Silat

Silat is a collective word for indigenous martial arts of the Indonesian Archipelago of Southeast Asia. Originally created and developed in Sumatra Island and Java in what is now Indonesia, then spread to peninsular Malaysia, southern Thailand, Singapore, Brunei, the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam. As a result, it is closely related to other Southeast Asian martial arts including krabi krabong and eskrima. Practitioners are called pesilat. The Chinese fusion of silat is known as kuntao.

There are hundreds of different styles, but they tend to focus either on strikes, joint manipulation, bladed weapons, throws, animal-based techniques, or some combination thereof. Silat schools are overseen by separate national organizations in each of the main countries the art is practiced.

Training:

Almost every silat style incorporates multi-level fighting stances (sikap pasang), or preset postures meant to provide the foundation for remaining stable while in motion. The horses stance (kuda-kuda) is the most essential posture, common to all styles of silat. Beginners once had to practice this stance for long periods of time, sometimes as many as four hours, but today's practitioners train until it can be easily held for at least ten minutes.

Forms or jurus are a series of prearranged meta-movements practiced as a single set. Their main function is to pass down all of a style's techniques in an organised manner as well as being a method of physical conditioning and public demonstration. While demonstrating a form, silat practitioners often use the open hand to slap parts of their own body such the shoulder, elbow, thigh or knee. This reminds the pesilat that when an opponent comes close there may be an opportunity to trap their attacking limbs.

Weapons:

The most commonly used are the kris (dagger), parang (machete), tongkat (walking stick) and sarong. The kris is accorded legendary status in Indonesian culture and is the primary weapon of most silat systems, although some styles prefer the stick for its versatility.

The movements of silat are often performed as a dance during festivities such as weddings.