The Pentjak Silat of Betawi Kilap is an art of rich history, deep sophistication and an art of change and adaptation. The Sunda speaking peoples of Sumatra and its attendant islands, especially those of the Bugis people have long been leaders in the practice of martial art in Indonesia. The Empire of the Majapahit, the Suravayjan, the Menangkebau, the Kraton Guards of Jogja, the Sultanateof Atje and of Ponti-Anak, have all benefitted from the abilities of the people of our lineage. The Bugis of Menangkebau have been artists, statesmen, warriors, explorers and magicians since forever. Human history on the Indonesian Archipelago dates to one and one-half million years of continuous activity of the Martial.

Pukulan comes from the word ‘Pukul’, meaning ‘to strike’- the suffix’an’ connoting a field of study. The word, then, means ‘the study of the striking art’. Pencak (pentjak, pentcak, other spellings) denotes the choreography of movements comprising the striking arts. Pencak may be practiced for its own ends; performance, health, yoga physicality, etc. Silat means ‘lightning’ literally, the further meaning being ‘the combat usage’. Silat teaches the methodology of combat application of the Pencak movements, psychology, tactics and strategy, mental discipline and control. Silat teaches the aspects of lightning. Kilap (khilap) is the Thunder. The aspect of the thunder is the product of the lightning. It teaches a hand of power, striking weak points, crashing and overwhelming the enemy, power in spirit and character. Betawi is an area on Western Java settled by Sundanese Sumatrans in the distant past. It is considered a very dangerous place. In addition to identifying the Sumatran origins of this Silat, it connotes the study of the techniques of attacks from ambush, the spiritual aspects of a very holy people, a deep sophistication of martial understanding, vicious response to attack, and a preoccupation with personal freedom and responsibility.

The Family de Thouars have been nobility in both the West and the East for a long and honorable time. The European family of Holland and Northern France have been nobility of Tours for hundreds of years, constructing the cutlery and armaments factories for which they are so famous. The Indonesian forebears have been nobles, landowners and confidants of sultans while maintaining a family system of Silat that has made them champions to all comers for over one-hundred fifty years.

The Pendakar Agung, Raden Mas Paul de Thouars is an undefeated champion of the kendang. His guidance and leadership of the holy pusaka legacy of Serak has always been to the honor of those that entrusted it to him. He is the first and most senior of all Silat in America, having given the U.S. a continuous teaching and guidance for over forty years- unchallenged by any.

The Guru Tuan, Hai-Dan Sifu Willem de Thouars has given his life to two things: his family and his arts. In his expression of his love of Him, Uncle Bill has gone into the world – study, to learn and compare and challenge and sustain. His humble compassion comes from a lifetime of study and practice, and his punch, I understand, from his Grandfather.

Maha Guru Victor de Thouars is the sustenance of Serak. As he proceeds into his life of service to the family, he conserves the body of knowledge. He will, in the fullness of time, be the Pendakar of Serak. His practice and teaching is a gift to be a part of, all his students are appreciative of that.

Guru Chas Clements has been privilaged to study with the brothers de Thouars, holding teaching certification in Kuntao and Pentjak Silat. Commencing in 1978, his association with the family has been ongoing. Prior to his entry into the Pukulan association, his background in martial arts dates to 1953.

Silat Kilap Betawi is practiced under the guidance of the family de Thouars, hormat is given to the family and to the legacy and lineage of Pak Serak and Mas Djut, and the lineage of Kun Tao that results in the art of the Ratu Duri. Honor is given for the gifts of all the teachers and practitioners who have contributed to the state of this art.

