HISTORY
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Pentjak-Silat is the national martial art of the Indonesian archipelago. Indonesia is
made up of over 13,000 islands, and is the world’s large archipelago. For over
500,000 years the island of Indonesia has been populated with people. Indonesians
are a divers people developing many different languages, cultures, and silat styles.
There are about 250 different languages are spoken, and 200 different silat styles
that are practiced. There are many different tjiminde styles alone. The origins of
combat in Indonesia are believed to date back as far as 6th century A.D. on Riouw.
The Riouw combat style is today called Silat Melayu. The silat was a very crude
combat system from 6th century A.D. to the 14th century. However, by the 16th
century came around the Riouw had a very complete, and effective combat system.
The system went out, and was taught to the Menangkabau Kingdom at Priangan.
Then it was then carried to the Srividjaya Empire at Palembang. The sultans and
their court officials were taught this system of silat, but common peasants were not
aloud to learn or practice the systems techniques. By 1520 the empire of Indonesia
fell.
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Indonesia was controlled by the Portuguese in 1511, and then by the Dutch in 1596
until the last of the, “The Great Wars” World War II. The Germans invade Holland,
and the Japanese took control of Indonesian islands. Indonesian rebels fought for
their country’s independents. In 1945, the Japanese was unsuccessful to maintain
control over Indonesia. The Dutch Military returned to try to re-take Indonesia. The
Indonesians use their art of silat, and other weapons to defend off the larger Dutch
soldiers. In 1949 Indonesia declared it independents. Indonesia wanted to rid itself
of all the Dutch influence. The Indonesians made changes to their national
language, and spellings. The old way of spelling is “Poekoelan” and “Tjiminde”, and
now it’s spelled “Pukulan” and “Tjimande or Cimande”.
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The Term Pukulan is mainly an East Java term, in the West Java the term is Pentjak,
and in the midlands it is called Silat. Pukulan mean, “To hit, or to strike”, and looks
very similar to Chinese Gung Fu. Some of the Pukulan styles are, Serak (Decoy),
Petjut (Whip Style), Suchi Hati (Big-Heart Style), Klipap (Thunder Style), and Kuntao
(Chinese Style). Some of the animals style of Pukulan are, Si Matjan (Tiger Style),
and Tiji Monjet (Ape Style). Pukulan is a system of weapons as well. Some of the
Pukulan weapons taught are, Staff, Knife, Straight Baton (single and double), and
Siku-Siku (Small Fork). Most of the weapon that is done by the Indonesians is very
similar to Kali (Filipino Martial Arts).
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The bases of the Malay Fighting Arts started with Pak Sera (1783-1885) with his
system of Sera. Pak Sera with the help of his student Mas Ojut (1840 – 1930),
develops an art of decoying. Sera uses angular patterns such as:
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Silwa – Uses a 45 degrees angel to move into the attacker’s side, or behind
them while you take their base.
Tiga – Is a useful pattern that teaches how to out flank your attacker. This
pattern is use for a lot for teaching the basics of sweeping (Bezet, and Sapu),
and throwing techniques.
Panchar – Teach how to move into the attacker while trapping, sweeping, and
deception.
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Mas Ojut went on to teach the art to other students. One of these students was Oei
Kem Boen (1870 – 1965). Oei Kem Boen was a master at Chuan Fa (Chinese Gung
Fu), and combined Chuan Fa with Sera. Mas Ojut meet Oei Kem Boen while working
for the Indonesian Secret Service. Mas Ojut was impressed with how Oei Kem
Boen’s countered his low line kicking style, and his upper body defenses. Oei Kem
Boen was impressed with Mas Ojut’s low line kicking style. Mas Ojut, and Oei Kem
Boen became friends and combined their styles together. This new art was name
after the village where they meet, Tjimindie Village on Java. The art of Poekoelan
Tjimindie was born. This tjimindie should not be mistaken for the Tjimindie founded
by Pak Kahir, or Embah Kahir. Remember, there are many different tjimindie out
there.
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At nine years old, William “Willy” John Christopher Wetzel met Oei Kem Boen and
was recruited to help Oei Kem Boen to locate rebel-training camps in exchange for
lesson in Poekoelan Tjimindie. Oei Kem Boen taught Willy Wetzel everything he
could about fighting. Willy joined the Dutch Secret Service at the age of 17, and his
mission was to locate rebels. In Willy’s travel throughout Indonesia Willy learn
different types of silat. In 1949 Willy moved to Holland. In 1956 Willy immigrated to
Vanport, PA. In 1960 Willy opened his first martial arts school to the general public.
After Willy death in 1975, Willy’s students began teaching his art through out the
US. Today, Willy Student’s, their Student’s, and now their Student’s Student’s teach
Poekoelan Tjimindie all over the world.
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