Silat Sendeng Malaysia

The Melayu are made up of several clans that occupy different areas of Nusantara. One of
these is the seafaring Bugis, known for their warring prowess and fiery nature.

Originally from Sulawesi, the wanderlust of the Bugis ensured that they were well-travelled
throughout Nusantara and beyond, bringing with them their knowledge, their culture, and their
combat arts. In Malaysia, among the more popular and recognizable of these is Seni Silat Sendeng.

Although the aliran (core family of arts) of Sendeng is present in many other areas, Johor
has seen its highest concentration, with multiple variations due to the many masters who have
inherited it. Among the more prominent masters, one eventually made Sendeng a respectable name in the high-profile world of Silat Melayu. His name is Haji Abdul Hamid
bin Haji Hamzah.

Haji Hamid Hamzah was the primary master who actively developed and spread the knowledge
of Seni Silat Sendeng, which he inherited from his grand elders who were famed warriors in the early 20th century.

He began studying the arts since he was five years old (1932) under the tutelage of his own grandfather, Haji Hassan bin Mahat who was better known in his time as Haji Hassan Pendekar, a man skilled in the grace and play of weapons such as pedang (sword), keris, tekpi (sai), tumbuk lada, tembong (pole), tuas, tongkat (stick) and kerambit.

Ten years later, he studied from two other famous grand elders, Tamam Dagang (a pendekar
known for his invincibility and strength) from whom he studied pukulan or buah sendeng and Haji Mohd Ariff bin Shamsu from whom he refined his knowledge of Pukulan Tujuh Hari.

Both of these elders studied from a famous pendekar, Long Mamat, the founder of Pukulan
Sendeng, who resided at Padang in Muar, Johor Darul Takzim.

To deepen his religious and spiritual knowledge, he studied from Haji Mohd Salleh bin
Abdul Karim, better known as Kiai Salleh or Panglima Salleh of Batu Pahat.

Initially, Haji Hamid Hamzah began spreading Sendeng individually in the 1950s but later
renamed it as Silat Sendeng Muar. For 58 years of his life, he was dedicated to the development, spread and continuation of the art. On the 19th of May 1990, he passed away at the age of 63.

The passing of Haji Hamid Hamzah was a great loss to Sendeng as a whole. His struggle, his
sacrifices and his services in the name of Seni Silat Sendeng was instrumental in spreading its
wings to several states within Malaysia. Many difficult challenges were met with equal courage.
His strength drove the effort and his death threatened to end it all.

But before the embers could grow cold, the torch was ably carried by his younger brother, Haji
Ismail bin Haji Hamzah who took over the reigns as Guru Utama. As a sibling to the founder who was also raised in a family of warriors, the task to continue the tradition was in good hands.

During Haji Ismail’s leadership, Seni Silat Sendeng was registered in 1992 and currently operates actively in Johor, Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Selangor, the Federal Territory of Kuala
Lumpur, Pahang, Perak, Kelantan and the Federal Territory of Labuan.

The name of the style carries inherent meanings and philosophies that are understood by
those who study it. Simply, ‘Seni’ means the grace of a structured motion while performing a physical movement. ‘Silat’ is the physical agility of movement during defence or attack whether
unarmed or with a weapon and ‘Sendeng’ is a combination of striking techniques and tactical
evasions or attacking from a slanted position.

Physically, the slanted position during defence guards the seven critical organs of the body; face, jugular, chest, solar plexus, ribs, abdominal cavity and groin. Each of these primary targets is carefully shielded from the enemy. It also facilitates the pesilat’s forward or reverse motion, his evasions and parries.

Therefore, the ‘Sendeng’ position is a method that facilitates releasing, barring, facing and parrying any threats that approach the practitioner in line with the Sendeng philosophy that states “rush before his arrival and kill before he lives”.

Seni Silat Sendeng holds to the offensive defence strategy. In other words, a sendeng
practitioner rarely awaits an incoming attack but for those who understand the concept, will preempt an attack and keep attacking. This is because the practitioner has mastered the ‘ibu gerak’ (source of movement) and ‘ibu pukul’ (source of striking). He knows how to ‘kill’ a movement and ‘kill’ a strike.

This is why, even when an opponent strives to attack first but his movement is intercepted and it is the sendeng practitioner that makes the strike. The interception continues with a barrage of strikes.

This comes from the idea that ‘the strike is the parry’. The strikes that are launched usually ride
upon the strength, speed, emotion and momentum of the opponent.

The Sendeng philosophy of 'cepat datang cepat pula jatuh, besar yang datang besar
perginya' roughly translates to the memorable ‘The bigger they are, the harder they fall’. Literally, it means ‘a speedy entrance ends with a speedy fall, a big entrance ends with a big exit. This philosophy provides the foundation for Sendeng’s ability to dispatch an enemy by using his strength and speed against him.

The Sendeng practitioner rarely allows himself to be touched by the opponent. However, in those rare cases, he provides an opportunity for the enemy to catch or lock him. This baited trap allows for a more powerful and devastating counterattack.

The Sendeng strikes are ‘one but feel like a thousand’

Seni Silat Sendeng teaches the usage of ten different weapons in its syllabus. Among them are
the keris, parang (machete), pedang (sword), tekpi, perisai (shield).

This article was translated and edited from text available at http://www.sendeng.tripod.com.
Pictures are © Pertubuhan Seni Silat Sendeng Malaysia.