Though the exact origins of the Southeast Asian martial art of Silat are unclear, due to lack of written historical records, it is said to have developed based on human observation and imitation of animals including the monkey, eagle and tiger. Silat was historically used in the many wars between various indigenous tribes of the Malay islands. Later, when the region was occupied subsequently by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, Silat was largely practiced in secret. Japanese occupation during World War II largely destroyed British rule in the region, and the Malayan states began establishing their independence immediately following the war.
Silat--which can be translated as “to fight” or “to fight in self-defense”--is most commonly practiced in Malaysia, Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines. In Malaysia alone, some 500 styles of Silat exist; Indonesia, where the art is known as Pencak Silat, boasts 200 more. Interest in Silat has grown exponentially in the 20th century, and it is now practiced all over the world. Malay cultures prize Silat as a self-defense system, a sport and a way of life; they see it as teaching moral as well as physical discipline. The International Pencak Silat Foundation, founded in 1980, has been working since then to promote Silat and to get the sport included in the Olympic Games.
Silat fighters use a balanced array of offensive and defensive techniques, sophisticated footwork and intricate hand motions, which are learned in stages as each fighter grows more advanced in his or her training. Fluid and precise motion is crucial to Silat’s complex system of arm and hand strikes, kicks, grappling and throws. Fighters sometimes train with weapons, including knives, swords and long or short sticks.
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