Di mana lagi anak-anak muda kita bisa mendapatkan sarana untuk melatih fisik dan mentalnya, bila satu-satunya tempat yang ideal, yakni Bumi Perkemahan dan Graha Wisata Pramuka atau Buperta Cibubur, dialih fungsikan menjadi area komersial.
Sekarang kita bicara mengenai film.Sapa yang suka nonton ..angkat tangan….Wah pada angkat tangan semua deh…..Eh tapi kok ada yang ngangkat kaki?Ngapain? Oh… lagi latihan silat ya…
Marantau mandang kahulu, babuah babungo balun.Marantau bujang dahulu, dikampuang paguno balun
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silat. (Asikin 1975:9-10)
Subjugation happened because groups of people stated to fight each other to gain control of power. In an effort to expand the conquered areas, kingdoms were created. To maintain and expand the power of these kingdoms, self-defense, with or without arms, was developed. (Liem Yoe Kiong 1960:38-40)
When, where and how this process of systematization started nobody knows. What can be gathered from the scant information available is that pencak silat developed from the acculturation of various self-defense styles, which had developed locally under different names and with different characteristics. As Draeger puts it (1992:32): 'Pentjak-silat is certainly to be termed a combative form indigenous to Indonesia [and more generally to the Malay world]. But it is a synthesis product, not a purely autogenic endeavor'.
The development of 'pure' local material arts, 'clean' from outside influences could only happen in communities that were isolated and did not have access to communication and transportation means as we know today. But, in later centuries, with the rise of kingdoms in the archipelago, and the development of sea and land transportation, an irreversible process of interaction and cultural exchange started among the various kingdoms as well as with the outside world, which compelled the interplay of different martial arts:
Self-defense is not a static knowledge, but it has developed in the course of time. Through acculturation, existing physical arts were enhanced and different styles shaped. Population moves, kingdoms' expansion, and migration caused the encounter of various self-defense forms and their interchange. It is also possible that the arrival of foreign people in the archipelago enriched Indonesian self-defense. (PB IPSI 1995:9)
Only after connecting with the outside world and communicating across regions and islands, cultures, including martial arts, interacted…. This acculturation process not only happened between two cultures, but among many cultures. Nowadays, we cannot differentiate anymore which culture is original and which is not, since the result is one and well-integrated. (Murhananto 1993:7)
The ancient kingdoms of Indonesia have a long tradition of interaction with other ancient kingdoms in South and East Asia, especially in China and India, since the Hindu Kingdom of Kalingga during the VIIth century in East Java. Linkages were of various nature, including marriage, religious, commercial and diplomatic relationships.
We know for example from the Chinese Buddhist monk I-tsing (around 671) that it was common for Chinese monks to stop in the Kingdom of Sriwijaya (Sumatra), which at the time was the most important kingdom of the Indonesian archipelago, on their way to India to study Buddhism. They would study Sanskrit there before continuing their travel and then again on their way back. This route from China to India, cutting across various Southeast Asian countries, is well known as the "silk route" (Achiadati et al 1989:12-13).
I-tsing himself finished his study of ten years in Nalanda around 685 and stayed in Sriwijaya for 4 years to translate Buddhist textbooks from Sanskrit to Cantonese. He narrates that at the time more than 1000 monks from different kingdoms studied in the temples (mandala) of Sriwijaya. There, they learned local martial arts forms while sharing their own specific knowledge.
The renown martial arts expert, Donn F. Drager and many representatives of the Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) believe that already in the VII century the population of Riau, then part of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya, already used specific, original martial arts techniques which were later disseminated to Semenanjung Tanah Melayu across Malacca and later to Java with the expansion of the Kingdom of Sriwijaya, and to other countries through the silk route. Still, it seems credible that this process of acculturation was two-ways and that Malay silat has also been influenced by other martial arts forms, considering that at that time martial arts were very developed in East Asia, especially during the dynasty Yin-en-Zhou (771-1200) in China, Emperor Suezei (688) in Japan, and the dynasty Sila (668-935) in Korea (Theeboom & Li Chang Duo 1993:12; Yen Hee Park, Yeon Hwan Park & Gerrard 1989:3).
