SENSI vs SALESMAN

ROUND 12

(Pendekar vs pendejo)

The international parade of martial arts continues. From Judo and Karate to Tae Kwon Do and Hop Ki Do, to Shaolin Kung Fu and the various internal Chinese martial arts, Americans have witnessed wave after wave of “experts” who capitalize on the temporary ignorance of the buying public. While little is known about a particular art, it is difficult to evaluate the quality of the practitioner. . . in comparison to what? So the “Salesmen” sell their seminars, and video tapes, and books, and classes to the masses who remain ignorant, sometimes forever.

Sometimes several generations of a deceptively described martial art will have evolved when it meets the real article and must ascess the honor and veracity of the “founder” of the style in question. It would be better for the “founder” of his own system to say that he “invented” his own system with pieces and parts of the following systems with credit to the following people. The old “honor thy teacher” trick.

In recent years the Southeast Asian martial arts have received a lot of attention from the press and movie industry. A whole new bunch of “experts” have come to light. The “interested populace” is just now sorting out the fact and fiction in the Phillipino Martial Arts Community, and now a whole new and entirely different martial art has landed from Indonesia. The Indonesian Silat and Kun Tao styles and systems are not new to America, but have received very little notice from the media or the movies, so few people even know who the players are, let alone what their skill level may be. Here lies the rub. If you want to learn the Indonesian Martial Arts, how do you find competent instruction?

A good friend called with a similar question, and inquired about a certain very highly self-acclaimed Pendekar of Indonesian Silat. After meeting this great master, my friend had a gnawing suspicion that he may not be what he proclaimed himself to be. Since there were professional reputations at stake, my friend felt it would be wise to check into this man’s credentials before recommending and endorsing him in future endeavors.

Knowing a Pendekar personally, I picked up the phone to the Maha Guru who serves as historian and conservator of the records under the direction of the Pendekar. He did indeed know the person in question, and proceeded to ennumerate his martial training history and affiliations, but could not confirm by whom, when, or how this person had been elevated to the exalted postion of Pendekar at such a tender age. The Maha Guru suggested that this may be an unprecedented event, or possibly a mis-representation, since the person in question was soundly defeated by a beginner at a Silat gathering in the presence of the Pendekar and many other witnesses. “Very unusual behavior for a Pendekar“, the Maha Guru offered.

He then went on to explain what a Pendekar is to the Indonesian people. Much akin to other Asian martial arts, the top level Silat practitioners are often priests and holy men. Although Indonesian words are subject to many interpretations and each of the meanings are subject to many shades of meaning, “Pendekar” describes the holy man who heads a family or village system. A Family/Village System is just that; fighting skills taught within a tight and select group, not for hire, not for money. Passed along from generation to generation within the group to insure the survival of the group. The Pendekar is the spiritual leader. Translated, “the champion”, or “the clever one”, the many different translations relate the attributes of a holy practitioner of the martial arts.

A candidate for Pendekar must have a minimum of 35 years as a Guru (teacher) of the Art. In order to become a Pendekar, you have to follow a specific progression up the ranks from Guru (Seven Levels – approximately 20 to 35 years) finishing with Maha Guru (Professor) for a minimum of 10 years. And then the Presently Presiding Pendekar must authorize the promotion and relinquish the position.

In the Pentjak Silat Art of Serak�, and the Pukulan Arts of Butkni Negara and Tongkat there are Seven Keys in addition to the Djurus, Lankahs, Pentjars, Sliwas, Triangles, and Platforms. The linage holder is given the keys in order, but the Seventh Key is maintained by the Pendekar only.

Every one who has ever studied these arts are written in the Family Record. In the case of the de Thouars Family Fighting Arts, it is as simple as a telephone call to the Maha Guru to find out if someone in question is qualified to instruct any of the Family Arts.

An example of a pure and distinct Family System, the linage of Pentjak Silat Serak� began with Pak Sera (1760), passed to Mas Djut, then John DeVries, and now lives in his nephew, Pendekar Agung Paul de Thouars.

The linage of Pentjak Silat TjiMande began with Mas Kair, passed to Pa Atma, who had several linage disciples. One was Carl Deerns, now deceased, who passed the linage to his son-in-law, Willem de Thouars.

Willem provides an example of a more eclectic approach to the formation of his own system. He has extracted elements from several martial arts teachers to whom he offers honor and reverence.

The founder of Kun Lun Kung Fu was born January 9th, 1936 in Paree, Kediri in East-Java. As a sickly child, he could not physically participate in the Family Fighting System, Pentjak Silat Serak�.

One of the plantation workers took Willem under his wing and nursed him in the Chinese Shaolin arts brought to Indonesia by Lama Darmon.

