Pentjak Silat
Pentjak Silat – What do you Know About It?
Malaysia is a South East Asian country that is known for being the home of the former tallest building in the world which is the Petronas twin towers. Not only that, but it is also considered to be the world’s largest archipelago and is home to a multicultural stockpot that is produced as a result of a rich history. Lastly, the country is also famous for being the origin of one of the world’s famous martial art that is known as Pentjak Silat or Silat for short.
The name of the fighting art is divided into two distinct words. Pentjak describes the different body movements that are used during the training process. Silat on the other hand, which is the common name of the discipline, is said to describe the actual fight. The practitioner of the fighting art is called a Pesilat and can be seen wearing traditional Malay clothing when executing or performing his moves.
The most unique aspect of Pentjak Silat is the fact that it is not only used for defensive or combat purposes. It can also be used as a form of ritual dance to entertain and depict the different aspects of the Malay culture. This dance is done in accompaniment with various Malay musical instruments like the Kendang. Different variations of the dance are done in accordance with different customs and traditions like the ones in courtship and weddings.
While Pentjak Silat is said to have originated from Malaysia, it is not limited to it. There are other varieties of the fighting art that have flourished in nearby countries such as Indonesia. Here, the local name is Pencak Silat and it comes with over 200 styles. With the growing awareness for the fighting art, it has managed to spread all over the world. Now, in addition to being use for combat and dance, it is also used in various sporting competitions and tournaments.
Each of the different styles that are used in Silat is named after a particular object. This object can be a person, an animal or a place. In many instances, the name can be used to describe the way the particular Pentjak Silat is executed. This is true especially if the particular style is named after an animal. Example of this is the Undukaym Silat which is derived from the scratching movements that is done by a chicken. The footwork of the chicken is copied and incorporated into Pesilat’s movements. In addition, other styles are named after a particular quality or characteristic, a virtue, a race or the person who founded the style.
However, despite of the many styles that it offers and the popularity that it enjoys, learning Pentjak Silat is not easy. Finding a well – learned and capable teacher is usually the easiest part since these teachers don’t usually advertise themselves unlike in other forms of martial arts. This is because Silat is considered to be a very important skill that is intended to be passed only to the most worthy students and disciples. Also, the training process can prove to be very hard and intense. Still, it can prove to be very good thing especially with all the spiritual, moral and other effects that can be achieved from it.
Filed under: Martial Arts Styles
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