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Everyone has different reasons to pick up martial arts whether for self-defense, sports, spiritual reasons, et cetera. I would say that in our culture we learn martial art because that is part of our culture and religion. Our traditional martial art called Pencak Silat. Same with other martial arts, Pencak Silat also about: 1) Mental Spiritual Force, 2) Arts and Esthetics, 3) Sport, and 4) Self Defense.

Like Karate, Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu et cetera, Indonesians learn Pencak Silat since they were children. Before a Guru teaches techniques, the children learn about Pencak Silat philosophy. The philosophy of Pencak Silat is Budi Pekerti Luhur (noble mind and character). Pencak Silat is related to folk dance and Islam. It used to spread Islam into South East Asia. At the time Pencak Silat has function as spiritual training. During empires and colonialism eras, such as Samurai in Japan, Indonesia also had warriors who called Pendekar and contributed to fight again colonialism.

The growth of Pencak Silat is influenced by local cultures and commonly used as an element of folk dance. That is a reason why it has soft and flexible movements. But, it does not mean have no power and physical agility because it used circle power. The high level of Pesilat, a man who learn Pencak Silat, will learn how to use his inner power. Even, pesilat able to use his inner power and becomes invulnerable. Talking Pencak Silat also talks about invisible power which gives ability for the user to defense without having physical contact. In fact, those two have attracted young men to learn it.

Pencak Silat is growth very fast recently because South East Asian countries have started to promote the traditional martial arts internationally. On 1986, European Pencak Silat Federation was established and on 2002, the first world championship outside Asian countries was held and placed in Wina, Austria. In America, several perguruan Pencak Silat (Pencak Silat center) have been established. In Netherland, France and Spain, Pencak Silat also growth very fast, and every year those countries always send their pesilat to learn directly from perguruan in Indonesia.

However, every one has their own reasons to learn martial arts and even though in Indonesia the growth of other martial arts are really fast, but Pencak Silat still be the first choice because it is about culture and religion.

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