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Second Conference of the International Indonesian Forum for

Asian Studies (IIFAS) and the Post Graduate School of Education
Sebelas Maret University:Exploring Inter-Regional and
International Cooperation in Indonesia, Central Java, 27-28
April 2016

ETHNOPEDAGOGY THROUGH PENCAK SILAT

MARTIAL ART

Suryo Ediyono
Faculty of Cultural Science, Universitas Sebelas Maret Surakarta, E-mail:ediyonosuryo@yahoo.com

ABSTRACT
Pencak silat Martial art is a media of humanism education in traditional java society. Goal of martial
art exercise is not only for promote physical power and technical skill, but also more important is for character
building and personality building. Pencak silat is intended to shape human being with high character, capability
of self control and apply various good actions giving positive benefit for self and society development.
Objective of this study was to analyze character building through pencak silat martial art. It used historical
factual approach. Pencak silat martial art as media for character building is in essence an effort of Indonesian
nation as spiritual and physical exercise to shape agile human being that can comprehend and apply high moral
values. The character values include noble quality, loyalty, great heart, wise, tolerance, courteousness, honesty,
obedience, and never give up.

Key Words: ethopedagogy, pencak silat, martial art, character building.

INTRODUCTION
Pencak silat as culture of Indonesian nation has existed since centuries ago. Human
being want always develop and defend their life. They face natural challenge and various
wild animals by consider motion of various animals. Then, human being imitates way to fight
by imitating way animals fight, as source of pencak silat motion. For example, pencak silat
motion imitates motion of monkey, snake, tiger and other animal. Various pencak silat
schools adopt its name by animal type, place name or island name. In more advance era, the
martial art develops more completely and is called as pencak silat. Related to the matter
Article 32 of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that nation culture is culture emerging as effort
of Indonesian people. Old and origin culture as cultural peaks in all region in Indonesia is
considered as national culture. Pencak silat is old and original culture that is national culture
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Pencak silat has habit and unwritten provisions. Each martial art skill has philosophy
that should be understood and applied by one studying the martial art. The more one masters
a martial art skill, the higher obligation in understanding and applying its philosophy. It is
caused by two matters. (1) Martial art skill education has objective of shaping human being
with highly good character that can do self control and apply good action giving positive
benefit for self and society development. (2) Martial art skill will be danger if it is owned and
mastered by irresponsibility persons. In Indonesia, there are many pencak silat schools that
have many sameness and similarity in philosophical aspect. Place of various pencak silat
school is Ikatan pencak Silat Indonesia (IPSI). IPSI has main task of unifying, developing,
conserving, growing and disseminating pencak silat in Indonesia. Based on the description on
characteristic of pencak silat, this research was intended to explore cultural value of pencak
silat and to find out content of good characteristic thought.
Pencak Silat, as one of Indonesian heritages, can be used as self-defense, can be enjoyed in
terms of its artistic beauty, and can develop sense of brotherhood and self-esteem.The natures of
pencak silatas Indonesian heritage have been developed throughout generations so that it comes to
its present form (Nalapraya, 1998). Those developments are intended to bring goodness and
benefits for the societyin terms of physical and spiritual values. These values contain educational
matters which are essential to shape well-mannered people. In Pencak silat, there are four
elements which stand as a unity. They are mentality-spirituality, self-defense, art, and sport. (1)
mental-spiritual aspect means that a master is not only trained to understand and develop his
physical skills, but also more importantly to truly comprehend life itself and the struggle to live in
harmony within the society. (2) Self-defense aspect means that pencak silat is a mean of defending
one-self from any attacks or dangers. (3) Artistic aspect means that pencak silat is also a form of
entertainment in which every step and movement is well-arranged to achieve artistic beauty. (4)
Sport aspect means that pencak silat is physical activities empowered with knightly spirit. Pencak
silat is a piandel which means that it is something to be proud of. The four elements are the means
to shape a master who will lead a pencak silat training-house. This paper discusses ethnopedagogy
through pencak silat martial art.

METHOD

This research used factual historical approach method. Pencak silat Martial art data
was obtained from library and field. After the data was collected, it was studied descriptively,
analyzed and interpreted to discover meaning of pencak silat philosophy. Then, comparison
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was conducted to compare view of one pencak silat school and other to find out similarity in
their good characteristic teaching. Critical reflection was conducted to give interpretation on
ethnopedagogy pencak silat teaching in newly manner in finding good character value of
pencak silat martial art in comprehensive manner. Then synthesis, to find a unity of complete
statement on the original meaning behind the culture of pencak silat, which aims for safety.

