This list is by no means a complete list fo silat styles. The Term pencak Silat will refer to Indonesian based systems, while Silat melayu will refer to malaysian based systems.

Pencak silat
Bakti Negara
One of the most prominent schools in Bali, it emphasises functionality and self-defense over competitive sparring.

Bangau putih
White egret style founded in Bogor in 1952. It is a combination of pencak silat and kuntao. The head organisation, Persatuan Gerak Badan (PGB), has branches in Indonesia, North America, the Middle East and Europe.

Cimande
A West Javanese style founded by Embah Kahir in the 18th century, along with the kera (monkey), pamachan (tiger) and stick-fighting styles. Around 300 variations of cimande exist today, and are practiced primarily in villages along the Cimande River.

Harimurti
A traditional style developed in the palace grounds of Yogyakarta. It was first taught outside the palace by RM Harimurti (Raden Rio Tedjonegoro), and the school was formally organised by his student Suko Winadi.

Inti ombak
Based on old styles from Mataram and Madura, it focuses equally on internal and external training.

Merpati Putih
White dove or white pigeon style, allegedly founded in 1550. Outside Indonesia, branches exist in the USA and the Netherlands.

Mutiara Panca Rasa
A modern style founded by Bapak Haji Tengku Fuad Alzakiyat Azhar. It is the national silat of Indonesia.

Paguron Penca Silat Nampon
A defensive style which mixes self-defense with internal training, founded by Nampon in 1932. It consists of ten steps that focus on redirecting the opponent's attack to leave them open to a counter-attack. The movements are combined with bursts or waves of the senses.

Perguruan Pencak Silat Padjadjaran Nasional
A Sundanese style from West Java.

Pencak Silat Pertempuran
A combination of Pencak Silat Pamur and Silat Teralak, with influences from Silat Jati Wisesa and monkey king silat. The name means "combat silat" because of its focus on sparring rather than demonstration.

Pentjak Silat Rante USA
Founded by Rudy Kudding in 1962 after immigrating to the United States from Indonesia. Described as constant flowing motions, Rante or chain system. Blocks turn into multiple strikes. Focus is on Knock Out striking. Extremely effective self defense and practical street fighting.

Perisai Diri
The national silat of Java founded by Pak Dirdjo. Also known as PD, it combines pencak silat with Chinese techniques which Pak Dirdjo learned from Yap Kie San in Parakan.

Pukulan Bongkot
A style based mainly on cimande, Derosemo and Sera silat with some elements of pancha bela.

Pukulan Pencak Silat Serak
Founded by Pak Sera and expanded by Mas Jut. Several regional variations exist.

Silat Bali
The traditional Balinese style, influenced by 15th-century Javanese immigrants.

Silat Wali Songo
A modern style based on traditional techniques centered around the kembangan, similar to the wai khru ram muay. Includes comprehensive groundwork, strikes, grappling and weapons.

Silek harimau
The Minangkabau tiger style. One of the oldest silat systems in the world, it is also called silek kuching or cat silat. It is unique among other tiger-based styles because practitioners fight while crouched down. This tactic is believed to have been developed to avoid falling or stumbling during battle in West Sumatra's wet paddy fields.

TADJIMALELA
A Sundanese style from Bandung, West Java.

Tapak Suci
A modern system based on Muslim philosophy. It combines several West Javanese methods with karate and Chinese martial arts. It is one of the most well-known schools in Indonesia and the Netherlands today.

 Silat Melayu
Silat Sendeng
One of the oldest,famous and historical silat in Malaysia. A very devastating ancient art of war. It's also the origin of buah pukul style

Gayong Sri Rama
A traditional style based on the movements of Seri Rama, the hero of the Ramayana.

Keris lok-9
An old weapon-based style used by Melakan warriors against Portuguese conquistadors. First taught publicly by Azlan Ghanie in 1997, the school focuses on fighting with the kris. Training centres around the learning of forms or lok, of which there are five altogether (the word lok also refers to a curve on the kris' blade). Two years are required to complete the basic syllabus.

Lian padukan
An offensive style combining the Chinese art of lian or buah pukul and tomoi. Its main technique is a quick series of punches or chops. Weapons include the tekpi, stick and Chinese sword. The entire syllabus can be completed in eight months after 4–6 hours of weekly practice.

Lian Yunan
An old offensive style which some believe was taught by Hang Li Po's bodyguards from Yunnan. It is characterised by rolling punches or chops thrown in rapid succession.

Seni gayong
A modern system based on the older tiger style called sendi harimau which focuses on joint manipulation. The Gayung Malaysia organisation was among the first silat associations registered in Malaysia, and it is today one of the four most popular schools in the country. A derivative of seni gayong is practiced by the Malaysian Armed Forces called combat silat or gayong combat.

Seni Gayung Fatani
Originating in Pattani, Thailand, it focuses mostly on locking techniques.

Silat angin
Founded by Yap Mat in Kedah in 1977, the name means wind silat. It combines the weaponry of seni gayong, the hand strikes of Wing Chun, the energy drills of yiquan and the elbow and knee attacks of tomoi.

