I have a friend from Indonesia, and we talking about different Martial Arts. He likes hard, tough styles like Muay Thai, some forms of Ju-jitsu, etc. I asked him about Silat, and he said he didn't like it because it was too soft, and prefured harder, more athletic Indonesian styles. I always thought Silat was a tough style. What is Silat's characteristics?
I don't think you can easily answer this -- silat is a big tent, and different styles look different. I don't know which one your friend practices, but I can say from experience that if there is a harder-hitting system than Sera, I haven't seen it in nearly forty years of looking and training in various forms of martial arts. As for athleticism, that's a different beast. Sera doesn't seem to require the same levels as some arts, but that's because our founder was a cripple, so naturally he would have left out the leaping flying twirling stuff ... Steve
Salam hormat to all, What Steve said is true. Silat is a generic name for any martial art that originates from Nusantara (The Melayu Archipelago) and is synthesised through the attitudes and opinions of the Nusantara people. Anthropologists have mainly categorised the Nusantara region to include the South Thailand (from Segenting Kera) as far East as the Hawaiian Islands and as far West as all the Indonesian Islands and as far South as the Australasian region. (Please correct me if I'm wrong, anybody). As such, the Nusantara peoples are considered by themselves as the youngest civilization in the world, coming into its own after many great dynasties of the Greek, Arab, Persian and Chinese worlds have come and gone. Being a race descended of many others, chief among them, Aborigine, Yunnanese, Arab and Persian blood, much of our knowledge is also assimilated. Thus, silat in ancient history took the form of whatever was neccesary for a combat situation in the multitudinous landscape of Nusantara. Rainforests, mountains, volcanoes, marshy land all contributed to the attitudes and opinions that later formed the Nusantara culture, which eventually gave birth to Silat. Characteristics such as low stances, high stances, locking, throwing, sweeping, hitting, jumping, kicking are all part of Silat. Presently in Malaysian kampungs, whether you believe it or not, I could probably show you a Silat style that closely resembles Capoeira and in some quarters, actually have recorded history of one of their ancestors travelling to the West to teach this art, making them wonder if parts of their silat was incorporated into Capoeira? Never mind the connection. Hard, soft, tall, short, big, small, fast, slow, they are all Silat. This, unfortunately is one of the many reasons why Silat cannot be classified. What is Silat's characteristics? Let me just summarise it in one sentence, which I think you'll recognise as universal for many arts. Silat is life. Saiful Azraq
correction Peace to all, Sure, i'll correct you The first paragraph to be exact. It should have been '...as far West as the island of Madagascar...' Glad you are here in this forum brother Saiful. Your knowledge in Malaysian Silat styles is enormous! Peace
Whoops... Salam hormat, Thanks for the save, Amirul. Going to have to check my notes. Sheesh! That was embarrassing. On that note, do you have any information on any Madagascar style silat? Saiful Azraq
oh oh Peace to all, Erk...silat Madagascar?? i don't think so. But i think i still have some notes that i photocopied from various anthropological books about Madagascar and its connection with Nusantara. peace
Gayong In Indonesia Salam hormat, This is going to be fun. Anybody in Indonesia reading this ever study Silat Seni Gayong, in Indonesia itself? I was going through some Gayong websites and discovered that not only did Allahyarham Datuk Meor Rahman Uda Hashim teach Gayong on Pulau Sudong in Singapore but that the art also spread to neighbouring islands, many of them within the rule of Indonesia! In the 40s no less! It changes quite a bit if this is true. Is it possible there is a systematized perguruan running around in Indonesia somewhere with a Gayong core of techniques? Please reply, somebody, anybody! Salam persilatan, Saiful Azraq
