Pencak Silat: Indonesian Martial Art

• Pencak Silat is a martial art inherited by Indonesian ancestors, needing preservation, guidance, and development.
• Indonesia serves as the center for traditional Pencak Silat martial arts.
• Regional terms for Pencak Silat include, Silek, Gayuang, Bersilat, Maempok, Penca, Mancak, Encak, and Mpaa Sila.
• Indonesian dictionary defines Pencak Silat as the art of defending oneself with the ability to deflect, attack, and defend with or without weapons.
• Pencak Silat involves beauty, action, intellect, reasoning, learning, and observation.

Cultural Foundation

• Pencak Silat is a product of Indonesian society and part of the Malay community culture.
• The Malay community is agrarian and communal, shaping the foundational culture of Pencak Silat.
• Communal culture embodies mutual assistance, kinship, togetherness, loyalty, harmony, and social tolerance.
• 'Gotong Royong' (mutual assistance) is vital, with Pencak Silat schools discouraging it for negative purposes.
• 'Gotong Royong' signifies collaborative work, fair distribution of results, and selfless contributions within individual capabilities.
• Discrimination isn't tolerated against groups differing from or unaccepted by the majority.

Pencak Silat Philosophy

• Learning Pencak Silat involves learning about life, and responsibility towards oneself, family, society, country, and God.
• Pencak Silat philosophy emphasizes noble character as the source of commendable attitudes, behaviors, and actions for achieving religious and moral ideals.
• Noble character includes self-control, fulfilling obligations as a creation of God, an individual, a social being, and part of the universe.
• The philosophy emphasizes devotion to God, improving oneself, prioritizing society, and environmental consciousness.
• 'Budi' is the element of mind, including intention, feeling, and will.
• 'Pekerti' means character or moral, and 'Luhur' means noble.
• The philosophy of noble character teaches humans to act in their respective roles based on intention, feeling, and noble will.
• 'Tangguh' means resilience, persistence, and the ability to develop skills to face challenges and uphold truth, honesty, and justice.
• 'Tanggon' refers to resilience in facing temptations, being disciplined, responsible, and adhering to legal, social, and religious norms while upholding principles.
• 'Trengginas' signifies agility, dexterity, and dynamic, energetic, corrective, efficient, and effective skills for achieving progress.

Principles of Pencak Silat

• The principles of Pencak Silat involve fundamental rules for practicing the martial art.
• The code contains moral teachings, values, and aspects of Pencak Silat as a unified whole.
• The foundational rules incorporate ethical, logical, aesthetic, and athletic norms.
• It governs the ethical, technical, aesthetic, and athletic execution of Pencak Silat as a single unit.

Core of Pencak Silat

• At its base, Pencak Silat is a means of mental, spiritual, and physical education.
• It aims to form individuals capable of understanding and applying the noble character philosophy.

Learning Purposes

• Understanding the essence of Pencak Silat should include:
• Obeying religious and spiritual values consistently, both vertically and horizontally.
• Improving personal qualities to achieve an ideal based on societal views and religious teachings.
• Possessing noble thoughts, orientations, insights, views, motivations, attitudes, behaviors, and social actions that are valuable and ideal.
• Preserving the environment to provide advancement, welfare, and happiness as gifts from God.

Aspects of Pencak Silat

• Four key aspects exist:
• Mental-Spiritual: Develops noble character.
• Art: Encompasses cultural and artistic expressions.
• Self-Defense: Emphasizes technical skills for protection.
• Sports: Focuses on physical health and athletic achievement.
• Mental-spiritual aspect involves piety, noble character, patriotism, brotherhood, responsibility, forgiveness, and upholding truth, honesty, and justice.
• Pencak Silat masters often underwent meditation or spiritual practices to reach advanced levels of skill.
• Art includes cultural and artistic expression through Pencak Silat dance forms with traditional music and attire.
• Self-defense aims to strengthen the human instinct to defend against threats.
• This includes mental and physical readiness grounded in a knightly attitude.
• Aspiring to avoid arrogance or revenge.
• Sports promote physical and spiritual health, and achievement in sports.
• Athletes strive to synchronize mind and body.
• It includes competitions and demonstrations of techniques.

Pencak Silat Institutions

• Pencak Silat institutions (Perguruan) differ from Pencak Silat styles (Aliran).
• Institutions provide education in Pencak Silat knowledge and practice.
• In West Java, they're called 'Peguron', and in Central Java, 'Padepokan'.
• Pencak Silat gets taught in schools, universities, and government or private institutions.
• Pencak Silat styles, are the specific Pencak Silat approaches and skills a school teaches, follows.
• Some schools concentrate on teaching one style.
• Other schools may teach combinations of both domestic and International styles.
• Institutions affiliated with IPSI (Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia) are categorized into general and special membership.

Pencak Silat Organizations

• Pencak Silat organizations are bodies, federations, or associations organizing Pencak Silat at regional or environmental levels.
• All uphold Pencak Silat values.
• Members are citizens or residents where the organization operates.
• Activities can be independent or aligned with the parent institution.
• Organizations have three levels:
• Local: operates within a certain region.
• Regional: Integrates local organizations.
• National: Has branches in every state.

IPSI Symbol

• Symbols serve as identity for organizations, representing meaning.
• The IPSI symbol consists of:
  • Yellow: Represents prioritizing noble character and well-being to achieve national prosperity.
  • Five-Sided Shield Form: Symbolizes that IPSI is based on the philosophical foundation of Pancasila
  • Yellow Garuda Wings with red muscles: Symbolizes Indonesia's strength rooted in purity, grace, and dynamism.
  • The founding date of IPSI, May 18, 1948 is reflected in the 18 feathers, a 5 leaf, a 4 leaf, and 8 Leaf.
  • The IPSI with the spirit of independence is represented by using 17 + 1 feathers.

Required Attitudes

• Act peacefully and amicably towards everyone.
• Have empathy and care for others, and provide help to those in need.
• Show humility, friendliness, and politeness in speech and social interactions.
• Be big-hearted, introspective, and able to apologize for mistakes, and be willing to forgive others.
• Prioritize the interests of society over personal interests.
• Socially utilize their abilities.
• Be optimistic, not easily frustrated or discouraged, and sincere in facing hardships.
• Willing to sacrifice for the common good.
• Oppose crime and delinquency that disrupt public order and hinder public welfare.

Pencak Silat Uniform

• Pencak Silat uniforms are generally black, but some institutions use other colors.
• Black uniforms are worn during formal occasions and competitions.
• Uniforms made from strong but flexible fabric and have long sleeved shirts.
• Pesilat wear white belts, assistant pesilat wear orange (10cm width).
• Red and blue belts mark corner recognitions, 10 cm wide and made of non-creasing material.

Indonesian Pesilat Pledge

• The promise or oath from all pencak silat schools of Indonesia within IPSI.
• The "Prasetya Pesilat Indonesia" has 7 articles which forms an ethical code for Pesilat Indonesia.
• They act as citizens, warriors and knights in life.
• The pledge articulates the following:
  • To have faith in God and to have noble character.
  • To defend and practice Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution.
  • To love the nation and the homeland of Indonesia.
  • To always uphold friendship and national unity.
  • To always pursue progress and national identity.
  • To always uphold truth, honesty, and justice.
  • To be a resilient knight in facing trials or tribulations.