Martial Arts

Martial arts are as old as mankind. Each culture and race has developed their own martial art system. KunTao Silat is a modern system developed from several Indonesian martial art systems. Both internal and external martial arts are practiced in Indonesia. Both hard and soft style martial arts are practiced in Indonesia. KunTao Silat combines essences of all of those martial art styles into one combat effective American martial art.

There are about four major influences in ‘sophisticated’ silat; Indigenous, Chinese, Dravidian Indian, Moghul Indian (Arab).
The indigenous stuff is the ‘primitive’ aspect from the ancient peoples; the headhunter/cannibal guys. They’ve been fighting non-stop for 38,000 years of oral history, much less the 1 1/2 million years reaching back to Java Man and Ngangdong Girl. They’re really good.
The Chinese is from the trading/raiding for 8,000 years, as is the Dravidian Indian.
The ‘Arab’ stuff came with the conquering of about 800 years ago.
Different systems have different amounts of influence and exposure- mostly because of geographic reasons, but also religious and ethnic.  Kuntao is mostly to all Chinese, but divided from the Mainland influence/administration for 150 years or so. It can’t help but be influenced by the silat around it, so you see a ‘firier’ chinese art in many cases. Same thing with the Malaysian-Chinese practitioners; very pragmatic, very ’emotional’ (for want of a better word). Lots of ‘coastal’ Chinese arts are practiced in SEAsia/Indonesia, because they traded with them by sea.
Lots of arts have lost Buddhist, Taoist or Confucian connections because they’re practiced now by Chinese Muslims. You see Mongolian influence through the Tibetan connection through Khotan, as an example.
Indonesia was the end for the Spice Road- which met with the Silk Road at Khotan- to cross the Taklimacan Desert and go to the West- lots of influences and commerce. It was also a place that people went when banished from the Chinese Court, a place to hide from political losses, seek a fortune or take goods and trade. Lots of good fighting.

Chas