Lama Darmon’s teacher was a priest named Li Po Chiang. He was a scholar of I Shing ie, Pa kua and Tai Chi Chuan and he founded the internal school of Po Kwa Zen Kung fu. Born in Honan province in 1830. He died in1900 in China.

Li Po Chiang had one martial art disciple by the name of Lama Darmon, a Tibetian monk, who had taken an Indonesian name, Liem Ping Wan.

Liem Ping Wan came to Indonesia, to Java, in 1912 and established in West-Java the Internal School Po Kwa Zen, and he fully trained 3 linage disciples. He was born in 1875 and he died in July 1942 in battle with the Japanese Kempai Tai. His linage passed to three disciples.

No. 1 was Grand Sifu Tan Tong Liong, who founded the Internal-external school of Que Moi Shantung Kun Tao, in East-Java. Tan Tong Liong was born in 1890 and passed away in July of 1959.

No 2, Master William Chen was born 1900 and died in 1956 He founded the internal systems of Tai Keh and Po Kua Zen Kun Tao.

No 3 was Grandmaster Buk Chin. Born in 1895 and passed away in 1960. He was the martial arts leader of the Tai Keh and Po Kua Zen Kun Tao.

Tan Tong Liong, William Chen and Buk Chin, together, founded Shantung, Fuekchin and Hukien Kun Tao.

Out of that school were 12 disciples, 9 without the lineage and 3 with the lineage. The three with the lineage are John Kwee, Yan Liem and Willem de Thouars.

Sifu John Kwee and Yan Liem both died in 1965 with communist uprising in Indonesia. This left Willem de Thouars, alone, as the holder of the linage of Po Qua Zen and its subsystems.

Willem also trained to completion and holds the linage in several Pentjak Silat systems.

Raden Sardjono was born 1890 in Bantam, West-Java and died in 1960.

Raden Atmo was born in 1900 in Pasirwangi, West-Java and died in 1970.

Carl Deerns, Willem’s Father-in-Law, formally taught Willem for ?? years in Pentjak Silat TjiMande and passed the linage to Willem upon his death in 19??

Willem also studied American boxing under Mr. Hamilton in 1946 in Bangkok, Tailand and had 4 amateur bouts.

Mr. de Thouars studies constantly. He has studied and investigated over 80 systems. He gives ultimate credit to his teachers, including his brothers Paul, Maurice, and Victor, from whom he studies the Family Martial Art System, Pentjak Silat Serak�.

What is most important, is that Willem’s eclectic approach is executed with honor, respect, and credit to all who have aided the evolution of his personal martial arts, the Kun Lun Pai and Ratu Duri Kun Tao/Silat.

There is nothing wrong with “inventing” your own system. This has been part of the evolution of the martial arts, especially in America, where arts from all over the world merge into one great big melting pot.

Some care to taste of all the variety they can, others prefer the purist approach. None should be condemned, but all should be acknowledged. JUST TELL IT LIKE IT IS! If you are marketing a specific linage: be specific! If you are marketing an eclectic approach learned from Bruce Lee movies and martial arts training tapes: say so!

And how can the consumer find out the truth? Most linage protecting organizations have a BOOK, and can tell you who is qualified to teach their particular system. Call the Maha Guru, or whoever is the conservator of records in that organization, and ask who is credentialized in your area. Or check out a specific Martial Art instructor BEFORE plunking down the cash.

A newly formed organization called Pentjak Silat U.S.A. can assist you in finding credentialized local and seminar instruction in the Indonesian Martial Arts. Dr. Andre KnustFraichen can be reached at:

Pentjak Silat U.S.A.

141 Jackson Avenue

San Jose, CA 95112

If you want to learn in an eclectic manner from video tapes, you are only out $50 or so to find out what you like and don’t. FULL CONTACT’s video reviews are a good way to cut your losses in that arena. Proven winners generally keep producing winners, so when you find something you like, stick with it.

America is rich in cultural martial arts. We have the greatest opportunity for variety of anyone in the World! A serious martial student, with sufficient capital, could attend a seminar every weekend with high level practitioners of dozens of esoteric arts. This is also a great way to get a feel for a martial art. Just keep signing up for local seminars until you find the art you are looking for, THEN sign on.

Frequenting local karate schools, looking for a teacher, is similar to bar-hopping to find a wife. If a local school looks good to you, set an appointment to come and observe the actual class you would be attending. In the case of many of the Indonesian Arts, you will find only “backyard” instruction, but observing a class is always a good idea, and most Gurus will permit a perspective student to observe. A qualified Martial Arts Guru (Instructor) will also be proud to display his credentials if asked. He would not consider it improper to ask for proof, since the Indonesian Martial Arts are still rare in America, and ample opportunity exists for marketeers to exploit the public’s temporary ignorance.

We will end this little essay with, “Let the buyer beware!”

Selamat.

Steve Gartin

{circa 1990}