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International Kun Tao Arnis Penjak Silat What is Kun Tao
Silat? First lets start in China. Kun Tao is the southern (Fukien/Hokkien) word for martial arts. It means 'fist way'. In the northern part of China, the same word is pronounced Chuan Fa. Now the modern
Chinese term for these arts is Wushu. When the Chinese traders started to trade with other countries (i.e., Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia) they of course bought their arts with them. This occurred around
the 9th century. However there was a bigger movement around the 12th century during the Manchurian invasion.The people who mainly left China at this point were the Hakka people. These people
were known for there travelling exploits. Their name Hakka means guest family or royal family, hence perhaps the reasoning for the exodus from China during the Manchurian invasion. In Indonesia the art was
referred to as Kun Tao. Now in Indonesia due to political reasons the government frowned upon the use of Chinese, and outlawed the speaking of Chinese, the use of Chinese names, and most of all the practice
of Kun Tao. The Chinese have always been a group that keeps to themselves and the art at this point kind of went underground and was only practiced in the Chinese communities. What some Chinese practitioners
did was to just start calling their art Silat and giving it an Indonesian name. Now because of this there is no Kun Tao Silat art in Indonesia. There is either (Chinese) Kun Tao or (Indonesian)
Pencak Silat. This also is the same in Malaysia (they have Bersilat). Now because the Philippines is in between these two countries it has had an influence from both AREAS. There was no restriction put on
the Chinese in the Philippines and therefore Kun Tao was openly displayed. Which then became intermingled with Silat where eventually it evolved into Kun Tao Silat. This is the art of the Tausug people. They
live in the Sulu islands of the Philippines. This is separate from Mindinao. In the Sulu area the total art of Kun Tao Silat, which would be the same as saying Pencak Silat or Bersilat, is still sub-divided
into two arts. Kun Tao being the empty hand phase and Silat being the blade phase. In the Philippines there is an art called Kun Tao Silat, but this is not the case in Indonesia. Grandmaster Dr.
Mohammad Tianero is the Headmaster of this Style. The Honorary Member of Grandmaster Dr. Mohammad Tianero is: - His Royal Highness Sultan Muedzul-Lail-Kiram, The Current Sultanate Of Sulu His Royal Highness Sultan Mohammad Mahakuttah Kiram, The Sultanate Of Sulu |