More generally, there are no strong historical references to either confirm or reject Draeger's assumption. The first reference to silat in Sumatra can be found in literary text (i.e. Tambo Alam Minangkabau) and only refers to the XIth century. Even there, silat is presented as the product of various cultures. According to this source of Minangkabau traditions and customs, the Parahiangan Kingdom's adviser, Datuk Suri Diraja (1097-1198) played a central role in developing silat. As the story goes, the Parahiangan royal family had good interaction with different kingdoms in Asia and even had various in-laws from abroad, including from the Siam Kingdom (Khemer), the Campa Kingdom (Vietnam), Cambodia and the Persian Kingdom (Iran). These in-laws had their own bodyguards who were martial arts experts. Datuk Suri Diraja would teach them silat Minangkabau while they would teach their techniques to others in the palace, creating new variations. The Tambo Minangkabau specifically tells of four bodyguards, namely Kucieng Siam from Siam, Harimau Campa from Campa; Kambieng Hitam from Cambodia and Anjing Mualim from Persia. These names are still very popular and are used to indicate different West Sumatra techniques, i.e. jurus Harimau Campo, jurus Kambieng Hitam, etc. (Jamal 1986:6).
More study is of course needed to assess the historical values of this legend. Still in clearly reflects the syncretic character of pencak silat, highlighting its long tradition of acculturation with other Asian cultures. We need to do more research to scientifically prove the interconnectedness between martial arts in the Malay word and in other Asian countries, but I have no doubts that there are strong links and a common cultural heritage. Furthermore, it is important to stress that acculturation is inherent to pencak silat. "Modern" pencak silat is the product of the combination of different techniques from different martial arts styles, and different theological and philosophical conceptualizations derived from different cultures. As a result pencak silat styles are many and varied. In Indonesia, we can observe pencak silat styles that embrace animistic elements (in Java, Kejawen) or adhere to Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, or Catholicism. Similarly, pencak silat reflects movements and techniques that are proper of the many ethic groups and cultures in the Archipelago. Although pencak silat is a Malay cultural product it does not exclusively belongs to only one particular ethnic or religious group.
References
Achadiati, Y. et al.
1984 Kebatinan dan Dakwah kepada Orang Jawa. Yogyakarta: Percetakan Persatuan.
Asikin
1975 Pelajaran Pencak Silat. Bandung: Tarate.
Draeger, D.
1992 Weapons and Fighting Arts of Indonesia. Tokyo: Charles E. Tuttle Publishing Co. Inc.
Jamal, D.
1986 Aliran Aliran Silat Minangkabau. Padang Panjang: Tropic Bukitinggi.
Liem Yoe Kiong
1960 Ilmu Silat, Sedjarah, Theorie dan Practijk. Malang: C.V. "Penjedar".
Murhananto
1993 Menyalami Pencak Silat. Jakarta: Puspa Swara.
O'ong Maryono
1999 Origin of Pencak Silat as told by Myths. Rapid Journal 4(3):38-39.
PB IPSI
1995 Sejarah dan Organisasi Pencak Silat Indonesia. Unpublished report.
Theeboom & Li Chang Duo
1993 Wushu de Chinese Vechtsporten. Rijswijk: Elmar BV.
Yen Hee Park, Yeon Hwan Park & Gerrard, J.
1989 Tae kwon do. London: World Lock Limited.
ALIRAN CIKALONG
Bermula dari nama desa Cikalong Kabupaten Cianjur pencak silat Cikalong tumbuh dikenal dan menyebar, penduduk tempatan menyebutnya "Maempo Cikalong". Khususnya di Jawa Barat dan diseluruh Nusantara pada umumnya, hampir seluruh perguruan pencak silat melengkapi teknik perguruannya dengan aliran ini.
Daerah Cianjur sudah sejak dahulu terkenal sebagai daerah pengembangan kebudayaan Sunda seperti; musik kecapi suling Cianjuran, klompen cianjuran, pakaian moda Cianjuran yang sampai kini dipergunakan dll.
Keperkasaan, kesaktian sebagi pendekar Cikalong Rd.H.Ibrahim yang sampai kini melekat dihati masyarakat pencak silat di Jawa Barat. Keberhasilan diri menjadi pendekar besar yang tersohor berkat dorongan dan tempaan dari beberapa pendekar di Batavia.
Guru pertama adalah Rd.Ateng Alimudin (kakak misan) yang memperistri kakak perempuannya yaitu Nji Rd.Siti Hadijah.
Rd.Ateng Alimudin pendekar besar dari Kampung Baru Djatinegara Di Kampung Baru Rd.H.Ibrahim berlatih dasar-dasar pencak silat hingga menguasai seluruh jurus permainan Rd.Ateng Alimudin. Kecuali berlatih pencak silat beliau diajar berdagang kuda bekas milik kompeni untuk diperjualbelikan di Cianjur.
