The styles of Pencak Silat I am learning are modern styles based mainly on an old style called CIMANDE (If you want to know what styles I'm studying, click on GADO GADO and the picture under it in the sidebar).
Cimande is a West Javanese style founded by Embah Kahir in the 18th century, along with the kera (monkey), pamachan (tiger) and Trumbu stick-fighting styles. Around 300 variations of cimande exist today, and are practiced primarily in villages along the Cimande River. I put a playlist showing various video clips of several Cimande schools from You Tube in the sidebar. However, if you don't want to look through the sidebar, you can watch it here.
The Cimande style is one of the most famous in Indonesia and is certainly one of the oldest. Many of the newer, more modern styles have historically drawn their inspiration from Cimande or have incorporated its techniques to some degree. The influence of Cimande is clearly recognized in many pencak silat styles in Java and Sunda (West Java).
Most of the data pertaining to the origins of Cimande, its founder, and influences, has been handed down for centuries via an oral tradition. The founder of this style did not leave a history in written form.
We can only say with certainty that this-or-that version is accepted by a particular school, or a particular region, or village. I'm only posting a more or less "official" history of the Cimande style of Pencak Silat but there are other versions out there as well.
Embah Kahir
[Source: Passage from the book, Learning Silat, page 10, by Mr. R Asikin, Bandung, August 1975 and authorized by H. Suhari Sapari, The General Leader of PPSI "The Indonesian Self Defense Association" of West Java, and the IPSI, Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia]
He was the master of "Cimande", clan. He introduced the "Cimande" fighting system to the West Javanese. He called his clan "Cimande" for the place where he lived had a river called the Cimande River. He lived in a small village called the "Congreg" near the town of Bogor in West Java, around, 1780.
Embah Kahir had many students in many places like: Bogor, Jakarta, Banten, Bandung, and else where in West Java. In 1773, he fought against a fighter from Macao in Cianjur, a small town in West Java. It was witnessed by the chief of the district of Cianjur called the Prince of Kornel.
His very well known student was "Bapak Sera", who had many students in Depok, Bogor, Jakarta, Tangerang, and Banten.
Embah Kahir's five students who spread Cimande in Bandung were: Bapak Endut, Ocod, Otoy, Komar, and Oyot.
There were three other students who came from Bogor to Bandung and taught Cimande, namely: Bapak Bidong, Mailin and Bapak Abo.
The Myth of Maempo Cimande
[Source: Interview with Bapak Rifai, Guru Pencak Silat Cimande Panca Sakti in Jakarta, 1993]
Not far from the Mande river shore was a family of a merchant by the name of Kahir who lived in peace and calm. One day his wife went toward the river to run her daily errants such as washing laundry, cleaning food materials and relieving herself. When the wife was washing laundry she saw a school of monkeys across the stream, picking up "kupak" fruit along the river shore. Not too long after that a tiger appeared at the same place. Feeling that the presence of the tiger was very disturbing, the monkeys screamed and made loud noises, as loud as they could. Kahir's wife was alerted and wondered what would happen next. The tiger roared furiously and charged towards the monkeys with its strong paws, but the little monkeys, not showing any fear at all, dodged the tiger and striked back by biting on the tiger's stomach. The tiger struggled and striked back, but his attacks did not prevail over the monkeys. On the other hand the other monkeys, using branch sticks, they tried to divert the tiger's attention and made him even more angry and jumped on them again. But at the same time the monkeys dodged the attack and bit on him again.
Ibu Kahir was carefully watching this moments by moments, she comprehended every movements which appeared to be as a fighting technique. As a result, she didn't finish her job in time, she arrived home late and did not prepare lunch yet. Her delay in preparing lunch made Mr. Kahir very upset at her and he didn't want to understand her, though she tried her best to explain. He got so upset and that he tried to slap her on the face. She dodged and escaped the slapping. Her husband got even more upset and lost control over himself. Blow by blow he tried to land on his wife, but none were able to touch her. She always managed to dodge the blows. Panthing and out of breath, Mr. Kahir asked his wife :"where did you learn to play poho?" (poho means to perform "deceiving moves", or "maempo" for short). The wife explained to her husband that her delay was due to her return from the river, after having watching an interesting fight between the tiger and the monkeys.
