Pencak Silat is the collective name for traditional Indonesian martial arts . Traditionally, different styles have been developed per region, often imitating local animals. In Indonesia, Pencak Silat is strongly mixed with mental spiritual elements, where physical and mental development go hand in hand. In Europe, the physical side is best known.
The Origin of Pencak Silat
Because many wild animals lived in the jungle of Indonesia, the Indonesians learned a self-defense that was different from any other form of self-defense. They started to imitate the movements of animals. These techniques were further adapted and perfected. What most people agree on is that Pencak Silat originated in West Sumatra with the Minangkabau. The oldest known styles, such as Silek Tuo, Silek Pauh, Silek Kumango, Silek Seteralak and Silek Lintau, all originate from this region and are still taught.
What is Pencak Silat
The power of pencak silat is expressed when it changes into hard, fast movements . Pencak silat therefore consists of two parts. Pencak stands for: movement with controlled, flexible body control, which is graceful. Silat stands for: lightning-fast movement, based on hardness with the aim of defense, neutralization and counterattack.
A well-trained Pencak Silat practitioner will never attack in real life, but will wait for the attack with great patience and control, and only then will he use his techniques in the fight. Some ways of practicing Pencak Silat also mean that participation in sparring and competitions is practically impossible, because the techniques used are forbidden because they have a devastating effect on the opponent.
Getting to know the West
Although the Dutch colonials in the then Dutch East Indies had already become acquainted with it, the moment of the first introduction to the West and the beginning of the international breakthrough is considered to be the article that appeared in June 1965 in the American magazine Black Belt, with a photo on the cover of a demonstration by Rudy Ter Linden and Paul de Thouars , two great figures who would play an important role in it.
Within Europe there are only a few schools that focus on the traditional and more authentic form of silat. Here the teachers try to keep the style untouched by influences from other fighting and defense arts to keep the style as authentic as possible. These schools are often in direct contact with the mother school in Indonesia.
The more modern styles of pencak silat focus mainly on the physical element of silat (self-defense techniques, art form in the form of demonstrations and the sports element). Influences from other martial arts are not excluded. For example, the use of weapons from mainly Chinese martial arts is common.