Martial Arts: Pentjak Silat Sera Compiled by Guru Pangkat Tua Clifford Stewart Mission Statement The Lost Art of Silat (LA Silat) makes an active and conscious effort to rediscover and use the true values of: Adat(Respect), Hormat(Honor), Warriorship, and Loyalty; values that seem to have been lost by some Silat groups. With a focus on the detailed teaching of fighting principles, LA Silat will uphold the integrity and validity of the Art without compromising self-respect and personal honor. Our purpose is to share and learn, to critique skill level, and to encourage students to develop in ways which maximize their potential to be the best they can be. History of Pukulan Pentjak Silat Sera/Bukti Negara The verbal history of Pukulan Pentjak Silat Serak as told to me by Pendekar Paul de Thouars is as follows: Sera was founded by a man named Pak Sera. He was a member of the Badui tribe, of the Indonesian people, referred to as the "White-Robed" Baduis. They were the inner group; the "Blue-Robed" Badui were the outer group. (The White-Dressed Badui natives lived as the nucleus and the Blue Badui surrounded them -- outside like a circle) Pak Sera was well known for his wisdom and his fighting abilities. The White Badui people lived in a jungle region which others feared to tread. Since the Badui were well known as warriors, and believed to possess the knowledge of many magical gifts, they were greatly feared and left alone. Cultural and religious practices mandated a strict, secret code of living, and no one was allowed to penetrate the outer circle of the Blue Badui to contact the inner circle of White Badui. The Blue Badui formed a protective shield around the White Badui, and it was the Blue Badui only that traded and communicated with those on the outside. Pak Sera was a man with multiple disabilities. He walked with a limp and could fight with only one leg and one arm. Through his genius, and ability to see beyond his own eyes, he developed one of the most devastating fighting systems the world has ever seen. Actually, the world has not really seen it. Only a few have had the opportunity, and even less have trained in it. Pak Sera created Sera based on a leverage system of math and science. His timing and structurally sound body levers are extremely efficient. Pak Sera shared the Art of Sera with Mas Djoet, a member of the inner Badui tribe. Mas Djoet added the Guardian hand system. The Guardian hand systematically has one hand always backing up the other for defense, trapping and striking. It is a simple, complicated, sophisticated and deadly addition to Sera, and truly is an ingenious adjunct to Sera/Bukti Negara. In time, Mas Djoet met Johann DeVries, a missionary who loved the Indonesian people. They became close friends and Mas Djoet taught Johann DeVries Sera. Pendekar Paul deThouars was born around 1930 in East Java (There are no written records in the jungle) and his training in Sera began around 1936. His Uncle John DeVries was his teacher until his death in 1972. 1985 marks the beginning of the devastating modern Silat art of Bukti Negara. According to Pendekar Paul deThouars, he created Bukti Negara for the elderly, the weak, and those who could not endure the harsh training required by Sera students. Pendekar gave Bukti Negara to the United States as a modern day version of Silat for their very own. He began teaching his own Serak students the basics of Bukti Negara. It would have been a system that only those close to Pendekar could learn. However, Dan Inosanto, a skilled martial artist in his own right, was introduced to Pendekar by Jan (John) De Jong, the now deceased uncle of Guru Stevan Plinck. At that time, Dan Inosanto had already begun traveling and doing seminars all over the country. After training privately with Pendekar in Serak and Bukti Negara, and realizing the value of the art, he began introducing Bukti Negara to the public at his seminars. Maha Guru Dan Inosanto paved the way for others to teach this deadly Art. Senior Gurus Stevan Plinck, Cliff Stewart, Cass Magda and the Pendekar himself have taught seminars worldwide. Pak Serak was said to have studied 9 systems of Silat and mastered 3 to help form his own system of Serak. Mas Djut added the Guardian Hand System. Theo Schryn, John De Vries, Ernest de Vries and Ferdie de Vries all learned Sera/Serak, but each taught it a little differently, still without changing the Art itself. Pendekar Paul deThouars added to the Art a Platform Langka , two-man Sambuts, and Bukti Negara. We at LA Silat continue this tradition of enhancing and "upgrading" the System without changing it. Vision Statement As leaders in the Art may we grow and prosper with only great respect and reverence for all people and things that come into our lives. May all of us have a newfound appreciation for the Art with deeper understanding for what can be achieved now and in the future. PUKULAN OR POEKOELAN: STRIKING WITH A REASON OR PURPOSE PENT: EXACT OR PRECISE JAK: USE SILAT: TO FIGHT back to top back to top back to top