Dorongan hati untuk menguasai dan mau lebih tahu tentang pencak silat di sokong oleh kakak misannya.
Rd.Ateng Alimudin membawanya ke Kampung Karet, Tanah Abang dan memperkenalkan ke Abang Ma'rup. Permintaanya untuk mempelajari pencak silat di kabulkan, beliau dengan semangat dan tekun mempelajari permaian Abang Ma'rup. Dasar yang kuat memperpendek masa berguru untuk menguasai jurus-jurus yang diajarkan.
Kecerdasan dan ketangkasan menguasai berbagai jurus pencak silat yang baru diajarkan sangat menajubkan.(beliau mengangkat sebagai guru kedua)
Menurut keterangan ayahnya Rd.Radjadidiredja, Abang Ma'rup adalah pendekar tersohor di Batavia karena namanya yang tersohor banyak orang berdatangan dari udik ingin belajar pencak silat.
Ciri-cirinya berbadan pendek bulat kekar, permainan sangat licin sulit disentuh lawannya, jurus serangannya sering membuat lawan terpedaya.
Rd.H.Ibrahim yang bekerja sebagai pedagang kuda suatu hari membeli kuda Eropa yang binal di Batavia, kuda yang baru dibeli harus diganti tapal baru, namun pande kuda tidak ada yang berani memasangnya. Menurut petunjuk beberapa orang, yang berani hanya Bang Madi di Kampung Gang Tengah.
Kuda binal itu dibawanya, Bang Madi menerima dengan senang hati atas bekerjaan yang diberikan. Dengan seribu pengalaman Abang Madi dengan tenang membuka tapal yang sudah usang dan menggantinya dengan yang baru. Ketika hendak memaku tapal tiba-tiba kuda binal itu menendang, dengan gerakan secepat kilat tendangan kaki kuda ditangkis lalu patah kaki kuda itu.
Kejadian itu terjadi didepan mata Rd.H.Ibrahim, beliau memandang peristiwa ini sangat menakjubkan.
Rd.H.Ibrahim memandangi postur tubuh pendek dan lebar dengan perawakan muka yang sabar dan selalu merendahkan diri tak nampak sebagai pendekar pencak silat. Usut ke usut Bang Madi adalah pendekar pencak silat yang tangguh, atas seizinnya Rd.H.Ibrahim mengangkat Abang Madi sebagai gurunya yang ketiga.
Tawaran Rd.H.Ibrahim untuk memboyong Abang Madi ke Cikalong diterima, beliau mempelajari jurus-jurus permainan Abang Madi sampai mahir.
Mengikuti anjuran guru pertama dan ketiga agar Rd.H.Ibrahim menemuhi Abang Kari, pendekar tersohor yang tinggal di desa Benteng Tangerang.
Pertemuan Rd.H.Ibrahim dengan Abang Kari di Benteng diterima dengan tangan terbuka, saat itu diungkapkan niatnya untuk berguru pencak silat. Setelah tahu kedatangan Rd.H.Ibrahim untuk menuntut ilmu, Abang Kari memberi nasehat dan penjelasan tentang ilmu pencak silat bukan untuk ria, takabur atau menyakiti dan mencelakakan orang lain.
Pernyataan kesanggupan dan setia mengikuti aturan yang diberikan, Abang Kari menerima Rd.h.Ibrahim sebagai muridnya.
Diawali melakukan puasa di hari Kemis selama sehari suntuk, yang ditutup pada malam harinya. .
Bentuk upacara yang dilakukan, sesudah mandi bersih duduk bersila di atas kain kafan menghadap ke kiblat, satu sama lain saling berjabatan tangan berjanji. Rd.H.Ibrahim bersumpah setia siap menjalankan perintah dan menghindari larangan yang diajarkan oleh ajaran agama Islam dan gurunya.
Setelah usai upacara ritual, beliau mendapat pelajaran jurus permainan Abang Kari. Tepat usia 40 tahun Rd.H.Ibrahim dapat menyelesaikan ajaran pencak silat Abang Kari, namun yang dirasakan dirinya belum cukup sebagai pendekar. Keinginnya untuk menuntut ilmu kepada pendekar-pendekar besar tak pernah kunjung padam. Rasa hormat kepada gurunya tetap menjadi sandaran hidupnya dan menyatakan Abang Kari yang berpawakan tinggi besar dan dikeningnya terdapat urat yang besar, memiliki permainan serangan kaki dan tangan yang keras serta beruntun sebagai gurunya yang ke empat. Usai pengembaran menuntut ilmu pencak silat di Batavia, beliau kembali ke Cikalong.
