Silat’s story

Silat spread within the Malay community in the presence of outside influences. For example, an official Silat weapon, a 2,000-year-old copper keris, was found in Mekong, Vietnam. Silat and his warriors became important in defending kingdoms like Melayu Champa, Kedah Tua, Kamboja, Langkasuka, Bruas that spanned the Malaysian peninsula.

During the 2nd century, the Malay kingdom came under the influence of the teachings of Hindu Buddhism. The 7th century was the beginning of the Srivijaya Malay civilization in Palembang, Sumatra and the influence of silat from mainland Malay society was consolidated by Ninik Dato’ Suri Diraja (1097-1198) to create Silat Minangkabau, Sumatra. The method of Silat Minangkabau at the ninth level (langkah Sembilan) was no longer called silat, but was known as mencak or pencak, which means tari silat, the silat dance or tari gelombang, the wave dance in the Minangkabau language.

The fall of Srivijaya had brought opportunities to Majapahit during the 9th to 13th centuries. Hayam Wuruk and Pateh Gajah Mada have raised many brave warriors, for example Taming Sari who was killed by Hang Tuah. The Malacca Empire (1200-1511) featured warriors who were skilled in silat such as Bendahara Tun Perak and Hang Tuah and his five friends were extremely loyal to the king and Malacca.

Ever since the Dutch and English conquered Indonesia and the Malay Peninsula (1511-1957), the silat and its warriors were driven out of the palace. However, Silat continued to play its role in the villages, producing brave defensive warriors, ready to fight enemies. For example, during the 1800s there were warriors who fought against the colonialists, including Mat Kilau, Dato’ Bahaman, Dato’ Sagor, Dol Sai, Dato’ Sri Maharaja, Abdul Rahman Lumbung and others.

The warriors continued to emerge to form the Selendang Merah (Red Shawl) team to fight the communists during the Parang Panjang War. Among these warriors are Kiai Salleh, Wak Joyo and Kiai Yasuk. The same is true during one of Malaysia’s most unforgettable black stories, on May 13, 1969.

According to Kamus Dewan (Malaysian dictionary), silat is a game that requires the agility of the person to attack and defend. This term was coined through observations during the time when silat was represented as the game of the people. Its purpose was to prevent silat from being discovered by the settlers and at the same time to instill a love of silat as a traditional culture and as a fighting spirit against the settlers. Silat continued to be performed as a traditional form of entertainment.

Silat performance is composed of beautiful aesthetic movements, dressed in warrior garb, accompanied by energetic silat music that meets the requirements of formal functions such as receptions, circumcisions, ceremonies, and glutinous meals, and each silat performer will be rewarded with a glutinous rice gift in the form of bunga telur. Therefore, such silat performances are also known as Silat Pulut, Gayung Pulut, Silat Tari, Silat Sembah, Silat Cantik, Silat Pengantin, or Silat Bunga.