Asian islands first methods of self-defence against enemy tribes were developed. The first documentations on Pencak Silat are dating back to the 7th century. In the 11th century the sovereigns promoted on the isle of Java a martial-art where fighting only with hands, fists, elbows and knees was allowed as well as the fighting with weapons (stick, knife, sword and other objects of the rural population i.e. machetes) From this time on different styles developed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Southern Philippines. The first documentations on Pencak Silat are dating back to the 7th century. In the 11th century the sovereigns promoted on the isle of Java the martial-arts were fighting only with hands, fists, elbows and knees was allowed as well as the fighting with weapons (stick, knife, sword and other objects of the rural population i.e. machetes) From this time on different styles developed in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Southern Philippines. Today Pencak Silat could be called as a generic term for all Indonesian martial-arts. The word pencak means "skillful movement"; Silat means "skillful fighting". Pencak Silat is characterized through the fact that all hand and foot techniques can also be done together with weapons. It can be divided up into two methods: Pencak as a training for self-defence and Silat as a training for real fighting. A basic principle of Pencak Silat is to give way to an attack. The defendant doesn't block the attack with all his power but tries to use the attacking energy for his own counter-techniques. Due to the fact that Pencak Silat was never meant to be a kind of sports there are no exercises for warming-up, stretching or other preparation exercises. For this reason the partner during the training is not called an opponent but an enemy. Similar to Kung-Fu many movements try to imitate the movements of animals so that there are techniques and positions that have names such as "preacherer" (Pendeta), "tiger" (Harimau) or "eagle" (Garuda). Other names are of a more poetic nature "jump in the dragon's style" (Lompat sikap naga) or "jump like a princess" (Lompat putri bersedia), however the techniques themselves are less poetic and more powerful and effective. Under the generic term Pencak Silat about 150 different styles can be named, however these styles differ more or less from one another. This high number of styles can be explained by the geographical situation of Indonesia and Malaysia consisting of thousands of islands. The following common features can be identified: West-Java: Central-Java: Eastern-Java, Bali, Madura: Sumatra: Hand- and arm techniques (Tjingrik, Tjimande and Mustika Kwitang Style) Arm- and leg techniques (Setia Hati, Tapak Suci) Arm- und leg techniques, blocking- and throwing techniques (Perisai-Diri, Bhakti Negara, Pamur Styles) Leg- and foot techniques (Harimau, Patai Baru, Kumango Sty Pencak Silat as a sport: Full-contact style: punches to the head are forbidden, a fight takes three rounds of two minutes each. The rating is done according to the perfection of kicks, punches, throws as well as evasion techniques and the pureness of the style. Form contest: The ratings are done according short fixed movements -Jurus- with attacking and defence techniques against imaginary opponents which are put together to long forms -Kembangan-. These forms take about three minutes to be exercised. The rating criteria are the pureness of the forms and the variety of techniques. More kembangan are done with traditional weapons i.e. a stick.