Rokiyah @ Cikgu Siti Kalsom In Memories

            The late ultimate beneficiaries Cikgu Siti Kalsom binti Naning was born at Pulau Sudong , Singapore. She was an adopted daughter of the late founder of Silat Seni Gayong, Almarhum Dato Meor Abdul Rahman. When the wife of Naning,as Naning was the first out of seven been initiation as Silat Seni Gayong practitioner at Pulau Sudong pregnant , the late founder indicate that he will take the baby as his own no matter whether it’s a boy or girl. He anticipated it will be a boy, and when the time comes a baby girl was born and was name as Rokiyah.

Cikgu Siti Kalsom in 1974

            Rokiyah or Cikgu Siti Kalsom was born with a disabled legs and a white hair. With the greatest of the All Mighty after 40days the legs turn normal and the hair turn black. Born in a mysterious circumstances, Cikgu Siti Kalosm was destined to been elected as Ibu Gayong and lead the Silat Seni Gayong organisations after the deceased of the late founder and her foster father Dato Meor Abdul Rahman.

            Been trained and accepted officially as students of Silat Seni Gayong at the age of 16 by the late founder after a strong passion for the art from an early age. Cikgu Siti Kalsom is not an outsider in Silat Seni Gayong. Her father is Naning bin Ahmad bin Daeng Emboh Solok , and from the line tree she is part of the Bugis descendent that related to Dato Meor Abdul Rahman.

The Authorise Letter

            Cikgu Siti Kalsom was officially appointed as ultimate beneficiaries of Silat Seni Gayong in a custom event that was commensurate at the Balai Adat Silat Seni Gayong , Taiping. I still remember the historical day when the announcements were made by the great founder the late Dato Meor Abdul Rahman on the appointment. It is still heard in my ears the voice of Dato Meor Abdul Rahman said: “ Hangpa tau selepas ketiadaan Dato, sape akan menggantikan Dato, anak Dato , Siti Kalsom sebagai Ibu Gayong dan waris mutlak Dato, Hangpa kena patuh pada dia”. (do you all know after I am no longer around who will replace me to lead the organisations, is my daughter Siti Kalsom as Ibu Gayong and the ultimate beneficiaries, all of you must be obedient to her).

Showing Seni Keris Movements

           The historical moments was crowned in July 1989 at about 2pm. It was witnessed by many Silat Seni Gayong practitioners. It was the last custom event conducted at the Balai Adat by the founder before he left all the beloved students forever in 1991.

Cikgu Siti Kalsom and Me after Launching A seminar

Cikgu Siti Kalsom and Me after Custom event at Taiping

           Cikgu Siti Kalsom took all her effort to unite Gayong and trying her level best to continue the dreams of her foster father. Although her appointment as ultimate beneficiaries is not preferred by some of the seniors but majority of the Silat Seni Gayong accepted with the open heart. During her time Silat Seni  Gayong preoccupied with internal politics and finally create cronies among the members. She was trying her best to compensate the demand of members although sometimes it is beyond her control. Until she passed away the dream and love for Gayong does not faded. She had her time and her best for Silat Seni Gayong and may she be blessed and a pray for her for all the struggle and sacrifice she made during her manage the organisations.On 6 February 2007 Cikgu Siti Kalsom left what he loved Silat Seni Gayong forever. As a student’s I love my teacher the late Cikgu Kalsom and may Allah give all the blessing to her. Alfatihah.

Memories

            It has been 20 years since the late founder Meor Abdul Rahman decease. Time passed after all these years, the memories of him still circling in my mind. He was a great father and teacher who spent all his life spreading and uniting the Malay through Silat Seni Gayong. Sitting at the wide door of his house looking straight to the car passing by is the spot he spends on most of his free time. 

           We can see through his face how happy he is when been visited by Silat Seni Gayong students from all over the country. Standing tall and with his chequers design sarong and without shirt welcoming his students to his home. He is a very discipline man and a man with much laughter, looking serious but has a very loving heart.

White Building "Surau", On The Right "Balai Adat"

           At that time surrounding the house is full of trees and some are fruits tree. At the back of the house is a field and after the field we can see a hill that at far sight separated by the railway line. Before the field there is an area where all the weight lifting equipment is arranged. Looking towards on the right facing the fields is a “surau” with a stairs up high. Near the “surau” located the long house that accommodates a student who wishes to spend a night while having training. In this long house I left my head cover ( songkok) which I have forgotten  to packed during my time there. 

A Demo At The Back Field

           At the end of the long house located a well which the water was yellow coloured. At that time the breeze are very cosy and the feeling are great. Before the fields and attach with the main house are the “Balai Adat” that witness all the great ceremony of “Adat Istiadat” in Silat Seni Gayong.

Inside "Balai Adat"

           In the “Balai Adat” hanging surrounding the wall is the photo of the great founder himself. There’s also an area for the traditional music group to perform at all the “adat istiadat” function. It was amazing and the feeling are such engrosses when the music played. Facing the entrance and straight towards the end are the stage for the founder to sit with his family when undertake custom event.

