WoI - World Of Indonesia

Pencak Silat is a martial art from Indonesia. The art has also reached Europe, and is especially popular in the Netherlands, Spain and France. The head organisation of Pencak Silat is PERSILAT.

History
Each region in the archipelago has its own version of its origin which is largely based on oral tradition.

Silat takes important role in country's history. Since the age of Ancient Indonesian Hindu-Buddhist kingdoms like Srivijaya, Majapahit, Kingdom of Sunda . They used silat to train their soldiers and warriors.

According to tradition of Minangkabau, their Silek (Minangkabau pencak silat) can be traced to the fore father of ancient Minangkabau people, Datuk Suri Dirajo .

Also in ancient times, the Buginese and Makasar people from South Sulawesi region were known as tough sailors, adventurers, mercenaries and fearless warriors . Throughout the archipelago, these people were known for their combat skills. Nowadays, some well known silat schools in Malaysia can trace their lineage back to ancient buginese warriors.

Music
Every region in the archipelago has its own music for Silat performances. In West Java, for example, Sundanese people use gendang penca. In West Sumatra, Minangkabau people sometimes use a special instrument called Saluang.

Weapons
Along with the human body, Pencak Silat employs several weapons. Among the hundreds of styles are dozens of weapons, including: