History:
Pencak Silat is a martial art that requires the ability to protect oneself from enemy attacks using agility and dexterity with grapple, hold, and block techniques.
Research shows Pencak Silat to have emerged in the West Sumatera and West Java regions. Pencak Silat is practiced in many regions of Indonesia, especially West Sumatra, Bangka, Banten, West Java, Jakarta’s Special Capital Region, Central Java, Special Region of Yogyakarta, East Java, Bali, and West Bali. In addition to its sportive aspect, Pencak Silat also reflects the local culture of the regions where it is practiced with features such as musical instruments, clothing styles, oral traditions, and expressive styles. Pencak Silat is generally practiced during various special days, ceremonies, and celebrations. It is taught in schools through extracurricular activities or local content. Pencak Silat was enrolled by Indonesia onto the Representative List of the UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2019.
Rules:
The basic postures and steps in Pencak Silat are based on the principle of eight step directions. Accompanied by traditional music, these steps and postures are switched between according to the rhythm of the music. This is called "Langkah". Langkah is one of the basic techniques in defence and attacks. This technique, called Jurus, is repeated with great care. While these movements develop the muscular system, they also provide defence without thinking too much in case of any sudden threat.
The movements and techniques in Pencak Silat are strongly influenced by various art elements. These movements and techniques are called body movement (wiraga), sense of movement (wirasa) and movement with appropriate musical accompaniment (wirama). Some disciplines focus more on attacks, grabs or locks, while others place more emphasis on spiritual development and practise techniques with slow movements. In Pencak Silat, the whole body is used. Techniques to distract the opponent are also applied.