Silat Cekak
An aggressive style created in Kedah. Unlike other systems, silat chekak doesn't include evasive side-stepping or dance-like routines and is never performed with musical accompaniment. Instead, it focuses on sparring so students learn to confront hostility directly.

Silat embo
A traditional style from Penang combing silat and tomoi with influences of Burmese bando. It is often mistaken for Muay Thai. Weapons include the chain, knife and tekpi.

Silat Kalimah Panglima Tangkas
A somewhat controversial style purported to have been descended from an older method called Silat Kalimah. This system was supposedly taught exclusively among the Kedah royal family before being opened to the public by the late Pak Yahya Said in 1963. Sceptics who doubt this claim believe that either Pak Yahya Said or his guru founded the style themselves.

Silat Kuntau Tekpi
A weapon-based style focusing on the tekpi. It was founded by a panglima (governor-general) of Kedah in the early 19th century, whose daughter was known as the serikandi Kedah or heroine of Kedah. The syllabus is divided into five levels. The first two levels teach self-defense, the third and fourth introduce the use of weapons while the final level emphasises spiritual and mental development.

Silat Lincah
Originally called silat tarah, the name was changed because it was considered too violent. The word tarah means to sever or cut off while lincah means quick, agile and ever-changing. The grandmaster of the style is Mahaguru Omardin bin Mauju.

Silat Medan
"Battlefield silat", an old weapon-based style said to date back to 14th century Majapahit. Unlike most other systems, it doesn't contain any pre-arranged routines, but relies on sparring with sticks and blunt blades.

Silat Pattani
Also known as silat tua ("old silat"), it was developed by Hindu-Buddhist ascetics and hermits in Pattani, Thailand. Traditionally credited as the earliest system of silat Melayu, its age is evident in several aspects. For example, it does not include any preset forms so students learn techniques mostly through silat pulut and freestyle forms. Unlike later methods, the kris is considered the least lethal of silat Pattani's five primary weapons. The art contains three main Ramayana routines based on Seri Rama, Sita Dewi and Hanuman in addition to the deer, snake, monkey, bird, tiger and nāga (dragon) styles.

Silat Telapak Nusantara
Supposedly founded by a Muslim scholar named Tuan Sheikh Ali who helped introduce Islam to his homeland of Sumatra. As he gained more experience, his system went through seven major stages of development. The final development, called silat bongsu, is the core of all the other stages and is thus called the mother style. Because Tuan Sheikh Ali's method requires at least seven years of consecutive daily training to master, each level was taught as a separate style until all were re-merged under a single school in Malaysia.

Silat Teralak Asli
One of the most popular styles in Kelantan. It is said to have been founded in 1865 by Ulud Bagindo Chatib in Kamang, West Sumatra. After spreading to peninsular Malaysia, it was altered by the grandmaster Tuanku Syech Habibullah. Silat teralak is not used in competition but rather for character-building. Thus it is straightforward without aesthetic movements. The footwork uses fast movements designed for self-defense.

Today is Heritage Day in South Africa, and all south africans will celebrate their heritage. The Cape malay community forms part of South Africa's rich cultural, social and religious history. Despite the many facts which points to the very real existence of the Cape Malays, many historians and reseachers are adament that this community is an ímaginary'community. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the Malays (a term used to describe people originating from the malay lands i.e; indonesia, malaysia, thailand, cambodia, philippines, brunei) were responsible for establishing Islam in South Africa.

Lets revisit some happennings of the past, and see how this community has thrived due to the persistence and perseverence of the Cape malays and the rest of the Muslims at the time.

1804 Attainment of freedom of worship

By 1804, the number of the Vryezwarten or Free Blacks, majority of whom were Muslims, had reached such significant proportion that the Dutch rulers changed their policies in order to enlist their support, pending the British invasion of the Cape. They granted religious freedom to the Vryezwarten. Thus on July 25, 1804 the patience and perseverance of the Cape Muslims was rewarded when religious freedom was permitted for the first time at the Cape of Good Hope.

Prior to this, the Cape Muslims, in practising their religion, were severely restricted by the Statutes of India: a set of laws particularly aimed at restricting the religious practices of the Muslims of the Batavian Empire of which the Cape formed a part.

Commander de Mist published Ordinance 50, which declared equal legal protection to all religious societies. However, these religious societies were still required to obtain permission from the Cape Governor for the construction of places of worship.

General Janssens, also a commander at the Cape, enlisted the free Malays to serve as "soldiers" at the Cape while the British attack was imminent, and this in reality, necessitated change in social and political conditions. Thus, during 1804, two "Javaansche Artilleries" were instituted: one under the command of the Mohammedaansche Veld-Priester [Muslim lay-preacher], Frans van Bengalen, and the other under the command of a Frenchman. These artilleries were deployed at the Battle of Blauwberg in 1806, and the soldiers were well trained. Their gallantry in the Battle earned them great praise and the respect of their British adversaries. Commentators on the Battle of Blauwberg generally agree that the Cape Muslim Artillery would have won the day for General Janssens had he not retreated to the mainland. And so, when the British took over the Cape, they honoured and praised the Muslim Artillery for its bravery and courage in the Battle. Thus, General Baird, the British commander, as a special gesture to the Cape Muslims, confirmed General Janssens' promise to the Vryez-wartens of a masjid site. Islam actually took root in the Western Cape after 1800 when prayer rooms, at five respective sites, were made available.

