Silat Medan
Silat Medan (Malay: Silat Melayu Medan) is a style of silat originating in the Malay Archipelago and Malay Peninsula of Southeast Asia, between what is now Malaysia and southern Thailand. The art is also known as Medan (Battlefield). Silat Medan differs from other silat styles because it is primarily a weapon based martial art.
History
Silat Medan is said to trace back to the kingdom of "Majapahit",Majapahit was an archipelagic empire based on the island of Java from 1293 to around 1500. Majapahit reached its peak of glory during the era of Hayam Wuruk, whose reign from 1350 to 1389 marked by conquest which extended through Southeast Asia, including present day Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, the Philippines, and East Timor.Silat Medan in the Malay Peninsula and Malay Archipelago arose out of military training and proven battlefield warfare by the region's native inhabitants. Except for generals and royalty, Indon-Malay warriors wore minimal armour. A rattan shield, or a breastplate at most, was the only protective gear available to the average soldier. The older forms of silat consequently relied more on agility and the effective use of bladed weapons to quickly eliminate their enemies. During the colonial era Malaysians and Indonesians would later use silat to liberate themselves from foreign authority.
Forms
Unlike most silat styles, Silat Medan has no pre-arranged forms but instead relies on freestyle sets and extensive study of weapons and there proper use. Extensive sparing with sticks and dulled blades is also a manner of learning forms. Such training allows for the learning of various techniques and applications without having to teach set moves.
Weapons of Silat Medan
Listed here are the weapons of silat medan. The most common among them are the kris, spear, machete, stick, kerambit, sickle and sarong. Edged weapons are given priority in silat medan, but the stick and sarong are also popular for self-defense. Because Southeast Asian society was traditionally based around agriculture, many of these weapons were originally farming tools before weapons of war.
Bladed weapons
Badik
The badik or badek is a small, straight knife originating among the Makasar and Bugis people. They May Be double or single-edged and range in length from twenty to forty centimetres.
Kapak / Beliong
The kapak or beliong is an axe or hatchet designed for [...] wood and chopping down trees. Two are sometimes wielded at once, with one in each hand.
Kerambit
The kerambit is a narrow-bladed curved weapon resembling the claw of big cats. It is held by inserting the first finger into the hole in the handle, so that the blade curves from the bottom of the fist. Although usually wielded singly they may also be paired. Not only are they difficult to disarm, the kerambit is also easily hidden on account of its compact size. This concealability was the main reason for the weapon's fame. The kerambit is often regarded as a lady's weapon because women would tie them into their hair.
Kris
The kris or keris is a dagger with a pistol-gripped handle. It is the main weapon of most silat styles. The kris is characterised by its distinctive wavy blade, but originally most of them were straight. Its exact origin is uncertain but historians agree that the kris came into its present form somewhere in Indonesia, perhaps Majapahit. The sheath can be used to parry or strike, and sometimes two kris are wielded at once. The blade is given its characteristic shape by folding different types of metal together and then washing it in acid. Grooves in the blade could retain venom so that one hit would be fatal.
Parang
The parang is a chopper or cleaver which, like a machete, is used to cut through overgrowth. They may be curved or straight and range in size from small handheld knives to the length of a sword. Because they are so widely available, parang are one of the most popular weapons in silat. A variant of the parang is the golok.
Pisau
Pisau is a generic word for blade. It comes from the Cantonese term peng sau and can refer to any kind of knife or sword, both double or single-edged. The modern word for sword is pedang but this term is ambiguous since it could be translated as scythe. Southeast Asian swords differ considerably from one community to another but they are GeneRally made for one-handed use. Most knives in silat can be paired but this isn't always done with swords. Types of knives include the badik, the tumbuk lada and the belati, a pistol-gripped downward-curving blade. Varieties of swords include the sundang mentioned below, and the kujang from the Sunda islands. Javanese swords were derived from those of India. Some are straight while others have a "bent" curve. Swords on the Malay Peninsula are usually one-edged with a slight curve, resembling the Burmese dha and the Thai sword used in krabi krabong.
Sabit
The sabit is a sickle originally employed when harvesting crops. It may be paired and, like the parang, it is very popular among silat practitioners.
Sundang
The sundang is a sword created by the Bugis who originated in Sulawesi. As with the kris, the sundang usually features a wavy blade, but straight-bladed specimens also exist.
Tumbuk lada
Literally meaning "pepper crusher", the tumbuk lada or tumbuak lado (Minangkabau term) is a knife created by the Minangkabau who originated in West Sumatra. The blade is straight but with a slight curve. Its handle is pistol-gripped and the sheath is traditionally made of wood. In terms of social stature, the tumbuk lada is in Minang culture comparable to the kris in other parts of the Malay Archipelago.
Blunt weapons
Gedak
The gedak is a mace or club made of steel. Originally from India, it is often associated with the monkey god Hanuman. It is possible to use two gedak at once but, because of their size and weight, this is best suited for larger and more muscular fighters.
Kayu
Kayu literally means wood but it is also a generic word for a stick of any size, no matter what material it is made of. Generally, the words kayu or belantan refer to a cane, cudgel or truncheon, although a longer rod may be called kayu as well. The techniques used with the stick could also be applied to similar objects for the purpose of self-defense. Most notable among these is the seruling or flute played during silat demonstrations as well as other cultural performances.
Flail weapons
Pecut
The pecut or pechut (pronounced "puh-choot") is a whip, often made from rope.
Rantai
The rantai is a chain which can be swung or used to lock and seize opponents. It can sometimes be substituted with a length of rope (tali). In some styles, a spearhead is attached to one end of the chain or rope.
