Pencak-Silat Is Always Self-Defense

Indonesian pencak-silat is little known in the West. Those who see it for the first time may perhaps make a rough comparison with the better known Japanese (or Okinawani karate-do, Korean taekwon-do, or even the Chinese chuan-fa methods. But such comparisons are inaccurate with regard to the techniques.Through a careful study of this book some of the technical differences which mark pencak-silat apart from other fighting forms will become apparent. For the moment, it is enough to realize that pencak-silat was developed exclusively by Indonesians, who regard it as an intrinsic part of their cultural heritage. It therefore deserves to be described in its own terms and judged by its own standards.

The primary purpose of pencak-silat is always self-defense. No conscious effort is made to make orthodox pencak-silat a system of physical education or a sport. Pencak-silat's technical fundamentals deal with the use of weapons; no combatant is ever required to enter combat relying only on his empty hands. Therefore weapons of all kinds are studied and applied to combat situations. These weapons may be anatomical, as in karate-do (fist, elbow, knee, foot), or they may be implements (sword, stick, staff, club, knife, and others). Pencak-silat has an additional peculiarity in that virtually all movements performed empty handed may be performed equally fluently and safely when the combatant is armed. This is not true of present-day Japanese karate-do, though it may be found in many earlier orthodox forms of combat on the Asian continent and in Okinawa.