1805 Land grant for Tana Baru: the first Muslim cemetery

The first piece of land for a Muslim cemetery - Tana Baru - was granted to Frans van Bengalen on October 02, 1805 by the Raad der Gemeente [local authority] as a burial ground for the Cape Muslims. This gesture by the Batavian Republic officials followed the granting of religious freedom in 1804, accompanied by the right to build a masjid. The purpose of the Batavian Administration in granting these privileges to the Cape Muslims was to obtain their loyalty in the event of a British invasion of the Cape. Tana Baru, presently in disuse, consists of several cemetery sites adjoining each other, at the top-end of Longmarket Street in Cape Town. It is situated opposite the site where the Cape Muslims buried their dead for years before 1805. Another site, in close proximity to that of Frans van Bengalen was given "as a present" to Paay Schaapie [Tuan Nuruman] "for him and his family as a burial ground" by General Janssen who was the Batavian Commander at the Cape during 1803 and 1806. More land was granted to the Cape Muslims by the British Governor at the Cape, Sir Thomas Napier, during the reign of Queen Victoria, in 1842. It was practice of the 19th century imams of the Cape to purchase properties, in trust, for their congregations for the purpose of either masajid sites or burial grounds. Thus extra land came to be subsequently adjoined to Tana Baru. The cemetery was officially closed on January 15, 1886 by Government decree: Section 63 to 65 of the Public Health Act of 1883.

Within its confines lie some of the earliest and most respected Muslim settlers of South Africa: Imam Abdullah ibn Kadi [Qadi] Abdus Salaam [Tuan Guru], Tuan Sa'id Aloewie [Sayyid `Alawi], Tuan Nuruman [Paay Schaapie], Abubakr Effendi and others, along with prominent Muslim women of the time, such as Saartjie van de Kaap and Saamiede van de Kaap . Despite its closure, the Tana Baru has always been regarded as the most hallowed of Muslim cemeteries in Cape Town.

1807 Death of Tuan Guru

Tuan Guru died at the ripe old age of 95 and lies buried in Tana Baru Cemetry on Signal Hill, Cape Town. He had exerted a considerable influence on the Cape Muslims, especially in the field of Islamic education. Seventeen years after his death in 1807, his madrasah had, according to the evidence of the Colebrooke and Bigge Commission of 1825, a total of 491 "Free Black and Slave Scholars". Imam Achmat van Bengalen took charge of the madrasah after Tuan Guru's death.

1807 Establishment of Palm Tree Masjid: second in the country

After a dispute with regard to succession to the imamate of the Auwal Masjid, Frans van Bengalen and Jan van Boughies together parted from the Auwal Masjid. They purchased a property in Long Street, Cape Town, initiated their own congregation and opened a prayer room which later was converted into the Palm Tree Masjid, the second oldest in South Africa.

Imam Abdolgamiet [`Abd al-Hamid] served as the first imam of this masjid from 1807 to 1808, followed by Imam Asnoon [Jan van Boughies] [1808­18461, Imam Abdol Logies [1846-1851], Imam Mamat [Muhammad] van de Kaap [1851-1866], Imam Isma'il [1866-1889], Imam Moliat [1889­-1894], Imam Mogamat [Muhammad] Joseph [1894-?], Imam Lalie Mogamat Salie , Sheikh Mogamat Geyer, Imam Isgaak [Ishaq] Eksteen [d 1955], Imam Abas [`Abbas] Kamalie [1955-?].

1808 Appointment of Jan van Boughies as Imam of Palm Tree Masjid

Jan van Boughies, the most prominent of the slaves from Celebes to arrive at the Cape of Good Hope, had a remarkable administration as imam of the Palm Tree Masjid [also known as Jan van Boughies Masjid] during the first half of the 19th century. Jan, also known as Imam Asnoon, succeeded Imam Abdolgamiet [ `Abd al-Hamid] from 1808 to 1846. Jan, who had been manumitted by Salia van Macassar [a free Muslim woman], later married her. Jan died in 1846 at the age of 112, leaving behind his second wife, Sameda van de Kaap , who dedicated the property as a masjid in memory of her late husband and called it "De Kerk van Jan van Boughies" [The Masjid of Jan van Boughies].

1823 Abdul Ghaliel granted a burial site

The slave, Abdul Ghaliel, served the Muslim community of Simonstown, Cape, as their imam. In 1823 a land grant was made in his favour to be used as a burial site by the Muslim community of Simonstown. Abdul Ghaliel was the first slave to be granted a piece of land in Simonstown.