           I hope things can turn around, with all the happy and great moments of the place of Silat Seni Gayong. All the great moments are gone and it was very sad after the founder left us forever the memory of this beautiful and coloured gracious place followed together. What left out are the bushes and a ruin of the beloved house. The fields has turned into small forest and even sad where part of the land been taken by the railway authorities for the extension of the railway line. My tear drops when remembering a place at one time once visited by many now faded swallowed by precious history. I wish it will be remain forever. Hidup Silat Seni Gayong.

Here I Go Again

            Students come and go, that’s the circulation of the martial arts life. Every time we meet with different people and get to know different culture and every moment is a learning program. I was visited recently by martial arts students from France. He spends about three weeks learning and sharing knowledge on Silat Seni Gayong. A very young and intelligent person, at the age of 23years old, Nasreddine Sennouci makes his path of seeking the knowledge of Silat Seni Gayong. He had learned a silat style from Indonesia but that doesn’t stop him from seeking others to satisfy him. 

Frog Leap

Langkah Training

           What make him very eager to seek the knowledge of Silat Seni Gayong, as I have been told that he was like been brought to learned this art in a dream. From that day he searches in the net for these arts and there we met. According to him this is the first time he left France on a journey, never in his life he had travel out from his country. 

Langkah Training

Basic Avoiding Technique

           The hospitality is mine; I picked him up at the airport and brought him back to my house at Rathmines. A very warm welcome and he said he just feel like home and the treatment he get just like he had known me for a long time. As for me this is not my very first time, I had been visited from various kinds of students from various kinds of countries. All had the same passion and interest, to seek the knowledge of Silat Seni Gayong.

A Questions For An Answer

Avoiding An Attack

           A law students and has two brothers, one are interested in soccer and the other are in computers.  He had lived in a three room’s apartment with his mother who works at one of the consulate office in France. He had spent his life learning martial arts from the age of 9 and learned from various style from Tae Kwon Do,Boxing,Silat Setia Hati Terate and Vietvodao a Vietnamese style fighting.

Memories After Training

Memories After Initiation Ceremony

          The passion of the art doesn’t stop there and because of that passion has brought him here for the knowledge. As usual with a short and limited time the training conducted is intensive. What the most nightmares are the warming up exercise for the beginners in feeling the art of Silat Seni Gayong. He told me at his place when he learned most of the practitioners are keener on seeking the techniques and only a few are really keen to dig the art they learned until the bottom. The training that he had with his previous art comparing with the training he had in Silat Seni Gayong are not comparable. According to him this is the art that he is looking and interest at, the art of the traditional and full of culture and devastating techniques.

The Training

Explaining Bunga Tanjung

            A lot of questions been throw on understanding the concept and all are answered satisfy. One of the questions that are asked, are the nerves techniques that I present in a video shown through you tube and face book whether it is real. A question I have expected and because of the questions he got the feel of it and after the action he became speechless and the nightmares began, due to the techniques he felt that are not explainable unless you got a feel of it. Before he goes to sleep he kept thinking how and how and how it happens and even when he speaks to his brother about it the brother didn’t believe it. 

Touring The Streets

The Chef In Making

Lasagna

            A mystery hop in his mind and that is Silat Seni Gayong, an art full of mysteries. The training doesn’t stop only on silat , he also learned to cook and he did cooked lasagna for the dinner and never forget learning Malay language. I guess my training are consists of everything and I felt this is one of the way to tighten the brotherhood. We all gone to miss him and hope of meeting him again for sharing more knowledge. All the best to my students Nasreddine Sennouci.

Seni Siku

            Silat Seni Gayong comprises of many techniques which are up to any students to master it. One of all the techniques that I would like to share is Seni Siku. Siku or elbow can be defined as the joint or bend of the arm; the outer curve in the middle of the arm when bent.

            In Silat Seni Gayong, siku or elbow are used as an empty handed tool to defending oneself. Overall, the concept that applied for these techniques are divided into seven sections.  It all started with the basics siku or elbow movement until synchronised steps, the avoiding techniques and up to the striking techniques. 

            The siku or elbow techniques in Silat Seni Gayong are generating from the shoulder of the movements. In generating the power from the movements the elbow and arm must be twisted like a drilled. The drilled concept generates the power and supported by the angle and body and shoulder will end up with a powerful striking that will be unleashed from the movements.

            Some of the techniques just used a gentle motion and take a count of strong attacks from the attacker. With this kind of motion, the attacker could be facing with a serious counter attack and jeopardising themselves. 

            The siku or elbow techniques are one of the destructive techniques to damage and weaken the enemy in Silat Seni Gayong. The parallel, horizontal and circulating applications in the techniques of Seni Siku or elbow are the significant movements. The combination on footwork and the elbow works makes the art of Seni Siku are special of its kind.

            Some people may think that it might look similar with Muay Thai or Tomoi elbow techniques which are popular. No its not, in Silat Seni Gayong the applications of the movements of the elbow are different where else the elbow practise in Muay Thai or Tomoi are using intersect techniques. In Silat Seni Gayong the techniques are more on horizontal and parallel motion concept of movements. Therefore the concept of techniques of elbow in Silat Seni Gayong more on the combination of the body, the footwork’s and elbow twist or drilled of the arm. In order to understand the motion and how devastating the elbow techniques are, one must feel the training highlighted by this method. Cheers.

                                                “Slowly Improving the Skills”