Seni Beladiri (Martial Arts)

Merpati Putih is a Pencak Silat school in which self-defense (beladiri) is taught and practiced as a martial art (seni). This includes silat-typical flowing, harmonious movements, techniques and forms with empty hands, but also realistic and effective attack-defense combinations, as well as an extensive repertoire of traditional weapons.

Pencak Silat is the martial art of Indonesia. It combines the culture and tradition, values and beliefs of the country. In MP, all aspects of Pencak Silat are preserved and trained, with the focus of the school being on self-defense with empty hands (tangan kosong). The techniques (jurus) in Merpati Putih are characterized by soft and flowing movements and forms that mainly and predominantly use open hands (instead of fists, like many other martial arts). They give MP practitioners a special grace and elegance that all too easily conceal the effectiveness of the techniques.

In addition to forms and techniques with empty hands, a variety of traditional weapons are an essential part of Pencak Silat in the martial arts area (seni). In MP, the long stick (toya), machete (golok) and the bladed weapon kudi developed by Mas Poeng are taught in particular. In MP Germany we concentrate on toya and golok, whereby forms and techniques go beyond national Pencak Silat standards (IPSI) and incorporate elements of various styles as well as other martial arts – e.g. from the Indian Silambam. Furthermore, in MP Germany the Javanese archery Jemparingan is practiced and taught as part of the traditional weapon school of Pencak Silat. I am proud to be able to continue and teach the cultural heritage of Jemparingan in Germany with my own bow and arrows, which are handmade in Yogyakarta.