DISCUSSION
Pencak is attack-defense motion in form of dance having rhythm with certain
rule on polite behavior and is usually performed for public entertainment. Silat is essence of
pencak, to fight and cannot be showed in public. Pencak silat developed integratedly in
people life that is part of traditional custom of ethnic group in Indonesia. In some regions,
pencak silat still play important role in custom ceremonies and its continuation is kept by
society figure. Although there are various pencak silat schools in Indonesia, in essence they
have common characteristics. Eddi M. Nalapraya (1988) explains budi as spiritual power
having mind, feel and desire element. Pekerti is form of budi that is visible and felt by other.
Pekerti is character, while there is difference between budi pekerti and mentality in their
characteristic. Budi pekerti has internal, individual and personal nature. Budi pekerti is not
mental, because predicate attaching on in is only right and good and refer and orienting on
moral dream of society. Right and good is result of evaluation and selection of mind and
feeling based on desire. The most ideal budi pekerti is high value budi pekerti that refer and
orient to high moral dream of society. Budi pekerti in pencak silat functions as self control.
Fight method is not free for usage, but its usage is limited for self defense when peaceful
ways is not successful. Participant of pencak silat school having good character is expected to
be ideal human being that can create and keep world happiness and behave according to
moral value containing highly good character. Value in pencak silat is something believed,
held and understood rationally and comprehended affectively as valuable matter for life
reference and motivation. The value should be held hightly and affect one’s action. One’s
value is measured through their action. Pencak silat as art orients to beautiful factors but its
implementation should contain logic element of pencak silat as martial art as its source. Creativity and
improvisation in pencak silat as art to present beauty of pencak silat optimally should be in limit of
pencak silat logic as martial art. Otherwise, pencak silat as art will miss art value. In addition, there is
proposal and effort to enter pencak silat art into official curriculum of official school and higher
education institution with following reason:
1. Pencak silat is part of national culture that should be conserved
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2. Pencak silat is special martial art of Indonesia that is heritage of ancestor

3. Pencak silat can give physical and mental spiritual power required for national resistance
4. Pencak silat can shape steady and stable personality
5. Pencak silat can give contribution as media for guiding and developing youth and heighten
cultural value
There is difficulty in determining the origin of pencak silat and who spread it on.
Track the history of pencak silat from beginning until the present is not easy because the
written material very limited and oral information obtained from figures of pencak silat is not
yet able to answer completely all the conundrum, especially, in determining the origin of
pencak silat, explaining when and from where pencak silat originated, how the early
development occurred and who was the first to pass it on. Humans as social creatures have
instinctive needs to ensure the safety and self-prosperity nor their society. In line with the
development of human culture be found society members who specifically think of the best
ways as a skill in ensuring safety and prosperity. That skill then practiced as an experiment
that improved continuously and enhanced. Thought and creation of these skills was
conducted by transforming the behavior and gestures of agile animals and malignant, such as
tigers, monkeys, snakes, birds, and other animals, in self-defense or attack his opponent
(Saleh, 1992).

In regard to the origin appearance of pencak silat, according to Marijun

Sudirohadiprodjo (1982) describes malignancy the various beast which threaten human life at
that time still have a lot in the island they live on. In dealing with attack of various kinds of
beast, humans noticed the movements occurred by animals that attack of the humans. How to
fight by imitating the movement of various types animals which raises the movement martial
arts pencak silat. For example, the movement pencak silat imitate the movements of
monkeys, snakes, tigers, and kinds of other animals. Therefore, arise the various streams of
pencak silat adjusted its name with the name of the animals, name place, or the name of
island. The story of origin pencak silat, there is a change function in its development which
occur slowly started lesson martial arts, namely the Palace. In the Palace, pencak silat martial
science reserved only for members of the royal family in order to prepare them carry out their
duties as defenders of the Kingdom. Further development, pencak silat enriched by new
insights that connect finesse technique self-defense with human development in a whole
cosmology. Education of pencak silat not only vocational in nature, nor as skills only,
however aimed to establishment the quality of human personality. In the passage, spiritual
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aspect which was originally conceived by implicitly in pencak silat has a place on the surface
and ultimately dominates the martial arts.

Characteristic of Traditional Ethnopedagogy

This group does not know official organization, monthly fee, or uniform because its shape is
informal. Conservative pencak silat school is not spread broadly and their student was concentrated
around the teacher’s house. Practice was done in hidden area or in close room and should not be
watched by non member. In this way, the teacher has intention to protect motion or technique they
have to not being stolen by other school. They hold tradition, are very close and hide his knowledge
that is convinced being obtained by master through revelation. A teacher does only open the secret
and share his capability to people assigned as brother in the school with certain ceremony. The ritual
is different in each school although its motive is same with providing offer carried from house by
student to teacher as symbol of self surrender from biological family to school family (Notosoejitno,
1996).
Mix of martial art with magical aspect can affect view of conservative school group over
pencak silat as sport. In general they did not acknowledge this aspect and consider pencak silat as
martial art. They did not follow competition activity with reason that techniques they have are too
dangerous for competition because each steps and attach used inner power that may lead to death. In
this matter, conservative school hold principle that its ancestor defines that pencak silat is only used
for defense of necessity. Notosoejitno (1996) explain characteristic of traditional school as follow
1. The leader position is inherited from generation to generation, which mean the founder will teach
his student to inherit the school
2. Admission of candidate student is limited through selection and thigh probation,.
3. Education, teaching and practice method is monologue and conservative. Student should follow
what is taught by the teacher and the motions did not change
4. Provision, rule and code of ethic of the school are simple and unwritten. Usually code of ethic is
recited together by student when they will start practice.
5. Violation against school discipline is given with sanction of termination as member
6. School did not know attribute or administration and written documents related to organization,
education, teaching and practice
7. The school did not take feed or contribution from member
8. School activity is funded by school leader.
The school teaches life philosophy and body health and also teaches motion beauty by
including art of pencak silat in traditional theater such as ludruk, lenong and ketoprak. In addition, the
school is happy to perform art capability in public by doing martial art performance in open area in
folk parties.
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Ethnopedagogy of pencak silat

