Ethnography of Silat - Need Help From the Silat Community

[nonono90]

I am an anthropology student working on a project examining the practice of Indonesian Silat in the United States. A video and paper will be put together to present the information I have gathered. Help is needed! I am looking for two things:

1. Subjects to Interview
2. Footage of people training in Indonesia and the U.S.

I have been struggling to find experienced practioners to interview, especially people with experience training in Indonesia and the US. I also need to interview people who have trained exclusively in the US. Is anyone on the board interested in discussing silat? If you live in the Seattle, WA area we could meet and talk on film. Phone interviews also work. I'd like to interview people from a variety of geographic locations around the country.

I am especially interested in finding people willing to allow me access to footage of themselves, their school/training group, or training in Indonesia.

In return for your help, I'll be more than happy to provide a copy of the video.


Anyone interested in helping me explore the practice of Silate in the US? If so, please reply to this thread or contact me directly through PM.


-Matt

[Monyet Nakal]

Well you're certainly in a good part of the country for it. Lot's of great silat players in the north-west.

Good luck with your ethnography! (I'm a former anthro major myself)

[Gajah Silat]

Me too!!!

All I remember from the US side is Boaz & Geertz!

Lot's of Silat syncretism for nonono I s'pose

[Silat4life]

Originally Posted by Monyet Nakal

Well you're certainly in a good part of the country for it. Lot's of great silat players in the north-west.

+1

plenty of combat players have moved to Washington/Oregon to learn Silat.

[Orang Jawa]

Originally Posted by Silat4life

+1

plenty of combat players have moved to Washington/Oregon to learn Silat.

Pardon my ignorance....What does it means combat players?
In the military we have a badge we called it "CIB" or Combat Infantry Badge. To received that CIB, you have to be in several firesfights/life and death situation and must be veryfied and recomended by the company commander. Is combat Player meant all the players have been in combat? And which war?
The BS bell is start ringing
Tristan

[Sgt_Major]

I dont think he/she means combat as in war

[Silat4life]

From my very little knowledge of Silat, is that it's more of a combat fighting system, that a martial art.

[Silat4life]

Originally Posted by Sgt_Major

I dont think he/she means combat as in war

He.

[Orang Jawa]

Originally Posted by Silat4life

From my very little knowledge of Silat, is that it's more of a combat fighting system, that a martial art.

Hi Sarge,
I knew what it means but why then they have to advertised separately. Unless they used the word combat to promote their style or themselves

Pencak Silat is a martial arts Do you really need to put the word of combat to make it sound danger?
Pencak Silat are based on the use of weapons. They are positvely not considered empty-hand combative measures in the purest sense of that experession. No pencak silat system is combatively idealistic, so foolish, or so naive as to require the exclusive use of empty hand tactics for solving all combative situations. Rather empty-hand tactics are the foundation of weapon employments. Conversely, the exponent who is unarmed or disarmed does not suffer any disadvantage.
Am I too fast, here
Tristan

[Silat4life]

Ok