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Tiger Warriors
Monday, 30 November 2009 16:44
By Pendekar Scott McQuaid
A Harimau warrior is a person who does not stop to think then act, instead they react.
They take no pleasure in battle and are emotionally detached from their opponent. Most silat practitioners will not hold eye contact with their victim; instead they look just off center, gazing through their adversary. There are two reasons for this, the first is that seeing their opponents eyes filled with terror and fear may cloud their judgment and in showing mercy in their attack, they jeopardise their own life. The second reason is so they too do not wither in confidence. Their face shows little expression, as if their mind is far away in thought and not in the moment. The look their face adopts tells only truth and what will be.
As the battle commences the warrior’s immediate stance invites on their nemesis, drawing them in to their end. There is little retreat, if any, during the fight, as soon as a victim’s limbs are in range they are smashed and broken, cutting the opponent down. Once the victim is fallen the pesilat (silat player) will pin their prey to the ground, resembling the tiger’s elements to then eat their catch. Only the Harimau warrior is human ad therefore finishes the fight with a swift painless death move.
When the Minangkabau warriors go in to battle they carry very little in weaponry. Some warriors would grow their thumbnails long and sharpened the tips to aim at their opponents’ eyes. Basic sticks and rough bladed knives were used. The most popular blade was the keris (wavy knife), it was said to have mystical powers as the blade was made of fallen meteorites. It is said that when the keris started to shake in its sheath this meant that its owner was in life threatening danger.
Down the brittle blade was a strait groove soaked in poison. When in battle the Silat soldier would drive the knife into a part of their adversary then snap the blade whilst it was still in the body causing internal and external damage.
Some describe the Harimau Silat attacks as “being caught in a whirlwind”. This relates to the multiple attacks that continue to confusing the opponent so they never have a linear target to counter. The very soul of a harimau soldier lies in their awareness to observe terrain, entrances, exits and items that can be used for weaponry. Leaves and sand can be hurled into the air for a moment of distraction, the silat warrior is not looking for their next move but for the finish.
This article was published in Martial Arts Illustrated magazine, 2003.
Additional Information
DVD - Tongkat: Journey of a Stick Fighter
Tongkat: Journey of a Stick Fighter is the 3rd installment in the Black Triangle Silat series of indie documentaries focusing on the Sumatran fighting system of Minangkabau Silek Harimau. In this documentary, Guru Scott McQuaid embarks on a journey across the globe, tracking the many variations of tongkat (stick) combat used within the styles of Silat and its influences from diverse martial arts. The film features many world renown martial artists in their respected fields.
DVD - Silek Harimau: The Minangkabau Art of War
Silek Harimau: The Minangkabau Art of War is an indie demonstration film and a follow-up release to the highly acclaimed underground documentary Dark Gift. In Silek Harimau Guru Scott McQuaid explains and demonstrates the deadly fighting art of Silat Harimau originating from the Minangkabau tribe in the jungles of West Sumatra.
DVD - Dark Gift: The Origins of Silek Harimau
Dark Gift: The Origins of Silek Harimau is an indie documentary film that took over seven years to produce. It is a unique and unprecedented attempt to trace the historic lineage and respected Harimau Silat masters across the globe. Follow the origins of this tribal warfare martial art system from Indonesia’s dense forests to the urban jungles of London and the United States.
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