1828 Restrictions on Muslim life

Having attained freedom of worship, Muslims, however, faced social restrictions and political inequality which in turn became the greatest obstacles in the spread of Islam in the Colony. The South African Commercial Advertiser of December 27, 1828 states in its editorial:

"As to the public worship of Mohammedans, although it was tolerated, no Proclamation of Law, as far as we know, was issued in this Colony, by which it was sanctioned or recognised! Perfect toleration was, however, one of the few praiseworthy principles of the old system. Thus we have seen, that an industrious and peaceable class of inhabitants, whom an enlightened policy would have cherished and perfected, were up to July 3, 1828 treated with utmost harshness and ignominy. Their marriages were declared unlawful, their issues degraded. They were refused admission to the rights of Burgership. They could not hold landed property nor remain in the Colony, though born there, without special permission and ample security. They were placed under the arbitrary control of the Burger Senate and the Landdrost - compelled to perform public services gratuitously - punished at discretion with stripes and imprisonment - unable to leave their homes without a Pass - their houses entered and searched at the pleasure of the police. They were liable to arrest without a warrant - and yet they were taxed up to the lips, like the other Free inhabitants"

This is the probable reason why only 20 Cape Muslims of a total of 2 167 [of whom 1 268 were slaves] owned property in 1825.

Lets celebrate our history and not turn a blind eye to the hard efforts of the malays who has contributed much to the fabric of todays cape society.

The first Hang Tuah Festival will be held for three days from Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th Sept 2011 at the Palace of the Melaka Malay Sultanate in Bandar Hilir. Hang Tuah, the infamous Malay Silat legend and Warrior from the 15th Century is seen as the father of Malaysian Silat. As an admiral and bodyguard to the Sultan at the time, many myths and folklore surrounds this great mysterious personality. However, Hang Tuah is still inspires many silat enthusiasts, and is also believed by some to have died as a Wali, a Muslim malay saint.

Arguably the most famous Malay warrior of all time, Hang Tuah was the leader of five close companions. Together with Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekiu and Hang Lekir, they rose in fame to become the sultanate's five foremost warriors, and protected Malacca  from its enemies. Numerous stories are connected to the five companions, although Hang Tuah is the most famous of them all, becoming Laksamana, or admiral of Malacca.

A well believed to have been dug by Hang Tuah and his companions still stands in Kampung Duyong, a village said to be their childhood home. A common folktale related to this well mentions that Hang Tuah's soul takes the form of a white crocodile which can be seen at the well.

Hang Tuah's prowess as a warrior was said to be legendary, and his weapon, a kris known as Taming Sari, was reputed to be the source of his supernatural powers. Myths surround this kris, named after its original owner, a Majapahit warrior, who was defeated by Hang Tuah in a duel. Some of these myths state that the kris was thrown into a river by Hang Tuah in a fit of grief at his disappointment for failing his sultan while others believe that the kris is now part of the Perak Sultanate's royal regalia. Wherever the original may be, there is a communications tower in Malacca that bears it name. Taming Sari Tower, or Menara Taming Sari, is a 110 metre structure designed to be a giant replica of the legendary kris.

Even though the five friends were said to be inseperable, a tragic incident resulted in the death of Hang Jebat at the hands of Hang Tuah. Envious of Hang Tuah's rise, some Malaccan nobles plotted his downfall by spreading rumours of an affair between Hang Tuah and a lady in waiting of the Malacca court. The enraged Sultan sentenced Hang Tuah to death without a trial, but Hang Tuah was spirited away and kept hidden by Bendahara Tun Perak, the prime minister at that time. News of Hang Tuah's execution reached Hang Jebat, who exacted revenge by going on a murderous spree. Eventually, Hang Tuah was brought in to defeat Hang Jebat, and killed his friend after a long duel, marking the end of the tragedy.

Three tombs purportedly belonging to Hang Tuah, Hang Jebat and Hang Kasturi are located within Malacca and have become tourist destinations. Although there are doubts over the authenticity of these tombs, they serve as interesting reminders of one of Malacca's fabled legends.  http://www.malaysia.com/hang-tuah-culture.html 

The festival is being organised jointly by the Ministry of Information,Communications and Culture, the Ministry of Tourism and the Melaka State Government.The Festival Itenary will include many exhibitions of Great Malaysian Silat Warriors, Hang Tuah film screening, Silat demonstrations and various traditional Silat rituals. Ceremonies include Mandi Minyak (oil bath), Lime Bath, and demonstrations  of weapon making as well as Tengkolok (silat headgear) making. 

The Pukulan melaka silat school headed by Guru Mokhtar Yahya will also partake in the festival. This first time event is hoped to attract tourism to the state of melaka and  would be launched by Melaka Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam.

~Abu Mukhtar~

Big congratulations go out to writer-director Gareth Huw Evans, stars Iko Uwais, Joe Taslim, Yayan Ruhian and the rest of the team behind Indonesian action picture The Raid, which has just won the Cadillac People's Choice Midnight Madness Award at the Toronto International Film Festival.

A largely non-competitive festival Toronto gives out very few awards, the most prominent of which are the People's Choice picks, three awards given based on audience ratings of the films with one each awarded to the Midnight Madness section, the Real To Reel documentary section and the overall festival at large.