Disela-sela waktu luangnya Rd.H. Ibrahim memadukan seluruh permainan yang dikuasai dan mengajarkan kepandaiannya kepada keluarga terdekat, murid pertama yaitu Rd. Sirot Pasar Baru Cianjur dan Rd.H. Enoh De Hoofd Pengulu Cianjur. Pada saat itu ilmu pencak silat di Jawa Barat merupakan ilmu beladiri yang dirahasiakan dan tidak mudah didapat oleh kalangan masyarakat awam. Tidak aneh rasanya jika pencak silat Cikalong hanya berkembang dikalangan keluarga bangsawan di Cikalong.
Murid-murid Rd.H.Ibrahim semakin hari semakin banyak dan mahir memainkannya. Pencak silat tumbuh terus berkembang bagaikan barang hidup seperti bahasa selalu mengalami perkembangan dan perubahan sesuai dengan tempat dan waktu sesuai tuntutan zamannya. Pencak silat yang dipelajari dari keempat gurunya di Batavia dan Tangerang pada dasarnya tidak mengenal musik pengiring. Didaerah Cianjur yang terkenal sebagai pusat kebudayaan Sunda, beralkuturasi dengan kebudayaan setempat.
Bentuk olahan baru pencak silat Cikalong disajikan sebagai ibing penca yang diiringi musik khusus gendang penca. Ibing penca Cikalong semakin hari banyak digemari dan terus meningkat peminatnya. Dihari perayaan hitanan atau pesta tertentu ibing penca diperagakan sebagai tontonan untuk umum. Semakin banyak penduduk mengenal keindahan gerakan permainan ibing penca yang berasal dari Cikalong dan penduduk daerah lain memberikan sebutan " Penca Cikalong". Berkat pengembangan dan perluasan perkebunan di zaman kolonial Belanda ke Jawa Timur, aliran pencak silat Cikalong terbawa oleh pekerja perkebunan yang kebayakan berasal dari daerah Jawa Barat .
Pencak Silat (pronounced pen-chuck see-lut) is the official name used to indicate more than 800 martial arts schools and styles spread across more than 13,000 islands in Indonesia. The art has also reached Europe, and is especially popular in the Netherlands, Spain and France, though it is gaining popularity all over the world thanks to PERSILAT, the world-governing body for the martial art[1].
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In Indonesia, the official name used to indicate more than 800 martial arts schools and styles spread across more than 13,000 islands is "pencak silat". However, this is actually a compound name consisting of two terms used in different regions. The word "pencak" and its dialectic derivatives such as "penca" West Java and "mancak" (Madura and Bali) is commonly used in Java, Madura and Bali, whereas the term "silat" or "silek" is used in Sumatra. The ambition to unify all these different cultural expressions in a common terminology as part of declaring Indonesia's unity and independence from colonial power, was first expressed in 1948 with the establishment of the Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia (Indonesian Pencak Silat Association, IPSI). However, it could only be realized in 1973 when representatives from different schools and styles finally formally agreed to the use of "pencak silat" in official discourse, albeit original terms are still widely used at the local level. [2]
It is not easy to trace back the history of pencak silat because written documentation is limited and oral information is handed down from the gurus or masters. Each region in the archipelago has its own version of its origin which is largely based on oral tradition.
Silat takes important role in country's history. Since the age of Ancient Indonesian Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms like Srivijaya, Majapahit, Kingdom of Sunda . They used silat to train their soldiers and warriors.
Archaeological evidence reveals that by the sixth century A.D. formalized combative systems were being practiced in the area of Sumatra and the Malay peninsula. Two kingdoms, the Srivijaya in Sumatra from the 7th to the 14th century and the Majapahit in Java from the 13th to 16th centuries made good use of these fighting skills and were able to extend their rule across much of what is now Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore.
According to tradition of Minangkabau, their Silek (Minangkabau pencak silat) can be traced to the fore father of ancient Minangkabau people, Datuk Suri Dirajo .