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By Guru Dan Inosanto As a reader of this column, you are undoubtedly familiar with the multitude of martial arts. Among the more respected is Indonesian Pukulan or Indonesian Pencak Silat. BACKGROUND About 150 styles of silat can be found throughout Indonesia's 3,000 islands. This area stretches from the Indian Ocean in the west and Australian New Guinea in the east to the Southeast Asian mainland and the Philippines in the north and Australia in the south. All Pencak Silat styles have technical similarities, but through the years they have developed their own identities and traditions. Among the well known styles are: Harimau, Cimande, Setia Hati, Perisai Diri, Bhakti Negara, Kumango, Patai, Baru, Mustika Kweetang, Minangkabau and Pamur. It is a popular belief among Indonesians that martial arts came to their country from India instead of China. However, there remain many Chinese styles in Indonesia. The Indonesians have a style of martial arts technically different from the Chinese varieties. Indonesia had two great empires. One of the earliest powerful kingdoms was that of Srivajaja of Sumatra. This empire came to power in the 7th century and lasted for 700 years. The other empire of importance was the Majapahit empire, which flourished from 1292 to 1398. The English came to power in the 17th century. The Dutch, who assumed control of Indonesia in 1816. Out of this turmoil came one of the world's great martial arts styles. One of the most effective systems of self-defense is Serak. I have experienced this art many times after being tossed on my behind. My pendekar (leader) in this art is Paul de Thouars, who teaches a highly sophisticated, technical and precise system based on physics, physiology and anatomy.   THE SERAK SYSTEM This style is one of the most practical and scientific arts in which I have trained. Serak is a martial art for one who has patience. But once the understanding has been achieved, the art works like "magic". In the Serak Silat system, there is a basic or external side, and an advanced or internal side. The basic study of Serak takes approximately seven years of practice at at least three hours a day, three times a week. The basic Pukulan Serak consists of: physics, physiology, anatomy, 18 jurus, basic lankah, intermediate lankah, advanced lankah, and system change (guarding system). And basic Serak platforms consist of lankah: * Tiga Luar * Silwa Luar * Sekurum Luar * Pancah Luar * Lima The basic technical aspects of Serak are the one point, two point and three point system. The basic major Serak Lankahs are: * Lankah Juru Sepak * Lankah Juru Combinasi The basic schedule or external system can possibly be learned in 3 years.  De Thouars can count on one hand the number of students who have completed the basics.  The intermixing of pencak and silat training is possible, but it still takes approximately seven years of diligent training to accomplish this goal. As far as the advanced side or internal system of Serak, only de Thouars and his first student and disciple, maha guru Victor de Thouars, have completed the system. No one else in the United States has the knowledge of the internal Pukulan Serak. And it will stay that way until someone has the skill and endurance to complete the basic side. To understand the platforms and to know the platforms are two different things. To perform the lankahs and jurus is nothing, but what really matters is to understand what the lankah teaches. In other words, there are no guessing games. The basic lankah Tiga teaches the adoption of torque and proper position of the space you encompass. The basic Lankah Silwa teaches the concept of accepting total elusiveness. The basic Lankah Sekurum teaches the concept of 360 degree vision. Basic Lankah Pancar teaches the concept of constant change and awareness. Since Serak takes seven years to learn and takes a great deal of patience, de Thouars has created the Bukhti Negara and Tongat styles as sub-systems. When it comes to understanding the weakness of the human anatomy, nerve point hitting, takedowns, foot sweeps, throws, and elbow and knee strikes, very few systems can match the sophistication of this art. HISTORY The art was developed by the Badui people of Java. The Badui have maintained their isolation from the outside world and are held in awe by the Indonesian Javanese for their mystic and clairvoyant powers. The founder of the system was from the Badui tribe, a man by the name of Pak Serak. Pak Serak had only one arm and a crippled foot. He was familiar with nine style and proficient in three. He could see the weaknesses and strengths of many styles and formulated his system of fighting. His number one student was Mas Djut, and with his help Pak Serak organized his system into a format ranging from beginning to advanced levels of learning. It was from Mas Djut that Johan de Vries learned the art of Serak. Because of his good nature and concern for the Indonesian people, he was taught the fighting system of Serak. Mas Djut offered Johan the leadership of the Serak system after Mas Djut had retired or died. But Johan declined; he did not want to dishonor or bring disgrace to the art by having novice or underling students change the style.   HISTORY: The de Vries and de Thouars families Johan instead brought his two nephews, John and Ernest de Vries, to begin training with Mas Djut while they were in their adolescent years. Along with his technical teachings, Mas Djut installed a safeguard to help prevent the altering or changing of his system. John and Ernest were trained to be teachers. Because of John's ability to make students understand the art, Mas Djut made him the successor. Ernest was a fierce fighter, but sometimes had a difficult time making students and people understand his knowledge. John de Vries became the pendekar upon Mas Djut's passing in 1930. The cousin of John de Vries, Suzanna de Vries, married a Dutch-Indonesian by the name of Henry de Thouars. Their son, Paul, who began his training at the age of six, is the present Pendekar. Many other brothers trained under pendekar John de Vries and maha guru Ernest de Vries, but in 1970 it was Paul de Thouars who was given the full authority of the system of Serak. In 1972, de Thouars died. Guru Dolf de Vries (left) Writing about the martial art of silat serak cannot represent a true picture, because it is so advanced and based on physics. It's movements are frightfully savage and effective. Words cannot adequately describe this system. Now I can understand why Donn F. Draeger considered Pencak Silat one of the world's most deadly martial arts. Dan Inosanto Inside Kung Fu Illustrated December 1986