Books on Traditional Silat (Part 2)

The second book I wish to share with you is entitled 'Silat Melayu: The Malay Art of Attack and Defence'. 

Now this really is an old publication. First publication 1978.

Interestingly enough, this piece of work was a collaboration between a Silat master and a renowned Kung Fu (Shaolin) master.

'...A NOTE ON THE AUTHORS

Ku Ahmad bin Ku Mustaffa is a renowned Silat expert. He started his Silat training with his father at an early age. Now he is a master of six different styles, having learnt from sixteen Silat teachers. He has taught Silat to the Malaysian Army and the elite Commando unit. At the moment he is the national instructor of the National Silat Squad.

WONG Kiew Kit is an eminent martial arts master. He is also a writer and teacher, and his writings have been published in many countries. His deep understanding of martial arts as well as his writing and teaching experience provide him with an invaluable insight to present this book with perspective and clarity...'. (A direct excerpt from the book)

Front Cover

Back Cover

Excerpt from Book (Page 8 of 76)

A funny coincidence is that the authors brother (I am not sure whether younger or older... I'll ask him when I see him) is now the Malaysian High Commission to Brunei Darussalam. The main Silat that they practice is apparently a family art that has been passed down from one generation to another. However, the author himself is also well versed in a number of styles of Silat from found in Malaysia. This includes: Silat Minangkabau, Silat Sendeng, Silat Patani, Silat Kelantan, Silat Kedah and Silat Java. Impressive.

Their family art is referred to as 'Silat Tok Ku', but I have yet to find any material on the art on the Internet. ( Perhaps my friend Nadzrin (http://silat-melayu.blogspot.com/) can help shed some more light on the matter... Nadzrin? :-) )

The author is also the technical advisor for the very well done fight scene in the Malaysian movie 'Matinya Seorang Patriot' (Death of A Patriot). *See YouTube link below.

I was told by the Malaysian High Commissioner that the scene pretty much exemplifies what their family art looks like.

Some further information on Wong Kiew Kit (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzjQDW5-Ndo)... I have in my collection, perhaps most if not all of the books he has ever written.

He has some very interesting thoughts and practices on Kung Fu and Qigong, that seems to strike a cord with me. His main school is in Penang, but he has representative's in a number of countries.

I find it refreshing to see that two authentic teachers of their respective arts could work together in producing this very well made and informative publication.

Books on Traditional Silat (Part 1)

As most of us are aware, there is a dearth of books out there on 'authentic' Silat and Kuntao. 

Right now it is 'fashionable' to intermix and execute Silat off a kickboxing base. Some practitioners do this citing that the traditional/classical stances are not effective in a real altercation: 'Too messy', 'Classical mess', irrelevant and so on. 

NOTE: I will not go into the value and basis of these statements because that is not the point of this particular post.

As a result of this, the books that do show Silat and Kuntao by and large show the practitioners working off more 'modern' platforms of boxing and kickboxing. No 'bunga' (flowers) and absolutely no 'Seni' (art/tradition). A pity really. 

What I would like to share with you below is some of the much older - and thus probably out of print - editions of Silat books written by custodians of their respective arts.   

The first book is 'Tempur Tanpa Senjata' ('Fighting/Combat without weapons'). This book showcases the art of 'Silat Gayong Malaysia'. I bought this book yonks ago. First publication was 1990. This book was published by one of the senior instructors of the art:  'Abdul Majid Bin Mat Isa'. 

For the purpose of sharing this very rare gem in the book and Silat world I have scanned and posted on this blog the front cover, back cover and one page from the original 149 paged publication. I have also taken the liberty of translating the Malay on these scans for the benefit of the non-Malays reading this post.

NOTE: I will remove the respective content should the original publisher and/or author - or even any concerned parties - contact me directly through this blog or email. I will NOT be posting or in any way make available in printed or electronic form the complete copy of the original work now or any time in the future.

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Front Cover

Back Cover

Translated text: 

"... Name: Abd. Majid Bin Mat Isa. Born 49 years ago. Originating from Kampong (Village) 'Kepala Bukit Gurun', Kedah Darul Aman.

First involved in Seni Silat Gayung in the year 1956, through Guru Meor Abd. Aziz, Daing Uda Mohd. Hashim (Father) as well as Tuan Guru Haji Hussain Dol (a religious scholar). He was instructed by Maha guru Meor Abd. Rahman (Younger brother to Maha Guru Abd. Aziz) and Alllahyarham Dato Onn Jaafar to deepen his knowledge in this silat at the Seni Silat Gayung School Woodland Singapore training centre in the year 1959 for a year. After completing this, he returned to Kedah and became a trainer there as the Guru Tertinggi (Highest ranking teacher) in the year 1960.

At the end of 1961 once more he returned to Singapore to further deepen his knowledge of 'playing' weapons (Keris) and in the middle of 1962 returned back to Kedah and here he trained students to 'play' with weapons till this day.

Places where he has taught include Johor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang, Trengganu, Kelantan, Selangor, Perak, Perlis, Penang and Medan (Indonesia). He has 10 childre ( 7 boys and 3 girls)...".

Excerpt From Book (Page 2 of 149)

Translated text: 

"... Tapak Pusaka Gayung will be taught to new members, that is methods of exercising, movement, young tiger cub exercises, basic stances, attacking stances, strikes and counter strikes and the whole syllabus of empty hand techniques. This means that (they) can play 21 capturing techniques, and 21 fast attacking and counterattacking techniques..."

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Books like these are a real rare find, and it is a crying shame that the additional step of translating the content to the more accessible English was not done. The scan above is just a scratch on the surface in relation to the abundance of information found within this particular publication. The contents includes but is not limited to: vital points, training/drilling methods, combative applications, locks, throws and an outline/commentary on the training syllabus within Seni Silat Gayong. There is even one section on 'Kebatinan'... or the more spiritual aspects of the art.

Seni Silat Gayong has gotten its fair share of the limelight. Particularly as it was one of the arts - the main one in fact - showcased on the History Channel's 'Human Weapon' series.

Seni Silat Gayong (SSG) is one of those arts that clearly shows what can be done when Silat/Kuntao is properly nurtured and promoted by its founder(s). There is a number of variants of SSG now, but it is - safe to say - one of the larger organisations of Silat found in Malaysia.

It would be nice to see more books written in the manner of 'Tempur Tanpa Senjata' because it stays true the origins of the art in both the cultural and historical context. I always believe that knowledge needs to evolve, and that is true of martial arts as well. But, there needs to be a balance drawn between dogmatic adherence to tradition and the progressive development of Silat and Kuntao. There just has to... there is space enough in this world for both. In fact I strongly believe that the one can truly complement the other, and makes for a more complete understanding of the respective arts of Silat and Kuntao.

When Veterans Come To Play

I would like to introduce to you two 'tangan lama' (old hands) of the art of Seni Silat Chakak (Brunei). Both were national champions at one time or another in both Silat and Kuntao. One of them is my guru (teacher).

What I would like to highlight here is that both these gentlemen are in their sprightly 60s. I can only hope and pray that I am as active and vibrant at that age as these two men obviously are.

The video clip you are viewing shows an impromptu 'presentation' - it is actually sparring - of two Silat Chakak masters. Completely unrehearsed and fluid.

This should give you an idea of what Silat Chakak looks like in competition. Each practitioner tries to out manoeuvre, out time and out play the other with feints, locks and strikes. As you can see from this presentation, there are - again - no kicks in Silat Chakak. However, what you will see is that one of the players - the bearded one - will lift his knee in a knee-strike.

This is not a full-contact form of competition. Scores are gained by 'indicative' strikes, which can clearly show that had the technique connected the opponent would have been struck/harmed.

But... in all honesty, when the heat is on and the middle-judge ( the gentleman who circles the players in the middle of the mat) is not attentive... fists do connect. According to the rules, however, no strikes should connect. Nothing above the shoulders. Nothing below the waist.

It is always a pleasure to watch veterans play. The poise that they maintain and the grace with which they move is what all of us try to achieve in our own practice.

I have come a long way from the early days when I first started my training with my guru. He has taught me much in the way of Silat and Kuntao... but also the principles that a 'pesilat' ( a person who practices Silat) should strive to maintain... Nobility and strength of character.

Some further notes on this video clip... all too often I have seen 'sparring' between two pesilats degenerate into a kickboxing match. Initially there will be some 'seni' (art) shown in their approach, but once combat is enjoined... this usually goes out the window. In addition, there is also alot of instances now where Silat and Kuntao is executed off a kickboxing or boxing base.

This video clip clearly shows that an effective offensive and defensive strategy can clearly be adopted from a 'classical' (traditional) base.

Enjoy.

A Culmination of Learning, Practice and Research

The following short video clip showcases the culmination of the following:

• the different silat and kuntao that I have learnt, 
• research of other arts (Wing Chun and Kali/Escrima/Arnis), and 
• personal practice.

You will see here some 'flavours' from Wing Chun and Kali. I will give credit where credit is due. I will not deceive you into saying that this is 'pure' Silat and Kuntao... it isn't.

I am a loner by nature, and have had great difficulty in the past of securing individuals with similar interest in martial arts. Add to that the commitments I had with my family and work, and scheduling practice/sparring sessions became a real challenge.

I was thoroughly inspired by the Mook Joong of Wing Chun, and set about researching about it.

 

In the end, I approached a local Chinese contractor to have him build my own custom dummy: unlike the Mook Joong of Wing Chun, my custom dummy had only two 'arms' and no 'leg'.