Pencak silat teaching has some benefit that is obtained from its exercise as form of
good character education. Bashori (1996), explain the benefits such as
1. Discipline attitude. Almost all pencak silat schools emphasize discipline. It is applied in
on-time exercise. Participant coming late will get punishment. The other is willingness to
keep school oath. There is sanction for people violating the rule. Discipline is prepared
through various orders that are expected to shape disciplinary life style.
2. Self confidence attitude. Martial art skill give great contribution for safety feeling, which
in turn can grow positive and optimistic attitude. It is a feeling of capability to deal with
hamper and still being strong in facing threat. According to many researches, self
confidence attitude is one of ways toward living success.
3. High motivation. Individual having high motivation can undergo hard pencak silat
exercises for years. Motivation is a kind of thought related to how do something well.
People with high motivation can be known with energetic attitude.
4. Helping to create concentration. With exercise fighter can focus on certain target, when
the opponent is only one or divide it when there is many opponents. Such concentration
exercise is useful for daily life such as in campus, office or in other places.
5. Self control. In silat world, there is philosophy of rice concept meaning the more content,
the deeper bowing. It means individual with high silat skill will have self control
capability. Essence of self control is capability to hold desire fulfillment when the desire
is against ethic norm or there is higher goal.
6. Tolerance to pain. With hard exercise, physical impact make fighter have familiar
experience with pain. Bruise, sprained, out of joint, and so on are daily exercise for silat
doer. Capability to resist pain make fighter has good psychophysical endurance.
7. Creating creative power. One of differences between pencak silat and other martial art
types is broad opportunity for movement and its variety development. The condition
make fighter has productive though to find out various more beautiful and effective
alternative motion. Good fighter is creative person having capability to play with idea,
concept, symbol, words, number and especially seeing unusual correlation between the
ideas. In this more complex era, creativity is important.
In this modern life, human being should not only surrender to fate, but they always make
efforts and apply improvement in the life. Final result of teaching pencak silat sport is capability in
defending against danger from inside and outside and secure harmony with environment. Teaching of
pencak silat philosophy in essence is to look for true truth. Human is expected to obey and do all
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society orders and religious orders. The teaching is implanted in human person that can develop good
character. Good character in pencak silat is not innate quality but it is resulted from contact with outer
world as environmental factor allowing entrance of positive value from family, school or religious
environment into one’s mentality,through internalization of entering value. Mentality in daily life may
be seen from how far or how great one’s level in comprehending, obeying, applying and developing
valid order in answering era challenge and development and in using positive opportunity to build
their selves and to work for society interest. Mental spiritual value in pencak silat has meaning of
good character. Studying pencak silat will shape intact human being that is source of development.
Benefit of pencak silat contained in Kapita Pencak Silat (1996) is:
1. Increase piety of God with good personality and loving in Indonesian culture
2. Have self confidence, self control
3. Keep self dignity, responsibility and personal and social discipline
4. Enforce truth, honesty, and justice and resist in facing ordeal and temptation
5. Respect human, particularly elder people and being model for younger people
6. Have peaceful and friendly attitude with others
7. Have high sensitiveness and social care and help other in difficulty
8. Humble, friendly and having good manner in speaking and social intercourse
9. Introspection, self correction, asking pardon over mistake he make and give pardon to others
asking it.
10. Prioritize societal interest over personal interest
11. Make sacrifice for joint interest
Pencak silat education is not teaching, not also skill, but shaping human personality quality.
In transition spiritual aspect that is early contained implicitly in pencak silat got place in surface and
eventually dominates martial art. In Java, there is relation between pencak silat and cosmological
view of manunggaling kawula gusti that is developed systematically. Spiritual learning to get power
from object, mantra and inner power is continued and improved. Pencak silat is equipped with
spiritual science is still used for practical matter as support of physical capability in battle. Pencak
silat begin used as media to achieve unity of human and God. In result, Java people respect on pencak
silat player change to be person having capability of fighting enemy and having high moral.

CONCLUSSION
Ethnopedagogy pencak silat culture as ancestor heritage should be explored, built and
developed. Pencak silat contains martial art, sport, art and mental spiritual element. Higher
value of pencak silat will be useful for good character education. Essence of pencak silat is
looking for true truth that play role in implanting good character values in position as God
crater, personal, social and universe. Pencak silat martial art education contain good character
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director to shape attitude with high moral of honest, responsible, independent, brave, and
humble nature.

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Saleh. (1992). Pencak Silat. Bandung : FPOK IKIP.
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