Any Pesilat Near Camden?

[Kiai Carita]

Hello fellow pesilat,

Salam shanti,

I am an Indonesian from Jawa living in London for my sins. I work in an Indonesian shop in the Stables Market in Camden, which used to be a stables and horse hospital. Up near the 10pence/pee toilets there is a lovely concrete floor which early in the morning and in the evening is mostly empty.

Beginning at about 8 in the morning during the week it is used as a car-park, but on the weekends it is mostly free until 9 a.m. After 6 in the evening it is mostly empty and while London has the sun, it gives a lovely sunset to anyone who cares to be in there at that magical moment. Since last month I have been using the floor for practising the few silat moves I learned when I was young and have a friend practising with me. It would be nice to have company and more friends, because I cannot teach my young friend and would like him to understand the varieties and similarities in Indonesian silat.

Because of this situation I am in I would like to meet any London pesilat who is poor enough to not need a formal studio and needs company to train in his/her moves. I offer my friendship and invitation to train with me in my 'beggar's clan' latihan space. Please contact me and I will give you my mobile number so that we can meet up at a good time. This 'secret' latihan arena is private property with security and if you do not work there you might be moved away. I judge/quess/feel that for now there would only be space for around 2 or max 3 more people to prance about up near the toilets or else the security might get upset.

Since the beginning of this year my fellow workers and I have also been practising on a Jawa peasant's gamelan set which my Boss collected during his buying trips to Jawa. Our community gamelan orchestra has twice accompanied me making a wayang kulit performance for the London public, and early this July we have been hand picked by the storytelling society to perform in an international festival in a lovely castle near Cardiff in Wales and getting paid for it! So we must be a little alright.

By the way I am (hopefully properly) trained and follow the path of the Jawa poet and am an apprentice since 1984 to W.S Rendra who now lives in Cipayung, Bogor. I also consider my guru's to be the novelist Pramoedya Ananta Toer, Ki Timbul Hadiprayitno, Ki Hadi Sugito, the late art critic Sanento Yuliman, the painter Sudarso, the rocker Sawung Jabo, and the translator Suzan Piper plus many more - I just listed the once that seem relevant.

In silat my teacher is Rendra. My trainer in silat was firstly Tommy Tomblok, after that Teddy Rendra was a great friend to discuss ilmu, then beginning in 1986 I was trained by Pepen Sabur rather intensively. Since then I have been off and on practising the physical aspects of silat but have been breathing and meditating constantly. I am no way an acomplished martial artist but I love silat.

Last Sunday evening I suggested to the gamelan group that we practise for to accompany kembangan and tried it out and it was great. So the 'Sekar Gedhogan' Community Gamelan Orchestra would also like to invite anyone interested in doing these Sunday evening kembangan practises to contact me. As I am the only kembangan player it is not much fun for the musicians... we need , again, two or three more kembangan players to make it real fun. Sunday, 8-10 p.m in the summer time when the livin is easy...

Lets bring silat to the community, sit on the floor still and silent and pay respect...twist upwards-sempok, get in to kuda-kuda and pasang, and move your langkahs! The Sekar Gedhogan gamelan orchestra will follow you plak-plak-plak-gong, ning-nong-ning-gung, plak-plak-kedeplak-gong, ning-nong-ning-gung and go on till the flow begun by the first gong ends with the last.
Improvised and playfull and flowing and fun with many spiritual and physical benefits.

I offer my friendship and respect,

Salam Hormat,

Kiai Carita.