As someone with a direct association to The Raid - I'm an executive producer on it - I have to say that we could not possibly be happier with the reception the film has received. The premiere screening was literally the first time anyone had seen the completed film in its entirety - post production was wrapped less than a week prior and the print shipped directly to the festival from the lab - and while we were pretty sure we knew what we had there's a huge difference between watching something in fragments, in isolation, and in uncomplete form, and hearing a crowd roar in appreciation at what's on screen.

source: http://twitchfilm.com/news/2011/09/the-raid-wins-tiff-midnight-madness-award.php

More on the RAID

Very early in the introduction of characters and story in Gareth Huw Evans' new action martial arts extravaganza The Raid it not only becomes very clear to the viewer who the bad guy is, and that he is evil, full capital letters EVIL, but that this is a darker, leaner and meaner Evans and he means to take no prisoners. The scene involves four bullets, then a hammer, and if he didn't get your attention it meant you either covered your eyes or passed out you pansies. It's an attention grabber that is for sure and quickly sets the pace and tone for the rest of the film. By now you should know the premise of the film. A criminal overlord lives on the top floor of a large apartment building. It is wired to the nines with cameras and speakers. No one moves in this building without him knowing it. He owns everything and everyone inside it. Two-bit criminals take refuge behind its doors. Junkies get their fix in derelict apartments. Nearly everyone inside the building is bought and owned by this overlord. Iko Uwais is Rama, a rookie SWAT team member. One of twenty attempting to infiltrate this fortified complex and snatch the boss. Thing is, they are discovered and whole building turns on them and they have to fight for lives, from floor to floor, room by room. Do they continue with their mission? Or do they just try to get out and survive? Evans' direction in The Raid is inventive and dynamic. With his DoP Matt Flannery, they follow the action as well as emphasize it opting for hand held camera work that follows each fist, and foot, and elbow, and head... you get the idea. Clinical editing draws focus to moves and hits. Because the adrenaline level of The Raid is so much higher than that of their previous work Merantau you can forgive the quicker cuts. And it still works because Evans has so much respect for the hard work put in by Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian on the choreography that despite the close quarters combat, moving from room to room and floor to floor, he still manages to pull the camera back far enough to allow us to fully appreciate the scope of action. It is only his second film in and you can already pick up on a couple signature shots of his liking. The one shot where he follows Iko rising up from the floor from a lying position? Gareth did that in Merantau. He also likes placing the camera directly above his subjects, looking right down on them, and then spinning with the motion. While in Merantau he did while rounding a corner, he does it more than once in The Raid to grand effect when someone is getting slammed into a wall, pillar, cabinet... so on.  And despite the great bounding energy of the direction and camera work Evans is no fool and understands the sometimes even in a high octane actioner like The Raid that less is more. He does marvelous work drawing out unsettling moments of violence by not really showing us anything at all. Whether it be with cuts before and after the moments of violence, shooting from the fourth wall, lighting effects, and depth of focus at the right time we're still playing out the moment in our heads and we still 'see' what we cannot see. He has also proven that he is quite adept at building tension to nerve fraying levels. It is the pacing of those moments; the crescendo of sound and music. He pulls us close to the breaking point and releases at the right time; either allowing us a moments reprieve or blowing it up in our faces.  In the interest of full disclosure I have been privy to bits and bobs about The Raid pretty much since the word go. I got to see the five clips the film's sales team took to Cannes that triggered a rush of sales to nearly every territory in the World. There were other clips as well that would follow during production, all action, that showed off the incredible work that Gareth, Iko and Yayan were doing both in front of and behind the camera. I don't say this to brag. I say it because it is one thing to watch an unfinished clip without sound and post. You appreciate the work of those three guys in regards to action and choreography. But then it is another thing to watch the final piece and the pounding, throbbing soundtrack by Aria Prayogi and Fajar Yuskemal combined with post visual effects and sound. Special mention has to be made for the music and sound production for now that I have had this inside perspective I have a better understanding of its importance to the end product and how much better proper production enhances the final result.  In regards to Iko Uwais and Yayan Ruhian and there work on the choreography. Holy. Crap! There are not enough words to describe it. Fluid and Fierce. Precise and Powerful. Complex and Crushing. They have proven themselves not only capable of staging great fight sequences but also at adapting the Indonesian martial art Pencak Silat to include modern weapons/tools as extensions of themselves. Any questions about the impact and strength of Silat raised from Merantau are quickly and punishingly answered in The Raid. Evans is in an enviable position in Jakarta that he has access to an enormous talent pool of martial arts talent apart from Silat. Case in point, Joe Taslim in the role of Jaka. He's a former Indonesian National Judo Champion and Iko and Yayan went through great lengths to ensure the audience gets a hearty sample of throws and blows from him. The fight between Jaka and Yuyan's Mad Dog is visceral eye candy, plain and simple. Speaking of Mad Dog. Yayan Ruhian is damned pit bull in this film; just an absolute monster and beast in this film. You know what is more unsettling? Anyone at the screening last night could see that Iko and Joe are not large burly men when compared to your average North American male. Yuyan is even smaller but his presence is that of a giant in the film. And kudos to Doni Alamsyah as well. I hope to find out more about him when I speak to Gareth and the boys later next week but he holds his own when it comes to throwing down.  What I also found impressive about the choreography, other than the fact that it is brutally violent and bloody, was when it came down to the melees I loved how the flow of motion and energy sometimes changed mid stride. I've watched unfinished clips over and over again so I've studied them more carefully than a first time screening can allow but during some of the fights you think the action is going in one direction and they throw it or beat it in the opposite direction. Particularly during the Jaka and Mad Dog fight. This works especially well here because of Joe's discipline in Judo. There are a lot of throws. But they move in the opposite direction of where you think they're going. Mad Dog has Jaka by the head and they're running to towards the wall and you think Mad Dog's just going to ram it but he uses the wall to vault off of and knee Jaka in the head instead. That fight is the best example of that change in flow in direction that I noticed. And I love how surprising it and all the choreography is.  There have been a great many duos in the action and martial arts world. Modern masters included John Woo and Chow Yun-fat; Jackie Chan and Edward Tang; Jet Li and either combination of Corey Yeun and Tsui Hark. Leaders of the new school were for a short while Wilson Yip and Donnie Yen, and Prachya Pinkaew and Tony Jaa. With The Raid Evans and Uwais not on confirm they are solid contenders in the genres but clearly the current title holders as well. All challengers are welcome but they best be warned, they'll be met with a combat boot to the face.  Evans, Uwais and crew have done it again! They didn't just knock it out of the park. They knocked it unconscious and threw the bodies over the outfield wall where no one will ever find them. 

