Sentani – The Indonesian Pencak Silat Association (IPSI) Papua said four athletes from Papua will undergo a training center (TC) commonly called training camp in Jakarta to face the National Sports Week (PON) XX1 Aceh – North Sumatra.
Chairman of the IPSI Papua Provincial Board (Pengprov) Alpius Demena in Sentani, said the latest Papua silat team consisted of four athletes, two coaches, and one official.
According to Alpius, the four fighters including two sons and two daughters will undergo centralized training camps until the implementation of PON XX1 Aceh North Sumatra 2024. The Silat team from Papua will not return until the end of PON XX1, so this training camp is very important to prepare themselves to be better to obtain maximum results. Funding will be provided by the Acting Regent of Jayapura Triwarno Purnomo, the four Papuan fighters will play in class B (42-45) Kilogram for Women, Class C (45-48) Kilogram for Men, Class Fb (54-57) Kilogram for Men / Women.
Silat in Papua has a long and complex history. Silat Papua has different variations and characteristics in each region. Silat Kali Majapahit, for example, which originated in Majapahit, is now still preserved in the Philippines. The punch-heavy Betawi silat is also popular in the capital and has warriors such as Zaelani of Perguruan Mustika Kwitang who is famous for his victory in a fight against Mpek Tan Kiam, a tobacco merchant who was a Kuntao expert.
The influence of Austronesian culture is also seen in Papuan silat. Silat as a martial art has existed in the archipelago since the Austronesian civilization, a period that University of Indonesia archaeologist Agus Aris Munandar describes as the earliest culture in the archipelago (6000 BC-1 AD). Silat is used for living and hunting and has strategies to ensnare, trap, and conquer.
Pencak Silat, as a sport, also has a history in Papua. Pencak Silat has four aspects: sport, martial arts, cultural arts, and mental spirituality. Pencak Silat in Papua has different variations and characteristics in each region, such as in the rivers and swamps in the southern part of Papua, namely Merauke, Asmat, and surrounding areas, as well as in the southern foothills of the Jayawijaya mountains.
In a historical context, Pencak Silat in Papua has a connection with the culture of the inhabitants of the north coast, the Raja Ampat islands, the Bintuni Bay area, Fak-fak, and Kaimana, as well as the lowland forest areas around Lake Sentani to the coastal areas leading to the border with Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.
Overall, the history of silat in Papua shows that it plays an important role in the culture and life of the Papuan people, and has different variations and characteristics in each region. The following categories of Pencak Silat are held in Papua:
- Men’s Single Art (PON Papua 2021)
- Tanding Tunggal Putra different classes (PON Papua, no specific year)
- Men’s Singles in classes C, F, B, and F (Pre PON XXI 2024, qualify for PON XXI)
- Women’s Singles in classes B and F (Pre PON XXI 2024, qualify for PON XXI).