In addition to the physical build of the custom dummy, I had to also re-look at and re-work the pentjak silat that I was taught so that it would 'play' better in such close ranges,

• The horizontal fist was modified to the Wing Chun type Vertical fist (this same fist is the same fist adopted in Seni Silat Chakak Brunei).
  
• The extended and low stances were shortened to the more mobile boxing or kali type stances. And,
• Kicks were kept low and sweeps were emphasised.

I loved it!... I could practice whenever I wanted. In addition there was alot that learnt from the 'dummy'... which was actually quite enlightening. 

Environmental Factors and Context... Or why does Silat Chakak and Kuntao have no/few kicks

As previously mentioned in other posts, Silat Chakak (Brunei) does not have any kicks. As a further clarification on this, Silat Chakak does have sweeps and stomps. Some might argue that a 'stomp' is a type of kick. But as we progress through this post, you will understand some of the confusion on the matter.

Kuntao does however have kicks, but - in the form that I study - is limited to two (2) kicks: front and inside crescent kick. Another form of Kuntao that I studied has in addition to the two mentioned in the previous sentence, also a side kick which chambers off a crossed leg stance. But in general, both these two forms of Kuntao do not kick above the waist.

Kuntao Ladies in Competition (2007)

Environmental factors and context play a significant role as to why it is - according to my research, interviews and thoughts on the matter - that these two native arts have little or no kicks.

With respect to Kuntao, I am of the firm believe that the scarcity of kicks in its technical reportoire has to do alot with its origin. It is generally accepted in Brunei that Kuntao has its origins in Southern forms of Chinese Kung Fu.

~*~

Possible ways of interpreting the meaning of 'Kuntao' depending on the Chinese (Southern) dialect that is involved,

- Kung Dao: As in 'Kung' meaning 'Hard', and 'Dao' as in 'Way'. And,


- Kuen Dao: As in 'Kuen' meaning 'Fist', and 'Dao' as in 'Way'.

NOTE: In Five Ancestor Kung Fu the forms of the art are known as 'Kun-To'. (Source: Five Ancestor Fist Kung-Fu, Author: Alexander L. Co. Publisher: Tuttle. ISBN: 0-8048-3153-X)

~*~

Now I say generally because there is now a movement - a small one, but one that involves 'influencial' individuals - to rename Kuntao as 'Pentjak Silat Brunei'. The basis for this movement is the reported lack of supportive information/evidence, or so say the 'elders' of the arts, that support the Chinese origins of Kuntao. I am sorry to say that my own guru is one of these people. Strange that, considering the name of Kuntao he taught me has a very obvious Chinese name. But I digress... I am not inclined to involve myself in ethno-politics.

It only seems logical that most of the Kung Fu in the Southeast Asian region is made up of Southern forms : Choy Lay Fut, Wing Chun, Southern Praying Mantis, White Crane and Ngo Cho Kun. This is due in some part to geographical factors (close proximity) and economics (trade links between China through the Southern ports and parts of Southeast Asia).

"...To defend themselves, they brought along martial arts masters from Mainland China. Upon arrival in the archipelago, these bodyguards accompanied their bosses who were trading their wares to a number of outlying regions, using indigenous coolies to carry the goods. Along the way, the bodyguards provided self-defense instruction to the coolies to enable them to assist in warding off local robbers in the eventuality of an attack. This brought about the widespread dissemination of Chinese silat in Indonesia (Liem Yoe Kiong 1960:57)..." 

(Para. 1, Pg. 45, Chapter 2: A Brief History of Pencak Silat. Source: Pencak Silat in the Indonesian Archipelago, Author: O'ong Maryono. Publisher: Yayasan Galang. ISBN: 979-9341-60-4)

Which makes sense doesn't it?... I mean, not withstanding the movie 'The Bodyguard', no one person could possibly provide effective protective services on his/her own. It ownly seems tactically sound to recruit support where possible to better the odds.

The citation above could also be the same reason why there is only a very small range of techniques found in Bruneian Kuntao. Small... but effective.

The combative functionality of Kuntao is very evident. Always a crowd puller and pleaser during competitions, it does not have the technical nuances of Silat Chakak. Direct and powerful, the objective of Kuntao is dominance of the opponent in the shortest time possible.

Now, lets not get too dismissive when I say that Kuntao has a 'small range of techniques'. Lets put it in perspective: Thai kickboxing (Muay Thai) has a small range of techniques relative to Karate and Kung Fu ... but does anyone have even the slightest doubt of Thai kickboxing's efficacy?... I think not.

And what of Silat Chakak?... Ah well, here I am at a loss. Silat Chakak Brunei has no real documented history. Even speaking with some of the elders of the art, they can only cite as far back as the 1950s or 1940s. They only recount those dates as a reference point saying that Seni Silat Chakak was formally - with royal patronage - included in national competition, and as such conclude that if it was formally recognised during the 40s or 50s then Seni Silat Chakak must've been in existence well before that. Practiced within the respective kampongs (villages) and keluargas (families).

