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Pendekars

Last Updated on Sunday, 30 June 2024 00:17

The following are pendekars in the Black Triangle Silat lineage.

Guru Scott McQuaid

Terbang Harimau - The Flying Tiger

Guru Scott McQuaid is a 3rd generation pesilat in the Bela Diri Harimau Pencak Silat. As an Irish decedent, he began his martial journey in Essex, England, studying in Shotokan Karate at age seven. As he grew, so did his thirst for combat, and he was soon training in various combat systems such as Boxing, Kickboxing, Jiu-jitsu, Muay Thai, Wing Chun and Okinawa weaponry under the infamous late Soke Robert Lawrence, the founder of the British Fudoshin Association.

In his freshman year of college, he joined a small underground boxing society, participating in fights held in garages and car parks until the illegal fight club was raided by the Essex police in 1992. In the same year, Guru McQ accidentally walked into the wrong martial arts class and found instructor Guru Paul Bennett teaching his first Harimau Pencak Silat session. He became Guru Bennett's first and last student in the art. Guru Bennett's dedication and exceptional teaching methods made his protégé move up the ranks very rapidly, while making a name for himself within the silat community.

Guru McQ would later further his Harimau Silat studies with Guru Besar Randolph Carthy in London before aligning himself with Maha Guru Richard Crabbe de-Bordes with advance training in Ghana and America, earning the warrior title of 'Pendekar'. During his merantau across Asia and the United States he was fortunate enough to train under Guro Dan Inosanto for a couple of months in the Filipino system of Kali Silat. Guru McQ continued his self tuition in reality based combat with yearly long extensive travels around Asia, studying the roots of Minangkabau Silat in Sumatra and blade warfare in Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines.

Guru McQ sustained his silat in reality with experimental training in nightclub door security and taking a bodyguard course. In 2004, he moved and introduced silek harimau to Hong Kong where he conducted small rooftop sessions in Kowloon and started to form his first silat class.

In 2006, he founded Black Triangle Silat, a tribe concentrated on historically documenting the art, with traditional practices, but always maintaining an urban combative approach to training. For the last ten years, Guru McQ has been researching and deciphering the Minang senjata aliran (weapon styles).

In 2009, Guru McQuaid relocated to Malaysia to study blade fighting with Maha Guru Jak Othman in the Javanese style of Harimau Berantai (chained tiger) Silat.

In 2010, he was awarded the title of 'guru' bestowed upon him by Grandmaster Adityo Hanafi and Maha Guru Richard Crabbe de-Bordes.

In 2011, he won a title at the Warisan Mahaguru championship in Perak. Later in 2013, Guru McQuaid was awarded the title of Wira (hero) from Datuk (clan leader) Grandmaster Srikandi (lady warrior) Hajah Ramintan Samingon and Maha Guru Jak Othman of the Harimau Berantai Silat clan.

Guru McQ continued to develop the weapon system within Minang silek harimau when he began training in the filipino Balintawak stick fighting system under Guro Nick Elizar in the Philippines in 2012. Over the years he continued his stick training with Guro Elizar with frequent visits back to the island of Cebu.

Guru McQ currently resides in Kuala Lumpur teaching private tuition to a chosen few while holding irregular closed door workshops in the UK.

He remains forever a student of combat, expanding his knowledge and training in the styles of Silat Tomoi, Bartitsu, Boxing and Gladius (Roman sword). With extensive travels across South East Asia he continues to research and practice the art of Silek Harimau while promoting the style in written publications, film documentaries and seminars. This website serves as the main source of his studies and provides information gathered over the past two decades.

He remains forever a student of combat, expanding his knowledge and training in mixed martial disciplines such as Tarung Derajat, Silat Tomoi, Bartitsu, Boxing and Gladius (Roman sword). With extensive travels across South East Asia, Guru McQ continues to research and practice the art of Silek Harimau. As a custodian of his art, he shares written publications, film documentaries, and holds irregular workshops. Since the pandemic, Guru McQ has also been conducting virtual seminars on silat senjata (weapons). This website serves as the main source of his studies and research, sharing information gathered over the past two decades.

"If it's not real, it won’t work."