It is said that according to old Javanese poetry, Kidung Sunda, the sentinels of the Prabu Maharaja Sunda exhibited great skill in the art of pencak silat when they escorted Princess Dyah Pitaloka to Majapahit as a potential bride for King Hayam Wuruk, and faced indignities that greatly affronted their honour[3]. In a battle that ensued at the Bubat field (1346), the Sundanese forces fought to the last drop of blood, using special pencak moves and various weapons,
Albeit the pencak silat styles employed in combat were different, we can still draw the conclusion that in Javanese kingdoms throughout the archipelago, pencak silat served the same function: to defend, maintain or expand territory.
Also in ancient times, the Buginese and Makasar people from South Sulawesi region were known as tough sailors, adventurers, mercenaries and fearless warriors . Throughout the archipelago, these people were known for their combat skills. Nowadays, some well known silat schools in Malaysia can trace their lineage back to ancient buginese warriors.
The Dutch arrived in the seventeenth century and controlled the spice trade up until the early 20th century, with brief periods of the English and Portuguese attempting unsuccessfully to gain a lasting foothold in Indonesia. During this period of Dutch rule. Pentjak Silat or Pencak Silat (as it is known in Indonesia today) was practiced underground until the country gained its independence in 1949.
The growing spirit of nationalism within pencak silat circles echoed the intensification of efforts to realise 'One Country, one Nation, one Language' in the archipelago. Following several incidents of mass uprising in the 1920s and the declaration of the Youth Pledge on October 10, 1928 in Batavia, the colonial government tightened and expanded its control over youth activities, pencak silat included. The colonial intelligence apparatus (PID) kept a close eye on all activities and organisations considered to be potentially in opposition to Dutch control. Training in pencak silat provided youths the strength, confidence and courage needed to resist the Dutch colonialists. Therefore pencak silat self-defence activities were closely scrutinised as they were suspected to be the front for political activities, and had to go underground. Training was done in private houses, in small groups of no more than five persons. At the end of the training, the pesilat had to leave one by one without attracting the neighbours' attention. At times, training would be carried out in secret locations in the middle of the night (from midnight to morning prayers) to avoid the scrutiny of the Dutch. Pencak silat teachers often made use of eerie locations such as graveyards, since even the police would be scared to go there, and they could be protected and safeguarded by the spirits of their ancestors.
Pencak silat matches too began to disappear from public eye following their prohibition by the colonial government in the 1930s. What is more, many pesilat, who were also political figures, met with bitter fates and had to live in prisons or isolated camps for several years. Pencak silat epics abound with stories of masters who 'were branded as extremists and forced to move around to avoid arrest', or who were punished for having opposed Dutch authority by using their pencak silat skills, both physical and spiritual. Although we cannot generalise and assume that all pencak silat teachers and schools opposed the colonial government, from the above it clearly appears that pencak silat played an important role in the struggle for independence.
Many pencak silat masters joined the Barisan Pelopor under the leadership of President Soekarno, to help realise the dream of an independent Indonesian nation. Among them were women freedom fighters like Ibu Enny Rukmini Sekarningrat, a Panglipur master from Garut . She fought against the Dutch alongside the Pangeran Papak Troops in Wanaraja, Garut, and the Mayor Rukmana Troops in Yogyakarta. As the capital city of the Republic of Indonesia at that time, Yogyakarta came under very heavy fire from Dutch troops. A great many pencak silat masters came from all over the archipelago to defend it from occupation. The same happened for Bandung, Surabaya, and other cities involved in the struggle.
Pencak silat was also instrumental to the revolutionary movement in Bali. After learning pencak silat as part of his Peta military training in West Java, national hero I Gusti Ngurah Rai gave lessons to his troops to boost the skills they needed to overthrow the foreign enemy. The soldiers in turn covertly trained the people of Banjar, even though the Dutch army forbade this. So today, pencak silat originating from West Java has taken root and developed on the island of Bali.
The heroism of pencak silat masters was not limited only to warfare. We must not forget their safeguarding the first President of the Indonesian Republic at a time of political uncertainty. It has been recorded in history that the night before the proclamation of independence on August 17, 1945, five special sentinels highly skilled in pencak silat[4] guarded Soekarno.[5]
There is no overall standard for Pencak Silat. Each style has its own particular movement patterns, specially designed techniques and tactical rationale. The richness of terms reflects a wide diversity in styles and techniques across the regions due to the fact that pencak silat has been developed by different masters who have created their own style according to their preferences and to the physical environment and social-cultural context in which they live. Lets take as example West Java, Central Java and West Sumatra. West Java is inhabited by a specific ethnic group with specific cultural and social norms. For them, pencak silat is part of their way of life or as they say is "the blood in their body". In their language they say "penca" or "menpo" (from "maen poho', which literally means play with trickery) to indicate their main four styles Cimande, Cikalong, Timbangan, and Cikaret and all the schools and techniques which have derived from them. The Sundanese people have always utilized penca/mempo' for self-defense and recreation, and only recently have started to use it as a sport in national and regional competitions. In its self-defense form, using hands fighting techniques combined with a series of characteristic footsteps such as langka sigzag (zigzag step), langka tilu (triangular step), langka opat (quadrangular step) and langka lam alip, penca can be very dangerous. Therefore it is kept secret and, especially its magic (tenaga dalam or inner power) component is only taught in phases to selected students.
