Betawi

Betawi
Total population
5 million (2000 census)

Regions with significant populations

Jakarta: 2.3 million
Languages
Betawi, Indonesian
Religions
Muslim
Related ethnic groups
Javanese, Sundanese
The Betawi (Orang Betawi, or "people of Batavia") are the descendants of the people living around
Batavia (the colonial name for Jakarta) from around the 17th century. The Betawis are mostly
descended from various Southeast Asian ethnic groups brought to or attracted to Batavia to meet
labour needs, including people from various parts of Indonesia. They have a culture and language
distinct from the Sundanese and Javanese.
The Betawis are known for their religious life (Islam).

Silat
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Silat
Also known as Pencak Silat, Pentjak Silat, Penchak Silat (among French practitioners)
Style kicking, striking, locking, weapons
Country of origin Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore
Parenthood Historic
Pencak Silat or Silat ("fighting by using techniques of self-defense") is a Southeast Asian martial
art with roots in the culture of the Malay World. This art is widely known in Malaysia, Indonesia,
Brunei, Singapore and the Philippines but can also be found in varying degrees among the Malay-
affiliated communities in Thailand and Cambodia. The art has also reached Europe, and is
especially popular in the Netherlands, where it was as popular as karate is in the United States. But
Karate still has the upper hand in popularity in Netherlands as well. It is estimated that there are
hundreds of aliran (styles) and thousands of schools. Many of the aliran find their origin in the
observation of wild animals in combat. "Harimau" (Tiger) and "Elang" (Eagle) are some examples.

Weapons in silat
Along with the human body, silat employs the usage of several martial arts weapons. Among the
hundreds of styles are dozens of weapons. Listed here are a few examples.
Keris: Dagger, the most popular and well known weapon in silat with either a straight or
wavy blade.
Pedang: Sword, either double or single-edged and sometimes paired with a rattan buckler.
Parang/Golok: Machete, a popular weapon also used for daily tasks.
Lembing/Seligi: Spear/javelin made of either wood or bamboo and often with horse hair
attached near the blade.
Kayu/Tongkat: Stick/walking staff made of either bamboo or wood.
Chinese sword: An early Chinese import which could be used either singly or in a pair.
Kipas: The traditional Asian folding fan preferably made of wood or iron when fighting.
Tjabang/Tekpi: Three-pronged stave thought to be derived from the Indian tri-sula (trident).
Kelabit: A small claw worn on the hand, easily concealed and preferred by women.
Japanese sword: Used in some Indonesian styles, it probably came to South-East Asia in the
1600s or during an earlier period.

History
The beginning of formulized martial arts in Southeast Asia can be traced back to India and China.
Traders and settlers from both lands have long been living in the region and provided the basis for
local culture, including martial arts. The impact that Indian martial arts had on silat evident from the
use of silambam staffs and the thigh-slapping found in many forms of silat which is reminiscent of
Hindu wrestling for example. Even silat's animal styles are derived from those of India.
Additionally, bas-reliefs in Srivijaya which clearly illustrate warriors wielding weapons such as the
Chinese double-edged sword also suggest a strong Chinese influence.
With the rise of Malay civilizations, combat became more advanced and silat was institutionalized.
There are a number of legends of how this happened but only one has any historical significance.
The story tells of a Sumatran woman who witnessed a fight between a tiger and a very large bird
while fetching water from a well. Both animals, unfortunately, died in the fight. The woman's angry
husband came to scold her for her tardiness but she blocked all of his attacks, remembering the
movements of the fighting animals that she saw earlier. The couple later formulized the art and
founded the first style of silat. However true this story is, archeological evidence shows that silat
was indeed created in the Sumatra-based empire of Srivijaya and flourished after it spread to Java.
Java was home to the Mataram Kingdom and, together with Srivijaya, was an important centre for
education and religion, particularly Hinduism and Buddhism. It attracted monks and learned men
from various parts of South-East Asia. This allowed silat to influence and be influenced by other
styles from nearby countries such as Krabi Krabong from Thailand and Banshay from Myanmar.
Trade with Okinawa also brought about the similarities between silat and karate as well as various
Japanese weapon-arts like tessenjutsu and bjutsu.
By the early 1300s, silat was already highly refined, much like its present form. After Dutch
colonization, silat was brought to Netherlands by Indonesian immigrants. From there it spread to
other parts of Europe to eventually become as popular as it is today