After that Mr. Kahir dilligently asked his wife how those swift moves were done, and his wife showed him some samples. Mr Kahir would recall those fighting moves and it is now known by the name "jurus kelid pamonyet" (dodging monkey style). The monkeys attacking by using branches is known as "jurus pepedangan" (sword move) and striking of the tiger with both of its strong paws is known as "jurus pamacan" (tiger style). Because the tiger's position when charging against the monkeys was with both rear legs in squatting position and the monkeys were using low stance position, thus the basic moves for Cimande is first - jurus kelid (dodging moves), starting from the tiger's sitting position and the next step is standing low (low stance) monkey style. The maempo teknik was continuously developed by Mr. Kahir and the locals called it by the name of maempo Cimande.
The Life of Guru Kahir
[Short essay quoted from Gema Pencak Silat Vol 3 no. 1:18-19]
Kahir lived in a village of Cogreg, Bogor. He became a feared pendekar around the year 1760 which was when he first introduced to his students the maempo Cimande moves. His students then spread it out to other regions like Batavia, Bekasi, Karawang, Cikampek, Cianjur, Bandung, Garut, Tasikmalaya, Sumedang, Ciamis, Kuningan, and Cirebon.When he was living in Cogreg, Bogor, Kahir used to travel far, leaving his hometown for trading horses. There has been many attempts to rob him, but he was able to overcome them all because of his skills in playing maempo. In Batavia he was able to get acquainted with other silat pendekar(s) from Minangkabau and Cina - masters in the world of silat, and he traded experiences with them. His meeting with other silat pendekar gave him an idea to broaden his horizon by accepting other cultures into his own. When doing business in Cianjur, he met with the 4th city mayor of Cianjur, Raden Adipati Wiratanudatar (1776-1813).
He then decided to move to Cianjur and lived in Kamurang vilage. Raden Adipati Wiratanudatar knew that Kahir is skillful in playing maempo and he asked him to teach him and his family, all regional and security officers. In order to prove Kahir's his skills, the mayor challenged him to a fight against a Chinese master of Kuntao Macao in alun-alun (park) Cianjur. Kahir won the fight and made himself more popular among the people in Cianjur region. In 1815 Kahir came back to Bogor, he begat 5 "sons" which are Endut, Ocod, Otang, Komar and Oyot. By his 5 sons was Cimande widely spread throughout the land of Pasundan (Western Java). Meanwhile in Bogor, Cimande was successed by his student, Ace, who died in Tarik Kolot. His descendants have become the elders of pencaksilat Cimande Tarik Kolot Kebon Jeruk Hilir. The beginning of the 19th century was when Cimande reached it's glorious moments in West Java, that Kahir's typical clothing of "sontok" or "pangsi" shorts (very loose/baggy shorts) with "kampret" shirt has become the model uniform of pencak silat until present.
In 1825 Kahir died and his fighting art is continuously developing and widely accepted by people of West Java. His training methods was developed by his pupil such as Sera' and Ciwaringin style which along the way made some changes in the moves such as done by Haji Abdul Rosid. However, the changes is not too much different than the basic maempo Cimande moves. Today Cimande has developed and widely spread unto different corners around the world. The problem has been that Kahir did not put his teaching in writings, but oral tradition which is not systematic. In the village of Cimande, maempo Cimande is not in an organized form. From one family to another, the Cimande is passed down from one generation to another in an unorganized manner that it produced many students and branched many schools, legaly as well as illegally, not familiar with one another. At least Cimande has become the basic for other silat moves that later developed and branched out world widely.
Basics of Cimande
[short essay from Gema Pencak Silat Vol. 3, no. 1:20-22]
Originally, Cimande was using long distance fighting techniques, i.e. the fighter would stand within a distance of a few feet from the opponent, which will make it possible for the fighter to dodge opponet's attack. The distancalso makes it dominant for counter attacks. In launching attacks, every fighter (pesilat) should always pay close attention to position of feet or stance and keep a certain distance from the opponent. The use of Kuda-kuda pipih (flat stance?) can easily be adjusted/increased in speed or frequency, as one can expect an opponent to strike with a fast punch or kick within a distance. Therefore one need to adjust one's own speed in order to level with the opponent. In essence, jurus (moves) of Cimande is devided into : Kelid (dodging) Cimande, Pepedangan (sword fight) Cimande and Tepak Selancar(?). Kelid and Pepedangan are self defense techniques whereas Tepak Selancar is a demonstrative art moves (accompanied with pencak drum beats).
1. Jurus Kelid Cimande (Cimande dodging techniques) :
These moves is the core moves which is meant for blocking and knocking down of an opponent.
