Pencak Silat is the collective name for traditional Indonesian martial arts. Different styles have traditionally developed in each region, often imitating local animals.
In Indonesia, Pencak Silat is strongly intertwined with mental and spiritual elements, where physical and mental development go hand in hand. In Europe, the physical aspect is best known.
The Origin of Pencak Silat
Because the Indonesian jungle was home to many wild animals, the Indonesians learned a form of self-defense that distinguished itself from any other form of self-defense.
They began by imitating the movements of animals. These techniques were continuously adapted and perfected. What most people agree on is that Pencak Silat originated in West Sumatra among the Minangkabau people.
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 today.
What is Pencak Silat?
The power of pencak silat is revealed when it transitions into hard, fast movements. Pencak silat therefore consists of two parts. Pencak stands for movement with controlled, fluid 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 patiently and calmly wait for the attack before using their 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 prohibited due to their devastating effect on the opponent.
Making acquaintances with the West
Although Dutch colonialists in the then Dutch East Indies had already become acquainted with it, the article that appeared in the American magazine Black Belt in June 1965, with a photo of a demonstration by Rudy Ter Linden and Paul de Thouars on the cover, is considered the moment of first acquaintance of the West and the beginning of the international breakthrough, two figures who would play an important role in it.
In Europe, only a few schools focus on the traditional and more authentic form of silat. Here, instructors strive to keep the style untouched by influences from other martial arts, aiming for maximum authenticity. These schools often maintain direct contact with the mother school in Indonesia.
More modern styles of pencak silat focus primarily on the physical element of silat (self-defense techniques, the art form in the form of demonstrations, and the sport element). Influences from other martial arts are not excluded. For example, the use of weapons, mainly from Chinese martial arts, is common.