Guru Paul Bennett

Kabau - The Bull

Guru Paul Bennett is a 2nd generation pesilat in the bela diri, Harimau Pencak Silat system of Maha Guru Richard de-Bordes. He was already an accomplished martial artist before he found Pencak Silat having studied martial arts from the early age of seven. His father worked most evenings and would drop his son Paul at the local Judo school twice a week. This eventually extended to the weekends. As he grew, Pesilat Bennett established himself as an exceptional fighter.

Guru Bennett studied various martial art systems before finding his place in silat--Taikido Karate, Wing Chun Kung Fu, Muay Thai, Brazialian Ju-Jitsu, and Kyokushinkai Karate. His search finally reached its pinnacle when he entered into the world of Maha Guru Richard de-Bordes in London Pencak Silat classes in 1988.

Guru Bennett opened his own school in Essex in 1992 and continued to spread the message of the Indonesian fighting Silat style to the next generation. Amongst the many students that passed through his 'hard-knocks' school was pesilat Scott McQuaid, his only apprentice within the Harimau Pencak Silat system today.

Guru Bennett continued to extend his combat studies within his personal 'reality based' fighting approach using experiences from working the night club door as a bouncer around some of the toughest nightspots in Essex during the 1990's.

He further balanced his learning by becoming a qualified professional practitioner in a number of Asian holistic therapies, developing knowledge of the internal weaknesses of the body.

He continues his own physical research in combat studying in the blade concept fighting under Peter Weckauf. In 2016, Guru Bennett along with Guro Martin Sillitoe founded the 4 Reapers club where they teach weapon concept fighting such as Tomahawk, Stick, Knife and Kerambit.

Guru Paul Bennett does not teach Harimau Silat anymore, but he remains active in combat, applying methods from silat into a hybrid martial art system, focusing on tomahawk fighting, and holding irregular seminars throughout the year.

"Very few are either worthy or resolute enough to attain the gift that is Pencak Silat."

Maha Guru Richard Crabbe de-Bordes

Macan Hitam - The Black Tiger

Maha Guru Pendekar Suci Richard Crabbe de-Bordes belongs to an ancient lineage of Indonesian Harimau Pencak Silat warriors dating back to the sixteenth century.

Guru de-Bordes grew up in France and although he was a first grade black belt student in Kyokushinkai Karate under the highly respected Sensei Guy Sauvin, he found the art too structured for his ideology of combat. Thus he searched for an alternative fighting art. His destiny would be recognized in a chance meeting with his teacher, the great Maha Guru Adityo Mataram Hanafi.

Guru de-Bordes' path in Silek Harimau began when he noticed a flier on Paris Metro station advertising 'Kung Fu Silat'. After a brief introduction with his future teacher Maha Guru Adityo Mataram Hanafi, Pesilat de-Bordes would wait a further three months before he was excepted as a student.

Guru de-Bordes was eighteen years old when he began his tuition in silat in the fourteenth district. He would study under Guru Hanafi's wife Patricia Hanafi for his first year before learning from his guru at his house on the weekends. Later, he would follow Guru Hanafi around the world practicing the trade of silat in various countries his teacher was based. From France, Spain, Holland to Indonesia. As he became more advanced within his training, he would later study with his teacher's father, General Anak Marhaen Hanafi, a grandmaster of the art.

After many years of training, Guru de-Bordes relocated to London, England, and opened the first Harimau Pencak Silat school in the UK in the early 1980's.

Guru de-Bordes further developed and adapted the Harimau Silat style for the modern battle field focusing on the 'Bela-Diri' (self-defence) aspects and incorporating the Silek Seterelak system from another Indonesian instructor named Pendekar Dr. Ibrahim. After updating and restructuring his version of the Harimau system he renamed the art Lumpat Harimau Silat.

He continued his research into the applications of Silat in high risk situations. The Silat that he teaches is practised as easily in combat boots as Baju Silat.

He has taught and acted as an advisor to many special forces groups and police tactical teams, also acting in a capacity as a presidential security aide.

Pendekar Suci Maha Guru de-Bordes was given the title of 'Grandmaster' representing the the systems of Silek Harimau, Seterlak, and Setia Hati which are the three styles of Silat that have contributed to the evolution of the Lumpat Harimau Minangkabau Silat system.

He continues his studies in the combative arts, practicing and researching the lost African fighting style known as Aborti ke Tahuumo. Due to his extensive findings and ability to piece together this forgotten martial science, he was named Tatsoolo Nukpa (Grandmaster) by the Ga tribes of Ghana. He is recognized today in Africa as the tiger warrior highness and protector of the Ga people and their history.