There is some contention on the matter of kicks in Silat Chakak. My own guru tells me that there is no kicks in Seni Silat Chakak, but then there is a caption of a practitioner and teacher of Seni Silat Chakak doing a waist high kick in the only formal publication on 'Seni Cekak Asli Brunei' (Published by 'Persekutuan Pencak Silat Kebangsaan Brunei Darussalam (PERSIB)'.

Controversial Silat Chakak 'Kick'

When asked about this, my guru shakes his head 'mournfully' :-) Saying things along the lines of 'thats how the art is slowly losing its authencity'. He is by the way related - yes, Brunei IS that small - to the gentleman executing the kick in the book (pictured above). And my guru has related his displeasure to that relative of his.

But... I propose a more mundane and - hopefully - less contentious reason why there are no kicks in Silat Chakak and very little kicks in Kuntao Brunei: The inhabitants of Brunei Darussalam one time or another either made their homes in the jungle and/or the river (water village or 'kampong ayer').

The Water Village ('Kampong Ayer')

Each house in the water village is interconnected by what is known in Brunei Malay as 'piling'. Or in English 'Piling' :-) ... literally referring to the steel piles that support the wooden and sometime cement walkways.

Now the cement ones are obviously very stable. But the same cannot always be said of the wooden ones, which have a little 'give' and 'sway' to them when walked upon. The wooden ones are almost always narrow, with the widest maybe accommodating two or three (pushing it abit) people walking abreast. (Pictured on the far right above)

And the waters in and around kampong ayer aren't ones you'd want to fall into either... as some households still practice... uhm, how to put this delicately... still practice 'open toilets'.

So... picture yourself in an altercation on one of these narrow wooden walkways. No... you would not want to execute kicks because you wish to maintain your stability. If your opponent or opponents rush you... its a quick plunge into the waters below. And what kicks you choose to execute should be short, sharp and low, so that you can recover quickly to a solid stance.

The Jungle

Well... need I say more. This is an actual picture of a typical jungle setting in Brunei Darussalam. The dense undergrowth... the fallen decomposing vegetation. These all contribute to trip hazards. The uneven terrain and debris all over the ground is not conducive to overly fancy stances and kicks. No... not at all.

No leaping tiger, hidden dragon moves here.

In my younger and sillier days when looking for naturally occurring springs was a past-time, I use to trek into the jungle with mutually inclined friends. And believe me, the vegetation that we had to make our way through was hardly dense, but there were slips and trips a plenty. In addition, over hanging vines and small branches impeded our progress. Snagging at our clothes and pulling at our limbs.

Of course there can be other reasons why there is dearth of kicks in Silat Chakak and Kuntao... but I find that the reasons cited in this post is enough for me.

I welcome any other possible theories with relish... but nothing too exotic please :-)

Moved to www.tribumi.org

I have migrated this blog to WORDPRESS.ORG ...

www.tribumi.org


See you there!

An Introduction

Perguruan Tribumi...

This introduction is a pre-emptive post, which will hopefully counter the possible 'negative' perception of visitors when they first come across my blog: 'Oh no, yet another martial arts blog...', 'Silat and Kuntao?!?!... Not interested'.

This blog is more than that. This blog is written in the manner of a travelogue.

Journaling my life experience in the many roles I fulfill: Father, Husband, Brother, Son, Employee etc.

But in keeping with the blogs title I have also decided to undertake a project to 're-make' or 're-brand' even the image of Silat and Kuntao in Brunei Darussalam.

I feel that there is a need to salvage Silat and Kuntao from being labeled as an anachronistic pursuit that has lost its purpose and value in the modern world. A pursuit adhered to either by 'bomoh/pawang' types, 'kaki kelahi' hooligans or modern day 'Don Quixote'.

I wish to see the looks of confusion and skepticism, replaced with respect or at the very least polite indifference in response to someone's admission that they practice 'Silat/Kuntao'.

I am not looking to put Silat and Kuntao in a category above the other sportive activities; it should not be seen as a 'sacred' pursuit that is shrouded in mystery and inaccessible.

No... it is a valid physical discipline with the same positive goals and outcomes of other sportive endeavors: discipline, fitness, health etc.

Yes, of course, there is some element of that 'other' aspect of Silat and Kuntao: the superstition, the dubious practices, the cult-like followings of some schools ('Perguruans') and so on. But this should not overshadow that the art in itself is noble, and is so linked to our cultural and historal fabric that Silat and Kuntao is seen as a predominantly Malay martial art.

So onwards... and welcome... at the very least I hope you find this blog diverting. At most, interesting.