Pencak Silat is an indigenous martial art of Southeast Asia. The birthplace of Pencak Silat is considered to be Indonesia. There are hundreds of different styles of Pencak Silat that you may find in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries. Indonesia alone encompasses over 18,000 islands.
The headquarters of Pencak Silat is known as the Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia or IPSI. IPSI is the national governing agency for the growth and promotion of Pencak Silat in Indonesia. The international governing agency for Pencak Silat is known as PERSILAT. PERSILAT has over 26 affiliated countries.
While the United States has a few PERSILAT and IPSI affiliates, such as Guru Eric Kruk of Baringin Sakti and Guru Yana of Perisai Diri, the promotion of Pencak Silat in the US has been seriously lacking. All of the current members of the AOPSA are willing and going to change that. The goal of the AOPSA is to bring all of the Pencak Silat in the US together as a family to help eachother in promoting this incredible martial art.
So, what is Pencak Silat? I have heard many definitions of these words. Some say Pencak is the movement while Silat is the application. In Sundanese culture the word Pencak itself has a specific meaning. These definitions still do not answer the question of what Pencak Silat really is?
Pencak Silat is about the culture, it is about becoming family, it is about self-realization, it is about learning to protect the people you care about,it is about respect for yourself and others. These are the principles that make Pencak Silat such an incredibly powerful martial art. People tend to only focus on the fact that Pencak Silat is a complete and devastating martial art, but if you do not really understand what Pencak Silat is about, most teachers of Pencak Silat will not even waiste their time training you.
For all the teachers (Gurus) out there: I hope that you will want to help me and all the other affiliated Guru Silat to promote the art that we have such a passion for. The AOPSA will not be run by any one person - I am only the web administrator. It is a collaboration of all the affiliated Gurus. I strongly encourage you to contact me with any ideas or thoughts you may have for the growth of this association. I encourage any teacher of Pencak Silat that is interested in playing a part to contact me. I ask only that the style of Pencak Silat that you teach have a clear and accurate lineage to Southeast Asian Pencak Silat.
For all the students (pesilat) out there: I hope that everyone who visits this website will have a chance to learn about Pencak Silat and find a teacher in the area you live in that you will be able to train and grow with. The forum is for you to post any questions or thoughts you may have about Pencak Silat. I am certain the affiliated teachers will all be willing to help you in any way they possibly can. I encourage you to visit each website and explore the history and principles behind these different styles of Silat.
I send Salam to the following people for their continual help in my personal growth in Pencak Silat:
My Teachers and Friends
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Guro Ray Cole and Ray Dionaldo of FCS Silat
Guru Sean Stark of Pencak Silat Pertempuran
Guru Eric Chatelier - President of the Association France Pencak Silat
Guru Eric Kruk and Grandmaster Edward Lebe of Baringin Sakti Silat
Guru Daniel Prasetya of Inti Ombak Silat
Guru Yana of Perisai Diri
Pak H.Uho, Ibu Enny, Erwin, Budi, Opik of Pencak Panglipur
Pak Tata of the Padepokan I.P.S.I.
Bapak Eddie Nalapraya - President of PERSILAT
Pak H.Aceng,Pak H.Azis, Kang Asep,Kang Chandra of Cikalong
All My Friends in Jakarta and Staff of www.sahabatsilat.com