Bokaap, previously known as the Malay Quarter as was previously home to many descendants of the Indonesian slaves and exiles from the Dutch Colonial era. The first mosque Masjid Awal (est 1794) is stuated in Dorp street, which was initially a warehouse donated by Saartjie Van De kaap to the Muslim slaves as a venue for Islamic education. This masjid and madrassah (islamic school) was established by the great Tuan Guru Imam Abdullah bin Qadhi Abdussalam, a freedom fighter, political exile and Prince from Tidore Island in Indonesia.

The Bokaap area today is home to people from all races, religion and cultures. Seni Silat martial arts unfortunately did not thrive through the colonial times, because malay slaves were prohibited from practicing any form of martial art (for obvious reasons). According to some historians, importing malay slaves decreased heavily due to the fact that the malays were fighters and Dutch slave owners has the risk of malay men running "amok". Having said that, the spirit of the malays still strives until today, as an increasing amount of Cape malays are now reconnecting and revisiting their cultural ancestry and heritage.

Silat activty was re-introduced to Bo-kaap in 1995 when Guru Mokhtar Yahya from Malaysia visited Cape town along with his group of Silat Warriors. The efforts of Tuan Gielmie Hartley soon came to fruition when the first silat school (persatuan seni silat pukulan melaka) openened in Bo-kaap, at Boorhaanoel Centre. Silat activity slowed down after many students stopped training due to personal commitments. However a handful of students kept the art alive in their private capacity until it was decided to respond to the Call of Duty and spread Silat in Cape Town once again. Today, after many quiet years of silat activity, Silat is relived in word and deed. 

Following an enquiry about silat training this morning, a seni Silat enthusiast (I would refer to him as Chris in this article) agreed to meet me at the Park for an introduction to Silat. In my opnion, as I explained to him, Silat is better understood when it is practiced. Chris showed up on time, and ready to learn, while I wore my Tengkolok, as well as batik cloth around my waist, as well as Seluar (silat training pants).  A few onlookers watched while we revived the Semangat (fighting spirit) of the Pendekars (warriors).

We started with the basic fundamentals i.e; kuda-kuda (taking a stance), Langkah (Footwork), and  pernafasan (breathing). Chris was very welcoming and open to the idea of reciting the Fatihah (opening chapter of the Holy Quran) and lifted his hands with me as we employed the blessings of God on our training. He was looking for a martial art which has a rich cultural heritage, and in the same time give him the opportuinity to increase his fitness and health.

Silat is not used for showing off martial prowess, but rather for the preservation of Life. The Hormat (signature greeting of Pukulan melaka) sybolises the relationship between yourself, fellow man, and God. In the same breath, i explained that Silat can provide him with all that he is looking for, spiriuality, art & culture, self defense as well as Sport. He was surprised to know that in South Africa, only two official Silat schools operate. Alazhar Seni Beladiri (ASBD) in Joburg, and Pukulan melaka in Cape Town. this situation provides us with a perfect opportunity to train silat athletes for participation on a national and international level.

Chris left with all his questions answered, but "The little you now know about Silat is only 0.00001% of what you will learn when you eventually meet the real Guru's (Haji Mokhtar and Guru Azlan)", I reminded him. Soon he will join silat classes at one of our venues listed on the Training venues page.