Guru de-Borde's continues to hold yearly seminars in the United States spreading the message of Silat. He now resides in Ghana, currently working as a security consultant with the current presidential government.

“Raise your foot like an elephant but step like a tiger.”

Grandmaster Maha Guru Adityo Hanafi

Datuk - The Clan Leader

Grandmaster Maha Guru Adityo Mataram Hanafi was the last Indonesian heir to a warrior tradition that harks back to a time when practice of Pencak Silat was a matter of life and death.

The third son of Sumatran General (ret.) Anak Marhaen Hanafi, he was taught Minangkabau Silek Harimau from his father. At that time his father was the head of the Lubuk Ngantungan clan. This title was passed down to him by his father who in turn is Adityo Hanafi's great grandfather Neko Radjo Api. The Dutch named Pendekar Radjo the "old king of fire" due to his fierce combative silat. Some Dutch soldiers considered him to be invincible.

With such a lineage, it is perhaps no surprise that Adityo's prowess in the warrior arts grew quickly. A chance meeting with the highly respected Pendekar Kiayi Hadji Komar Djirebon from Cirebon led to his being accepted as a favorite disciple of the great teacher. The young Hanafi learned the style of Jawa Barat Silat from him. This system of silat had already been rooted within the Hanafi's family as his ancestor Guru Randen Pandji was a master of the style.

The young pesilat Hanafi would later begin to study the Javanese silat style of Setia Hati from his mother Soesro Soeseno Soekendah-Hanafi. By the age of seventeen, Adityo Hanafi was teaching martial arts to the Indonesian special commandoes.

In 1961 Guru Hanafi got the chance to meet and train under Master Masatoshi Nakayama in Shotokan Karate and together they founded the Persatuan Olah Raga Karate Indonesia.

In 1966 Grandmaster Hanafi accompanied his father to Cuba where his father had been appointed the Indonesian Ambassador in Havana. It was here where he studied English and French at the University of Havana and started the first Pencak Silat school in Cuba. His interest in Afro-Cuban culture brought him to the practice of African spirituality in the form of Abakua and Palomayombe. While studying and helping train the Cuban soldiers, the young Hanafi met Guru Kakek Amado who acted as a spiritual advisor to Fidel Castro. Hanafi incorporated much of Guru Amado's ideology into his silat.

Eventually relocating to France in 1971, Guru Hanafi founded the Palero Pencak Silat Association combining his experience of African religion in the diaspora with his practice of Pencak Silat. It was here where Maha Guru Hanafi began to structure his version of Silek Harimau. His students included Roger Pascal, Versini Alain, Raux Alain, Goarnison Luc, Guru Farid Mohammed, Don Juan Barrenetxea, Michael Biery, Claud Biery, Maha Guru Richard Crabbe de-Bordes, Frank Piccot and Guru Besar Francois Pougary.

From this first generation of Hanaif's students would arise his protege Richard Crabbe de-Bordes. Hanafi said he was his adopted son, baptised in the fires of combat. The two became inseparable. Guru Hanafi took his student de-Bordes with him across Europe spreading the teachings of silek harimau until he eventually passed the torch onto his student bestowing him with the title of Maha Guru (big or higher guru). Maha Guru de-Bordes continued to study and teach the silat he had learned and began adapting it for the urban jungles of the Western world.

Grandmaster Hanafi returned to Indonesia in 2003 where he was appointed Chief Commander of the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces with the title of Raden Tubagus Pangeran. He began to make political waves within the country to make Jakarta safer and environmentally cleaner, working with the city council.

In 2011 he began to teaching Guru Scott McQuaid, particularly in the tongkat system. The two had met many years before in Maha Guru Richard de-Bordes London class in 1993 and later again in 1996. Guru McQuaid was the last student of Grandmaster Hanafi and for the next decade they worked together on various projects, forging a relationship that would become brotherhood.

On October 31st, 2021 at 9:47pm at Islam Pondok Kopi Jakarta Timur Hospital, the great master passed away due to heart disease. His son, Alexandre Adityo was by his side. As in accordance with Muslim funeral traditions, the funeral took place before the next sunset, on the very next day at 10:00am at the Karet Bivak Cemetery located in Central Jakarta.

