The Gathering Seminar 2007

Sunday, 15 November 2009 15:56

The urban jungle of Southend-on-Sea, Essex played host to the Black Triangle Silat tribes July 22nd, 2007 seminar aptly named ‘The Gathering’. This event attracted an exclusive gathering of warriors from various Pencak Silat systems and martial art styles, all with the intention to gain experience and fight in the Minangkabau Harimau Pencak Silat system, under the guidance of Pesilat Scott McQuaid, the founder and Pendekar of the Black Triangle Silat tribe. This intensive five hour seminar was free; only a small donation of three pounds was required to help fund the endangered Sumatran tiger. Through silat seminars and other fund raising methods the Black Triangle Silat tribe have raised over two thousand pounds.

“I learned a great deal from my Pendekar, Scott McQuaid and also from Pendekar Paul Bennett. Both are devastating warriors in there own right, we played rough as always and got hurt but in this game you have to be ready, so a little bit of pain prepares you. Here’s looking forward to the next one ”

--Pesilat Ian Llewellyn, UK

The five hour class brought the fundamentals of the system starting with historical background, and physical langkahs (footwork), kudas (stances) and durus (pattern of movements). After the grueling leg work the session shifted to combative drills.

“Most guys take you to a point, but these guys actually go beyond.”

--Carlton Wall, US
Martial Artist

As Pesilat McQuaid continued to lead the class into the mindset of tribal warfare, converting it to the modern battlefield, his Pendekar (teacher) Paul Bennett stepped out of the shadows.

Pendekar Bennett who had remained silent for the first two hours suddenly awoke and started to aid his apprentice with fight drills. Both men took turns in taking the students to their breaking point with various grappling techniques, take-downs, floor attacks and the underlining ideology of the fight.

“An unforgettable day. It was something special to see Silat brothers from different systems sharing in this beautiful yet brutal art. The session was ‘full on’ traditional Harimau; hard work and no nonsense. The chance to learn from Pendekar Bennett was a rare treat.”

--Pesilat Simon Barnard, UK

Within the first two hours injuries had occurred, but this did not stop the warrior inspiration bestowed upon them from their leaders. The class marched forward for education and more of the ‘fight’. After four hours the soldiers of this class had a ten minute rest, their bodies pushed to the limit with muscular strain and bruises. A few stories were shared before they lifted their tired bodies back onto the battlefield.

‘’Everybody gave it their all.’’

--Datuk Pendekar Paul Bennett, UK

Pesilat McQuaid’s relentless pressure kept these wounded tigers digging deep down into an empty tank to find that last fragment of ‘will’ that would keep them in the fight.

As the remaining minutes of the clock ticked by, the last surge of energy swept through the class on a set of fast, intensive durus. By the final bell the soldiers of this class breathed hard, their heads hung low, their knees shook but they were there... they all stood side by side. It ended as it began.

“The instinct to survive goes beyond our physical, all these men proved that today.”

--Pesilat Scott McQuaid, Founder & Pendekar Of The Black Triangle Silat Tribe

Pesilat McQuaid’s ‘Black Triangle Silat’ is a tribe that studies under the banner of the Minangkabau harimau Pencak Silat from Maha Guru Richard Crabbe-de-Bordes.

The various tribes based in North London, Yorkshire and Dallas, all practise the same Indonesian fighting style brought to the West from Maha Guru Adityo Mataram Hanafi. Each have a different messenger that guides the tribes but the principles remain the same.

Pesilat McQuaid is based in Hong Kong but travels back and fourth to Indonesia and various parts of South East Asia, expanding his knowledge on the combative arts to aid his silat. The constant element within his practise is the hormat adat (tribal ethics) This is seen in his selected few students that have to earn the right to be taught this rare art.

There are no belts, grading, or charges for tuition; the art remains as a warrior’s education in battle. This particular pencak silat system suffers the same fate of its inspiration, the Sumatran tiger. It becomes rare in its extinction and so it becomes unique. There are very few to be seen and so there are very few pesilats (silat players) that will be left standing.

Exclusive publication for blacktrianglesilat.com, 2007.