Long weapons
Batang / Tongkat
The batang or galah is a staff, pole or rod. Silat exponents regard it as the most versatile of all weapons. They are typically made of bamboo or wood but some are also made from steel. The word galah refers to the pole used for knocking fruit down from trees or when punting a boat. Staves can also be referred to as tiang, kayu or tongkat, the latter term meaning walking stick. The handle of a tongkat may be used to sweep an opponent or catch their weapon, among other applications. Aside from the staff's shorter variations, some styles also use large, thick poles. A longstaff is called galah panjang.
Chakok
The chakok or golok chakok is an elephant-goad or billhook. Its basic form is that of a hooked staff, originally used to prune or lop branches from trees. Those used for goading elephants usually had a steel head combining a hook and spear-point. Historically, Southeast Asian royals and generals often rode elephants into war or during processions. Every elephant was guarded by one to four handlers, each of whom carried a chakok.
Tombak
The tombak or lembing is a spear or lance. The word lembing can be used for either a spear or javelin but tombak refers specifically to spears. Early spears were made entirely of wood. Sumatrans would make short lances from nibong or sago-wood. Over a period of days or weeks, the sharpened end would be buried in ashes, steamed, smoked and charred. The finished weapon was said to be able to pierce armour more efficiently than iron. The steel-tipped spear was, along with the kris and shield, one of the main weapons used by soldiers in the Malay Archipelago.
Trisula / Serampang
The trisula, also called a serampang, is a trident or three-pronged spear. Introduced from India, its original purpose was for catching fish. The prongs of early trisula were of the same length and ran parallel to each other. In its weaponised form the two outer prongs are often curved. Asian mythology links the trident with the supernatural, so it is sometimes called tongkat sakti or magic staff.
Melee weapons
Cakera
Cakera (also spelled chakra, chakera or cakra) literally means wheel or disc. In silat, the word can refer either to energy centres along the body or a circular ring-like weapon made of steel. It was based on the chakram or Indian war-quoit, but unlike its Indian counterpart, the edges of a cakera are rounded rather than sharp. The cakera is often paired and it can either be thrown or wielded as a blunt weapon in close combat.
Chabang / Tekpi
The chabang is a knife or truncheon with three prongs. It is known as cabang in Indonesian and tekpi in Malay. Early evidence suggests that the chabang was first developed in Indonesia based on the trisula. Chabang are traditionally paired and can be used in striking, locking or throwing techniques.
Kipas
The kipas is a traditional folding fan which people used to keep themselves cool in Southeast Asia's tropical heat. Although created in China, it is common to many Asian cultures, as can be seen in several Indon-Malay dances. As a weapon the kipas should be able to open and close easily with one hand, particularly if two are being wielded at once. Usually made of bamboo, more combat-worthy specimens are constructed from harder wood or iron. The smallest kipas measure only six centimetres in length but some are quite large and can reach as many as fifty centimetres long.
Perisai
The perisai is a shield. In modern use the word can also mean armour. Shields in silat are generally round bucklers made of rattan. The perisai is typically paired with a spear or javelin.
Sarong / Chindai
The sarong (also spelled sarung) or samping is a wearable cloth usually tied around the waist or draped across one shoulder. Related weapons include the linso or kerchief, and the chindai or Sindhi waist-sash made of silk. Students first use it for practicing hand movements but in advanced stages it is applied as a weapon. Sarong techniques include locks, grabs and choke-holds. It can also be used to trap the opponent's weapon or attacking limb. The sarong is particularly useful against bladed weapons since the wrapped cloth provides some protection from cuts.
Range weapons
Seligi
The seligi is a javelin or throwing spear constructed from a sharpened stick of bamboo.
Sumpitan
The sumpitan is a blowpipe, a hollow bamboo tube through which poisonous darts (damak) are shot. It is one of the oldest weapons in the region, having been used as a hunting tool by Proto-Malays since prehistoric times. The blowpipe is also the most popular long-range weapon in silat and was most often used to kill someone unawares. It typically measures 1.8m long and is made from two pieces of bamboo, one for the barrel and one for the casing. In close combat, it could be wielded as a stick. In Malaysia, the orang asli are considered the greatest masters of the blowpipe. Tribes such as the Iban of Sarawak used a hollow spear which could shoot arrows, thus combining the characteristics of a projectile and hand-to-hand weapon.
Imported weapons
Jambia
The jambia is a broad, curved dagger. Originally called jembiyah, the weapon was created in Arabia before Indian Muslims introduced it to the west coast of Malaysia and Indonesia during the late 19th century.
Jian
The jian is a straight Chinese double-edge sword. It is one of the oldest known weapons to have been adopted from outside Southeast Asia, and is depicted on bas-reliefs in Srivijaya dating back more than one thousand years. Because it is lightweight and easily broken, the jian is hardly ever used for blocking. Instead, the fighter must rely on doging and avoiding attacks. In silat, the Chinese sword can be used singly or in a pair.
Katana
The katana is a Japanese sword with a slight curve and a single edge. When it was first brought to Southeast Asia is unclear but the katana became more widely adopted in the region around the time of the Japanese Occupation. Its application in silat is quite distinct, more reminiscent of krabi krabong or banshay than actual kenjutsu.
See also
- Silat Melayu
- Tomoi
- Bando
- Bokator
- Silambam
- Wuxingquan
- Xingyiquan
References
http://www.usadojo.com/styles/about-bersilat.htm
The Malay Art of Self Defensebr> by Sheikh Shamsuddin North Atlantic Books, July 2005ISBN 1-55643-562-2