The Malay Sword

In my past articles I've touched briefly about silat and the keris. However, there is another Malay weapon that has not been thoroughly discussed before. This weapon has been mentioned in various Malay manuscripts and proses in the past, and is considered one of three ancestral Malay weapons. This weapon is also frequently misunderstood and some even question its existence in the Malay cosmos. This weapon is the pedang - the sword.

It is believed that the sword existed long before the keris came into its current form. Malay legends and folklores mentioned a number of swords that belonged to kings and members of the royal family. The sword is mentioned in Hikayat Malim Deman, Hikayat Hang Tuah, Sejarah Melayu and also Syair Siti Zubaidah Perang Cina. Nonetheless, it did not enjoy as much publicity as the keris did. 

The typical Malay sword is a single-edged weapon with a slightly curved blade and may be wielded by using one or two hands. Some were also straight, double-edged weapons. Swords were placed in the "selengan" or "arms' length" category and normally have blades between 23 to 29 inches in length. In some cases, the swords were shorter, with blades of about 18 to 21 inches in length. These short swords were sometimes knows as the sundang (not to be confused with the keris sundang). Swords were known by a multitude of names in the Malay civilization: jenawi, chenangkas, chunderik, sikin, podang and klewang are amongst the more familiar ones.

The most famous sword in the Malay civilization would probably be the Cura Si Manjakini, now in the possession of the Sultan of Perak. This blade is reputedly inherited from the Melaka Sultanate, which in turn had its origins in the tale of Sang Sapurba. Sang Sapurba is said to be the progenitor of the Malay Kings. Cura Si Manjakini can be likened to King Arthur's Excalibur of the Malay world. 

Interesting enough, this sword is in the form of a jenawi, a two-handed sword with a long, single-edged blade. The same type of sword is the official weapon of Seni Sukma Kencana, a Malay swordfighting system that has been in my family for generations.

May Peace be with us all. This is the Way.

Silat and the Keris (part 1)

When we talk about silat, the keris would be inevitably mentioned. What is the keris and why is it so important to silat practitioners? This can be a very long and complex topic. There are many theories and opinions on the matter. In my understanding, the keris is a symbol and pride of the Malay people. It is part of our culture and costume. Prior to the 1800s, every adult Malay male would have had a keris tucked into his sash. It was never regarded as a weapon but as part of our daily dress. A keris represented the identity of its wearer. Nonetheless, it was Raffle's intervention in the 19th century that caused the keris to be designated as a dangerous weapon. He banned the wearing of the keris. Thousands of keris were either confiscated, hidden or destroyed.

There is no reason to fear the keris. Like the Japanese katana, it is an exquisite work of art. Every keris is unique and no two blades are the same. As unique as a person's fingerprint or DNA. For this reason, the keris represented its wearer - it was a sign of where they came from,  their social standing and even their personality traits. In a way, the keris was it's wearer's twin. In modern times, a keris could be likened to an identification card or personal document. Everything about the owner could be found embedded in the likeness of a keris.

The keris has a deep spiritual connection with its wearer, and by spiritual connection, I did not simply mean a supernatural one! Every blade was custom made to cater to the needs of a specific person. Some keris were made as a companion, some were made for trade while others were made for war. It may seem that the keris was regarded as a talisman (which is not permitted in Islam), but in truth, the making of a keris had very close ties to the quantum theory.

The combination of steel, wood and other materials resonated with the spirit of the wearer. A good keris will give out positive vibes to its wearer. The pamor or damascene patterns resulting from the pattern welding process also resonated certain energies that promote certain qualities towards the wearer and their audience. This reaction occurs on an atomic level. Materials such as gold, silver and brass added into the blade is said to have specific effects. 

One may wonder, how does this work? Imagine how certain events or situations can effect the psychological state and well-being of the people involved. Every object send unseen signals that can be felt on a cellular level and this in turn affects the individual involved. A keris works in the same way. Each blade has a personality of its own, and as such it emanated different signals towards the wearer and the public. Upon looking at a keris, a person subconsciously received signals - or quantum waves - that will affect their course of action. Some keris instill fear in those who behold them, some awe, not to mention affection and majesty. 

This is only a small part of the "magic" of the keris as a cultural icon and identity of the Malays, and of silat in general. The keris is a cultural object that could be used as a weapon, only when it was truly necessary. It was a deterrent to conflict. The mere angle at which the keris hilt was pointing could decide between life or death, war or peace...

This is the Way. May peace be upon us all...

Silat and Healing

There is an old saying, "you don't choose silat, silat chooses you". It was once considered an honour to be chosen to learn the art of Silat. Silat is the art of the warrior, the art of war. But silat is also the art of Peace, and a means of self-healing as well.

An art of war that heals? Sounds pretty far-fetched? Well, not really! If you have been following my previous articles on silat, you may have noticed that I said, "silat is able to educate its practitioner to become a better person, be it physically, mentally and spiritually". It is this "education" that I wish to address in this article.

How does silat heal? We currently live in a stressful world. Our mind, body and spirit are constantly under pressure to keep up with the times. Financial problems, relationship matters, studies... All of these tax the body, mind and spirit. We need to "let off some steam" once in a while.

The practice of silat is not only physical exercise, but it is a spiritual one as well. As one trains the body, the mind and the spirit follows as well. This is not unlike the practice of solat, the daily prayer routine of Muslims. In solat, one needs to maintain the body, mind and soul or spirit in synch. The same is true for silat. To practice silat totally physically without involving the mind and spirit is like doing something without a purpose or goal. Like eating just for the sake of eating. 

By properly observing the Way of Silat, one should gain a healthy body, a sound mind and a healthy spirit. The physical act of performing the silat moves in the "tari silat" or silat dance act as a form of muscular stretching and conditioning to keep the muscles and joints flexible. The more combative form of silat moves help with agility, concentration and coordination. 

As we practice these moves with purpose, the mind will focus on what the body is trying to achieve - form, precision, power, etc. When the body and mind synchronize, the spirit will be recharged. This is how silat "heals" its practitioner. When all three elements are in a balance, automatically other ailments will disappear, leaving a healthy body, a sound mind and a strong spirit.

May Peace be with us all. This is the Way.

*Photo credit Prof Hasnul Jamal Saidon