There are altogether 33 moves (jurus) :
1. tonjok bareng (simultaneous punch)
2. tonjok saubelah (single punch)
3. kelid selup (dive dodge)
4. timpah seubelah (single strike)
5. timpah serong (side strike)
6. timpah duakali (double strike)
7. batekan
8. teke tampa
9. teke purilit
10. tewekan
11. kedutan
12. guaran
13. kedut guar
14. kelid dibeulah
15. selup dibeulah
16. kelid tonjok (dodge & punch)
17. selop tonjok
18. kelid tilu
19. selup tilu
20. kelid lima
21. selup lima
22. peuncitan
23. timpah bohong (mock strike)
24. serong panggul
25. serong guwil
26. serong guar
27. singgul serong
28. singgul sebelah
29. sabet pedang
30. beulit kacang
31. beulit jalak pengkor
32. pakala alit
33. pakala gede
We can see that the dodging techniques is stressing on the hands as source of power/strength. For example :
Tonjok forming fist
Teke using fingers
Tewekan finger tips thrusting flat
Kedutan hand palm
Guaran using outer or inner side of hand
Singgulan using wrist
In all, the Jurus Kelid looks somewhat unique compared to other styles/moves where stress is put on the feet, like silat Minangkabau.
How to Train
This is usually done in pairs by sitting position, two facing each other, one leg extended and one folded. Sparring partners performing strikes and defense in sitting position. Purpose of this training is to develop one's imagination to figure out and decide which stance and moves are proper to be used in a standing position. If hand moves is mastered, the proper stance to use can easily be determined.
2. Jurus Pepedangan Cimande (Cimande Sword Style)
This style is stressing on the flexibility of the feet and striking techniques using the Golok. Bamboo is used to replace the sword when doing training or mock fight. The pepedangan consists of 1 set of flow of moves, i.e.
elakan sebeulah - selup kuriling - jagangan - tagongan -
piceunan - balungbang - balumbang - sabeulah - opat likur -
buang dua kali - selup kuriling langsung - selop bohong
3. Jurus Tepak Selancar (Demonstrative)
This style is only performed for the beauty as each moves is very artistic and is followed by music in form of pencak drum beats, which includes 2 large drums (indung) and 2 smaller drums (kulantir), which regulates the rhytm. Melody of the trumpet and as small gong (kempul) or bende which accompanies every moves should follow the beating of drums.
Common standard music titles are : Tepak Dua, Tepak Dungdung, Paleredan, Golempang and Tepak Tilu.
Student candidate and code of ethics
[short essay from Gema Pencak Silat Vol.3 no.1:20-22]
All candidates of Cimande students are required to obey and honor certain rules and code of ethics of the school before entering into training. One of the requirements is to go through a serius of traditional 7 day fasting from Monday through Thursday.
The following step is to read Cimande swear or oath (Patalekan Cimande) :
1. Faithful and obedient to God and His apostles
2. Respectful to parents
3. Respectful to teacher and government (ruler)
4. Avoid gambling and stealing
5. Avoid arrogance, boasting or showing off
6. Avoid adultery
7. Avoid lies and deception
8. Avoid drunk and drugs
9. Do not take advantage or abuse fellow creatures of God
10. Do not pluck nor take without permission
11. Avoid envy and hatred
12. Do not avoid paying debts
13. Always be polite, humble and appreciative to other fellow human beings
14. Learning Cimande is not for showing off, boasting or for acting recklessly, but for achieving safety on earth and in heaven.
Patalekan Cimande is explained in such a way and repetitively to student candidates in order for them to fully understand and comprehend while their hands are being held by the teacher as symbol for acceptance. The next step is for the teacher to say a prayer, tawasul, and drop a mixture of water and bettelnut (sirih) extract to the student's eye (peureh), this tradition is called "keceran" and is meant to sharpen the student's eyes. The function of Cimande is basically for spreading Islam, and therefore the devotion for God and His apostles while doing all of His commands and avoid the taboos is a must to all Cimande practitioners. Cimande is used for controlling all animal lust and other lust that does not benefit human beings. Cimande is not to be used for controlling (or having superiority against) other human beings. Talek Cimande is basically the spirit of the pencak itself, without Talek Cimande, the pencak is like a corpse without soul which spreads out an unpleasant (rotten) smell.
May this information be benefecial in describing the whats and hows of Cimande. May you success in your fasting.
Here are a few video clips of different cimande schools.
Video Clip 1
Video Clip 2
Video Clip 3
Video Clip 4
Video Clip 5
Video Clip 6
Video Clip 7
Video Clip 8
Now if you notice, I put a lot of clips up there... all showing a different variation of cimande. That's one of the things I love about this style... that there can be so many variations, and yet still follow the same underlying principles. there's so many things I want to say about Cimande... but all I'm going to say is that it's Beautiful, Awe Inspiring... and Deadly.
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