Black Triangle Silat | Tomoi Silat

Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:17

by Guru Scott McQuaid

I have been training in the Minangkabau Silek Harimau style for over two decades and in that
time I have been fortunate enough to cross train in many pencak silat systems. While training
with my blade teacher Maha Guru Jak Othman in the Harimau Berantai Silat art, I was
privileged to be introduced to the rare Malaysian style of Tomoi Silat. Guru Jak is one of a very
few that was taught the original form of Tomoi during his years in Kelantan. He produced a
demonstration film on the art in 2010 with his senior student Guru Ed Chards and myself. Late
last year Guru Jak held a weekend workshop on Pangkor island in Tomoi Silat. It was here that
Guru Jak to his silat students or Kru Jak to his Muay Boran kick boxing group trained his class
on the beach in this art that bridged the two combative styles together benefiting both martial
teams. Since that time I have furthered my studies of Tomoi both physically and historically. I
have documented my research to date in this article. So hear what is said, retain what is
important, speak what is worthy and attach to nothing.

--Foreword by Guru Scott McQuaid

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Black Triangle Silat | Tomoi Silat

Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:17

Asia
to
style
today.
the
artful
Indonesian
during
continued
Northern
However
use
of
border
16th
to
fighting
elbows.
one
change
prominent
century.
into
art
its
Thailand
of
shape
Firstly
pencak
key
focus
creating
into
and
silat
eventually
of
neighboring
attack
the
believed
many
which
over
tovarious
island
have
seas
remained
spread
into
Malaysia
systems
the
throughout
Philippines.
of
across
its
evolution
its
South
silat
peninsula
This
we
combat
East
was
have
the
If
strong
elbows
motion
Silek
strike
head.
silat
you
art
Harimau
using
trace
The
striking
emphasis
strike
tucked
utilizes
blade
the
an
to
while
system
in
upward
the
oldest
disarm
based
on
like
elbow
holding
elbow
aKedah,
forms
the
angle
boxer
a
Harimau
bladed
differently
elbows
strikes
the
of
from
and
pencak
sao
hand
Berantai
are
counter
in
a
which
but
their
low
spread
or
silat
almost
crouched
for
techniques.
Silat
attacks
is
such
apower
an
out
hit
style
all
Indonesian
at
to
their
martial
position
an
the
Cimande
from
The
angle
enemy
head.
central
arts
Javanese
rising
version
inor
In
have
with
defense
the
Silek
up
Java
athrough
elbow
of
to
Sumatran
Cimande
short
Harimau,
Japans
uses
the
and
striking
groin,
based
the
they
style
sai.
Minangkabau
techniques
you
ribs,
hook
will
techniques.
Each
keeps
will
commonly
chin
side
notice
pencak
their
or
ofup
As
elbow
pencak
northern
strikes
silat
states
and
spread
this
of
style
across
became
Trengganu,
Malaysia
to
be
itits
known
eventually
and
particularly
as
Tomoi
created
in
Silat.
Kelantan
a
system
Tomoi
that
that
was
borders
focused
practiced
Thailand.
on
mainly
hard
ina
several
The
the
Malaysias
original
word
Malay
Tomoi
Islamic
name
cultural
relates
for
revival
the
traditions
to
old
came
the
skool
similar
into
for
bare-knuckle
their
political
Thai
"un-Islamic
term
dhoi
fighting.
and
muay
the
During
elements.
Kelantan
which
the
refers
beginning
government
topencak
pugilism.
of
the
banned
1980s,
This
was

Tomoi
again
in
the
allowed
local
Silat
dialect.
was
to
outlawed
be
Nevertheless,
practiced
in
1990;
under
most
however
the
Malaysians
new
by
name
2006
still
of
the
Moi
call
ban
Kelate
itforms
Tomoi.
was
abolished
means
and
Kelantan
Tomoi
was
boxing
The
techniques
used
by
aTomoi
petomoi
punches
their
greatest
seen
asset.
in
all
the
The
various
martial
(Tomoi
art
styles
practitioner)
the
incorporate
knees
and
mainly
the
standard
elbow
kicks
strikes
are
petomoi
the
weakest
form
of
attack
so
they
opted
for
elbow
strikes
that
inflicted
considered
more
damage.
punches
to be
Originally
jab
angles,
to
attacks,
style
use
but
incorporated
and
in
the
bringing
block
close
various
the
influence
punches
and
quarter
in
blade
weapons
defend.
uppercuts
of
combat.
in
British
types.
Tomoi
into
and
boxing
The
Silat
their
also
hooks.
elbows
consisted
system,
during
incorporated
Like
were
Malay
strapping
most
ofbut
used
the
colonial
original
the
straight-armed
not
parang
small
only
period
kerambit
(sword)
towhich
of
strike
helped
pencak
attack
blades
into
but
develop
much
their
also
silat
onto
to
combative
the
like
their
parry
their
Tomoi
aand
punch
simple
elbows

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Black Triangle Silat | Tomoi Silat

Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:17

Eventually
Boran
these
sport.
spectators.
with
food
acted
Thai
meaning
and
Tomoi
fighters
Ifas
the
money
sub-systems
ancient
crowd
crossed
would
which
boxing.
was
wrap
the
helped
satisfied
asMalay
their
the
Muay
supplement
martial
fists
boarder
when
boran
inart
hemp
the
still
into
started
match
the
maintained
Thailand
rope
income
to
was
and
become
over,
and
fight
of
sword
poor
from
in
the
more
and
an
families.
victor
there
open
of
knife
gladiatorial
would
itarea
evolved
techniques
surrounded
be rewarded
into
un-armed
but
Muay
by

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Black Triangle Silat | Tomoi Silat

Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:17

It
Queens-berry
Muay
into
once
was
its
again
Thai
the
existing
British
meaning
transform
boxing
arsenal.
colonists
ancient
playbook
into
The
todays
that
Thai.
last
would
with
transition
kick-boxing.
All
gloves
weapons
introduce
to
and
date
were
modern
aYaw-Yan
boxing
came
taken
rules
in
ring
out
the
and
inKali
and
1950s
the
rebrand
only
1930's
when
headbutt
the
reflecting
Muay
style
Thai
was
naming
the
would
added
itThe
The
Tatsuo
were
reached
governing
Muay
taken
Yamada.
North
bodies
Thai
out
America
and
art
Most
were
was
by
of
the
formed.
blended
and
the
1970's
Europe.
deadly
with
and
moves
It
Karate
1980's
was
during
such
into
the
aare
as
sport
this
competition
headbutts,
time
had
expanded
that
sport
knee
many
by
strikes
of
beyond
aathe
Japanese
and
most
Japan
elbow
prominent
man
and
attacks
named
had
influence
Like
helped
East
from
all
Laos,
Asia
to
martial
even
create
with
the
ties
art
Lethwei
reached
that
systems
to
particular
Myanmars
system
across
practiced
style.
from
the
Myanma
shores
Burma,
today
Pencak
Yuya
into
there
the
Silat
Louvi
has
many
style,
with
deep
and
influences
there
Cambodias
roots
national
instyles
martial
from
Bokador,
of
martial
other
the
styles
Philippines.
countries
art
from
Muay
Savate.
South
Lao
that
Pencak
survival
singular
Silats
and
source.
fighting
history
extinction.
spreads
across
The
evolution
the
farthest
ofFrance
this
corners
art
shows
of
the
that
earth
nothing
changing
comes
its
from
form
one
for
Exclusively
published
for
Black
Triangle
Silat
website

2013.

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