~Abu Mukhtar~

The Malaysian Grandmasters Association (MAGMA) has teamed up with Asia Pacific Open University to offer academic qualifications for Martial artists. A range of courses can be taken up under the MAGMA MArtial Arts Academy, offering Core and Elective courses. Core courses includes Foundations in Anatomy & Physiology and Emergency Aid, Adat & Adab Melayu and Academic Research Methods , and Melayu Physiotherapy & Herbal Therapy. The elective courses not only includes Silat, but also Aikido as well as Free style Martial arts.

The faculty was set up in 2009 by MAGMA, an associative body of martial arts instructors from all over Malaysia. MAGMA has a membership spanning 45 martial styles with a membership totaling 500,000 people. With the overwhemling support of these organisations, the MMAA/APAC has launched Diploma, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate programs in martial arts, encompassing self-defence, culture, arts, sports, self-development, medicine and many more.

This long awaited step-up up by MAGMA in the Academic region means alot to martial artists, who felt left out of the research and scientific fields of study at tertiary institutions. In 2011, MMAA/APAC produced the world’s pioneer batch of martial arts university graduates from various styles and schools. MMAA/APAC is now firmly poised to change how martial arts is viewed in Malaysia and throughout the world. The university will begin setting up sattelite learning centres in Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei before launching its programs globally.

Guru Azlan Ghanie, co-founder and vice president of MMAA will hopefully be visiting South Africa next year to offer courses in Silat, senaman Tua,  as well as malay traditional massage and healing. Any interested parties wishing to take part in any future workshops to be held in Cape Town should contact aljaamiahacademy@gmail.com for further info. To learn More about MAGMA Martial Arts Academy, see http://asiapacific-ou.com/MAGMA.html 

~Abu Mukhtar~

Two Qori's, Sheikh Ruslan Abdul Hameed from Malaysia, and Sheikh Dr. Sharifuddin Muhammad from Indonesia will set foot on Cape Town soil on Monday 12th September Inshallah. They will be present for the 5th National Quran Competition and Awards which will be held at the Igwatul Islam masjid in bridgetown. The event is hosted by The South African Qur’aan Union - a non governmental organisation that focuses on developing Muslims by imparting essential knowledge regarding the various disciplines of Qur’anic Knowledge.


Sheikh Ruslan has a bachelors degree in Qiraa'aat from Ma'had Qiraat Shubrah, Cairo and is a senior Imam of the state of Kedah since 1996. He judged Quran competitions in Malaysia since 1996 and also judged international level Quran competitions in Saudi Arabia and Libya. Sheikh Sharifuddin has a degree in Shariah, Dawah, as well as a masters in Management. He has participated and won national and international competitions since 1984. He judged the international level competitions in Iran and Malaysia as well as the competition between Asean countries and specializes in the area of Tarannum/ Maqaamaat.

The NQA, (formerly known as the South African National Qiraa’atul Qur’aan Competition), comprises a Qur’aan recital and research contest as well as a ‘Servant of the Holy Qur’aan Award’. It is a landmark initiative by the organization in an attempt to honour the efforts of students and teachers of the Holy Qur’aan. The event serves as an added encouragement for individuals to improve, and hence the aim of the NQA is to promote and maintain high levels of Qur’aanic learning and service, as well as to train and earmark successful candidates for international platforms.


Since the coming of Islam to the southern most tip of Africa, the Muslim community of South Africa has produced great teachers of the Qur’aan, many of whom has travelled extensively to other parts of the world, promoting excellent scholarship of the Qur’aan, and hence the aim of the event is to encourage and maintain high standards of Qur’aanic learning in South Africa. Islam in South Africa has a rich history owing to the great Ulama from Indonesia exiled to the Cape by the Dutch colonial force since the late 1600's. Two of the most honoured Shuyookh paid tribute to by Cape Muslims are Sheykh Yusuf from makasar, and Imam Abdullah bin Qadhi Abdussalam (Tuan Guru) who are both buried at the Cape.

Haafith Muntahaa Kenny (pictured above), the chairperson of the SANQU (South African National Quran Union) has been dedicated to propogating the Quran and currently teaches at the Darul Quran Tahfeeth school in Heideveld. Haafith Muntahaa has successfully hosted many such events attracting youth from all over the country, and hosting many prominent international guests. During October 2010, he was instrumental in organising a Silat Roadshow by the Azhar Seni beladiri silat team from Jakarta.

Program of the SA National Qur'aan Awards 2011:

Recital programs with Qurraa from Egypt, Malaysia, and Indonesia (all after Maghrib):
Mon 19 Sept- Masjidul Jamaa'ah, Sherwood Park
Tues- Masjidus Sabr, Parkwood
Wed- Masjidul Mieftaagh, Lentegeur
Thurs- Maitland Masjid, Maitland
Sat- Ighwatul Islam Masjid, Bridgetown

Fri Jumua recital programm at Masjidul Baghr

National Qiraa competition (all takes place at Bridgetown Masjid)
Fri after Maghrb- Junior category Prelim competition
Sat 9am- Thur Salaah, Teenage and Senior category Prelim competition
Sun from 10am- Asr, Competition Finals


　

For more info on the event, contact info@quranunion.co.za

~Abu Mukhtar~

A thought provoking article on the (www.vocfm.co.za) website titled "WHY MUSLIMS LEAVE ISLAM" got me really concerned. Why do they? Has Islam not provided them with a clear, effective and logical enough way of life that they have to resort to another religion? Was it their first or last resort? How long did it take them to reach that resolution? All these questions needs to be answered, but how often do we bump into a murtad (one who left islam) and ask, "Hey, can I ask why you left Islam?". 