The Kendag Silat, from which these expressions derive, is a traditional art of Western Java. The Kendang is the great drum of the Gamelan orchestra, the work also applies to the fighting floor, and to the region of the Gunung Kendang, "Drum Mountain" range, from hence come the Bugis people of the Sumatran forebears. This is the arena of the ‘drum fighters’ style. The Champion defending comes to the floor and dances with his female partner in an intricate demanding dance, joined by a scarf. The dance shows footwork with a partner, passages of hand and the use of rhythm, then he performs his ‘kambangen’. This ‘flower dance’ is his expression of pencak, free-form, to the music of the Gamelan. The ‘flower’ of a style is its’ performance form, the ‘fruit’ of the style is its’ combat expression to an actual enemy – there is no ‘sporting’ or sparring application. He challenges "Kitai Brani?" – Who has the guts to fight? The answer comes from the challenger: "Shiapa Brani" – I have the guts to fight. The challenger, having seen the footwork, practice patterns and physical expression of the Champion, and being from another village and style, feels that his style will prevail. The pair meet on the floor and try to sweep one another with the foot, keeping the hands behind them. This is a very legitamate test of combat capabiltiy, testing footwork, timing and intention. The loser of this contest has the option of retiring from the floor or continuing the contest, unfettered, to the major maiming or death. All contestants are required to bring to the contest a packet of sweet herbs, a sheet to wrap his corpse and transportation money back home. Kendang Silat is an art with which to fight other arts, a battlefield art with which to fight for the village.

The Serak is the legacy of Pak Serak. Born in Sumatra, of the Bugis people, in the eighteenth century, he was a one-armed, club footed practitioner. He was nicknamed Burung Serak, Owl", for his clairvoyant powers and spiritual being- this in a culture of very spiritual people known a the ‘Invisible people of the mountain forest’. He studied nine separate martial arts, felt himself proficient in three, utilizing them to lead as the champion, undefeated in his time. He traveled very widely as a bodyguard and later as a teacher and a political activist. His synthesis of the stylings and diverse technique of nine studies and the unique view of a physically challenged practitioner gave him an art to fight other arts. He, and his senior student Mas Djut, formalized the art of Serak and it has been passed down unchanged, given by all of Pusaka- a holy legacy.

The Kun Tao Silat of Ratu Duri is an expression of the mastery of styles and influences. The Western Java arts of Pamor, Kwitang, Tjimande – Quemoy Kun Tao – pakua chang – hsing po – tai kek, western boxing,and the art of Legrands; combat fencing and others, have, in the person of Uncle Bill, built on the early teachings of the family elders. It is an art of change, synthesis and adaptation. It is responsive to the needs of the practitioner; hi body, attitude, convenience, spirituality. The Hai-Dan Sifu Willem de Thouars has crystallized the Ratu Duri, " Thorny King", techniques out of fifty years of concentrated intention and study of the most difficult arts in the most dangerous places in the world.

The physical art of Pukulan Pentjak Silat Betawi is secondary to the intellectual and spiritual teaching embodied therein. Our first reverence is for God, the only Master. Our lives in the world must reflect the discipline and teachings of the art. Our practice of the art is for its’ own sake. The gifts that the art has to give are far past just the fighting aspect. The tactics and strategies taught in the art give power and success in all facets of ones’ life.

The symbol of the Kilap Betawi is two lightning flashes of three parts each, arranged as a triangle, the siku-siku in the center, all arranged within a triangle and the words Silat Kilap Betawi on the sides. The repetition of the tiga reflects the grouping of the knowledge and is used as a mnemonic to facilitate remembering difficult material. The siku-siku, center weapon of style, is indicative of the armed aspect of the art. We are not foolish enough to assault anyone without bringing tools. It is a three weapon- parts, uses, symbolic aspect. It honors the arts Serak, Ratu Duri, Bukti Negara/Tongkat and the three brothers that have given the honor of practicing in their presence.

Another aspect of the art is the personal loyalty and group identity, ‘pai’, fostered by the intimacy of the teachings. As there is no sparring aspect to the art, all techniques are learned by one practitioner submitting to the techniques of the training partner. This submission can test the trust of the partner as all the techniques are viciously invasive. To deal with the most interior of emotions and philosophies is the nature of the practice of martial art, to let a stranger into that intimacy is another matter. Manny of the techniques and applications of the art come from morality of another culture not our own, their application is a matter for philosophical exploration in the context of study and intellectual expansion.

The art is presented as a cultural artifact of scholarly interest, and any participant in enjoined to pick and choose aspects to which his life experience is responsive. The art and its practitioners also choose with whom they will share their lives.