Silat, Pukulan and Kuntao Page

If you haven't already, check out my Pukulan and Pencak Silat/Kuntao Page, with lots of articles on the gurus of Pencak and especially Pukulan, douzens of links to schools throughout the world, books & videos.

I have also added a page on military oriented self-defense and have a page on Taekwondo.

Check it all out, at
http://www.geocities.com/vandeelen/Pukulan/

I have a question for you. What is the difference between 'Pukulan' and 'Penjak Silat'? Sometimes the word usage implies that they are the same thing, and sometimes it implies that they are different systems. I think Chas has said that Pukulan developed in an urban setting and has had more influence from western methods than the other systems. This implies that it is a separate method from Penjak Silat. Can anyone elaborate on this? Or is Pukulan one of the specific methods that falls under the more general term of 'silat'? Thanks for any info.

Pentjak means 'skillful choreography that may have some use in combat'. It can imply a certain 'refinement' and practice by more upperclass people. Pukulan means 'the study of the striking/colliding of bodies' ('pukul', to collide- 'an', the study of). Pukulan is often thought of as 'rough brawling' and has somewhat of a lower class connotation or a rural connotation ('hicks and hayseeds'. Pentjak may be a pusaka (holy legacy art) and is to be passed down unchanged. Pukulan is a 'beladiri', a personal shield art, changes with new information and isn't as concerned with lineage. My own art is considered 'pukulan' soas not to imply a lineage affiliation, to imply the rough brawling aspect and to reflect the simplicity and direct action inherent in the practice. As I'm not a native speaker, this is just the result of oral transmission of the meaning and connotation.

Chas http://members.xoom.com/kilap/Keepsafe.htm http://members.xoom.com/kilap/cane.html http://members.xoom.com/kilap/monkey.html http://www.kuntaosilat.com/