This silat warrior lived many lives within his one and helped usher three generations of pesilats within silek harimau who in turn continue his teachings today in all corners of the earth. And so this warrior who was born from jungle ashes returns to his hunting ground.

"Those who do survive the training I hope will spread the word of Pencak Silat and make the world a better place to live. I believe they have a role to play in this."

Maha Guru Jak Othman

Maha Guru Jak Othman was raised in Penang and lived in Antarabangsa, Ampang. He was introduced to Silat at the age of five by his father, Pendekar Haji Othman Kassim.

He trained in Gayong Harimau Silat, which was renowned in the region, and has never since grown beyond that area. He would later become the student of Maha Guru Srikandi (lady warrior) Hajah Ramintan Samingon, learning the Silat style of Harimau Berantai (chained tiger). Here, he would hone his skills in senjata (weapons), training in keris (wavy knife), kerambit (curved blade), parang (sword), ekor pari (stingray tail), sarong (sarong garment), kapak kecil (mini axe), belati (knife), badik (daggers), sundang (sword), sao (sai) and the pancawangan sakti (bladed tonfa).

Guru Jak’s quest for knowledge in Silat led him to travel across the Malaysian peninsula, training in various silat styles such as Seni Silat Kalimah and Tomoi Silat.

In 1983, he went overseas to England to study at Surrey University, where he formed the British Silat Foundation. During this time, he taught and promoted Gayong Harimau Silat while also conducting Harimau Berantai classes one evening a week.

Guru Jak was relentless in promoting Silat in the UK and would write countless articles for Combat Magazine, which was the leading martial arts magazine at the time. The editor, Bey Logan, said he would receive at least five articles a week despite the magazine only being published once a month.

It was through a magazine article that Guru Jak formed a lifelong brotherhood with a renowned Silat master Maha Guru Richard Crabbe de-Bordes. Guru de-Bordes had read an article about this Malaysian Silat Guru and was excited to meet him.

He followed the address published in the magazine and paid a visit to the class which was at The Yodan Hall, Covent Garden, London. Guru de-Bordes sat watching and after a while Guru Jak approached him and asked, "Have you ever seen Silat before?" Guru de-Bordes replied "Yes". Guru Jak was taken aback and asked, "What Silat do you know?", to which Guru de-Bordes replied, "Silat Harimau Minangkabau".

Guru Jak was intrigued and offered him the stage to showcase his skills. Guru de-Bordes reluctantly obliged, asking him instead to give him a partner to demonstrate on. And in Guru de-Bordes' words, "We became Silat brothers after that evening."

In 1985, Guru Ed Chards began training with Guru Jak. They attended the same university and became good friends. Guru Ed would become his protégé, eventually immigrating to Malaysia to continue training with his teacher.

Guru Jak would later move to the United States to study film at UCLA. His decision to study film was very much driven by his passion in promoting Silat. After graduating, he returned to Malaysia and settled in Kuala Lumpur, managing to pitch and sell a series about Silat which showed the various masters and styles of the art throughout Malaysia. He was hired as the director for the series and also featured in the show, titled 'Mahaguru'. The Saturday night TV show went on to become the number one television show of its time.

The success of the TV show made Guru Jak famous in Silat circles and allowed him to open up two training schools in the city to further spread his Silat.

In 2009, renowned Silek Harimau Minangkabau practitioner Guru Scott McQuaid immigrated to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to study under Guru Jak in the Harimau Berantai Silat blade system. In that same year, the Malaysian Martial Arts Hall of Fame made Guru Jak Othman a member.

In 2011, Guru Jak entered his students, Guru Ed Chards and Guru Scott McQuaid, into the Warisan Mahaguru championship in Perak, to which they became the first foreigners ever to win a title in this event. Then, in 2014, Guru Jak and the same students would demonstrate Harimau Berantai at the 67th Cannes Film Festival in France, in support of a Malaysian Silat-based movie. Spectators were mesmerised by Guru Jak's display of the ekor pari (stingray tail) with its fast whipping movements.

In later years, Guru Jak would hit the road promoting his Silat system across Europe, including England, Ireland and also the United States. He built alliances with other Silat schools and incorporated the Harimau Berantai style into their curriculum.

Then, on the morning of 20th June 2024, Guru Jak passed away from kidney failure in his home. His wife, Rosie, was by his side.

His legacy continues through his students across the world, as does his school in Subang Jaya, Malaysia.