Penca as art (penca ibing) has been a source of inspiration for traditional Sundanese dances such as Jaepongan, Ketu'tilu', Dombret, and Cikeruhan and actually it resembles dance in its use of music instruments. These instruments, called "pencak drummers" (gendang penca), are devoted exclusively to penca performances and consist of two sets of drummers (gendang anak dan kulantir), a trumpet (tetet) and a gong. Pencak performances also use standard music rhythms such as tepak dua, tepak tilu, tepak dungdung, golempang and paleredan. Penca as art is not considered dangerous and can be openly shown to everyone. From generation to generation until today, penca performances animate wedding parties, rituals of circumcision, celebrations of the rice harvest and all kind of national festivities.
Differently from West Java, in Central Java, Javanese people have traditionally used pencak only for self-defense and are not inclined to show it in public. Furthermore, the spiritual aspect (kebatinan) is much more dominant. This is probably related to the fact that pencak silat in Central Java developed from the Yogyakarta Sultanate and later expanded to surrounding neighborhoods after the kingdoms lost their political role in the XV and XVI centuries. In the keraton (Sultan's palace) pencak silat had undergone a transformation from pure martial art to be used in combat, to an elaborate form of spiritual and humanistic education. In this later form it spread outside the keraton walls where it developed the use of self-defense techniques to reach spiritual awareness as well as the use of inner powers to attain supernatural physical strengths.
Again pencak silat in West Sumatra is a different cultural expression in both its forms and meaning. Similarly to West Java, in West Sumatra a distinction is made between self-defense, called sile' or silat, and the related art version called pencak which has influenced many traditional dances such as Sewah, Alo Ambek and Gelombang. The ethnic group of Minangkabau who lives around the Merapi Mountain in West Sumatra regard silat as their village's heirloom (pusaka anak nagari) which is meant for the youth to defend themselves while traveling ashore and it is not intended for outsiders. Instead, pencak as a dance is accessible to everybody.
In this region almost every village (nagari) has a different style (aliran) of silat as reflected by the many names, some of which refer to the founders (like Silat Tuanku Ulakan, Silat Pakik Rabun, Silat Malin Marajo) and some to the original locations where the style was developed (Silat Kumango, Silat Lintau, Silat Starlak, Silat Pauh, Silat Painan, Silat Sungai Patai and Silat Fort de Kock). These styles can be classified into two main groups according to the foot-stands (kuda-kuda) they use. In the coastal area, silat styles use a very low kuda-kuda and prefer hand techniques whereas in the mountain area the kuda-kuda is higher and foot techniques are dominant. This is due to the different environments in which silat has developed. On the sand, a high kuda-kuda would not be stable and in the mountain, where the ground is oblique and uneven, a low kuda-kuda would be impossible to practice. As a Minangkabau proverb says: "Alam takambang menjadi guru" (the surrounding nature is our teacher).[6]
Along with the human body, Pencak Silat employs several weapons. Among the hundreds of styles are dozens of weapons, including:
Selain itu perkembangan pencak silat juga dipengaruhi oleh masuknya kebudayaan asing seperti kebudayaan Hindu, Budha dan kebudayaan Cina.
Sebagian aliran pencak silat terpengaruh oleh kebudayaan Hindu dari India, yaitu dengan adanya unsur mistik atau supranatural yang berasal dari ajaran Hindu.
Dengan masuknya kebudayaan Cina yang sudah memiliki beladiri sendiri seperti Kungfu, Wushu, Kuntao, dll, dapat diperkirakan bahwa unsur ini turut mewarnai perkembangan silat di Indonesia. Ada yang mengatakan kata silat berasal dari kata “si” dan “lat”, yang dalam bahasa Cina “si” berarti “empat” dan “lat” yang berarti “langkah”.