The article suggested that, of the many possible reasons for leaving Islam, marriage and Islamic identity crisis tops the chart. It is becoming increasingly difficult for muslim youth to hold their heads in a society which externally worships God, but internally worships its own desires. Islam teaches us how to control our desires such as greed, passion and power.  Probably the most misunderstood religion in the eyes of the west is Islam, and one major misconstrued term 'Jihad' could be the catalyst for the dilemma. But the true Jihad (struggle) is the Jihadun-Nafs - the struggle against oneself. 

So what are we going to do to stop this disastrous migration from Islam to Christianity or even worse, Atheism? Where does the root cause lie? Is it the parents irresponsibility in rearing their kids correctly? Or excessive association with non religious people? or is it perhaps circumstantial? We could take a back seat and say, "Ah well, that's their thing, and they will be responsible for their actions". But hopefully the majority of us would start preparing for this Jihad, the Jihad against Satan. Its not enough to give our kids all the weapons and armour to fight Satan, but they don't know how to fight or use those weapons!

Our Youth are our next generation. They will carry on our legacy, good or bad. The Aljaamiah Quran & Seni Silat Academy will aim to equip our youth with the skills, weapons and armour to defend themselves against Satan and his army. The challenge we face today is the lack of love and respect our youth have for Islam. Love and respect can only be gained through knowledge and heightened understanding of the laws of Allah. At Aljaamiah, students will learn the memorisation of Quran as well as Silat martial arts. The aim of silat is BUDI PEKERTI LUHUR, meaning becoming a person of noble character. 

Religion and martial arts shares a common ground in many asian cultures, especially amongst the Chinese and Japanese. Due to the fact that the vast majority of the malay population follow Islam, Seni SIlat has been used in many Pesantren (islamic schools in indonesia) to culivate Islamic culture and spirituality in students. Many Silat masters will teach their students aspects of tasawwuf (islamic spirituality) as they develop their martial arts skills, and invoking the blessing of Allah with the recitation of Quranic verses when beginning or ending silat lessons is the norm. 

If there are any other alternatives which our society can use to harness the love for Allah, then supporting its cause is a necessity. "O you who believe ! if you help (the cause of) Allah, He will help you and make firm your feet. And (as for) those who disbelieve, for them is destruction and He has made their deeds ineffective." Quran ~ Surah Muhammad, verse 7 - 8. 
Link to article "WHY MUSLIMS LEAVE ISLAM" 

"Silat is about respect and harmony. It is manifested physically into a quest for friendship and spiritually into a quest for God. A Silat Master starts to teach his students by strengthening their moral character and religious devotion. That is why practice only started after evening prayers. Why? because the silat students were expected to be of noble character. Only then, does he start to teach the self defense aspects of the martial art.

The third aspect is the aspect of silat as an art form. These three aspects, spiritual, martial and arts are the aspects which now form our heritage. The first two aspects; spiritual and martial forms the basis for security. The third aspect, art, is an expression of prosperity. Security and prosperity are the foundations for national security and integrity."

Former president of the International Silat Federation (PERSILAT) Eddie Marzuki Nalapraya (aka Pak Edie), was recently conferred highest appreciation award at the MAGMA awards ceremony in Malaysia on 29th May 2011 for his commitment and effort in spreading Silat accross the world. He also served as the former Vice Jakarta Governor between 1984-1987. 

On monday, 12th September, one of Cape Towns first Silat instructors has left its shores to Brunei. Mr Mogamat Gielmie Hartley (aka Tuan Hilmy) wil deliver a paper on "Cape Town's Perspective on the Malays of South Africa" as part of an ongoing research of the Malay communities accross the world. The International Congress on Language and Culture (KABB Kongres Antarabangsa Bahasa dan Budaya) takes place on September 17-18 at the International Convention Centre in Berakas, in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of the Language and Literature Bureau (DBP) after its establishment on September 16, 1961.

The Language and Literature Bureau has confirmed 28 working papers to be presented during the congress, which will be presented by various country representatives from South Africa, South Korea, Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore," the Kabb's Secretary, Mohd Azurin Othman (picture), confirmed according to brunei times. read more here... http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2011/04/15/international-malay-culture-congress-present-28-papers 

Tuan Hilmy is well known in Cape Town as an active researcher of Cape Malay & Muslim heritage. In the martial arts community, Tuan Hilmy was the very first South African student of Haji Mokhtar Yahya (Master of Seni Silat Pukulan melaka) and also opened the first gelanggang in Cape Town in 1997. With many years of training in the Karate Dojo, Tuan Hilmy has moved on to establish a connection with the Malay world through establishing the practice and culture of Silat.

We hope to catch up with Tuan Hilmy once he arrives from Brunei, Inshallah.