Silat Seni Gayong Perform at Tong-Tong Festival, Holland 2015

Tong- Tong Fair {Festival} at Den Haag[ The Hague], Holland is a very prestigious event every year since 1959.It was organised by Tong-Tong Foundation to foster Indies Eurasian Culture and to broaden public knowledge of its history. It was started out as Pasar Malam Tong-Tong in the late fifties, was called Pasar Malam Besar in the seventies and changed its name to Tong-Tong Fair in 2009. A theater programmed name as Tong-Tong Festival was introduced in 2005 to accommodate the various culture performance. It is also the annual event with the highest number of paying visitors of the Dutch city of The Hague, having consistently attracted more than 100,000 visitors since 1993.The celebration was for 10days annually from 27 May till 7 June.

Explaining The Concept of Silat Seni Gayong

Sharing Some Simple Gayong Techniques

Silat Seni Gayong was invited for the first time to perform at this event in 2015.Together under an organisation banner Silat Melayu Netherlands which represents all origin of Silat Melayu as a body, Gayong was  be honored to be at the festival. The place was full with culture merchandise ,cuisine, handmade product etc mainly from Indonesia and not to forget our beloved Malaysia.

Senior Audience Trying Out Gayong Technique

Adult Audience Ready for More Gayong Knowledge Sharing

Some of The Audience

The Senior Wearing A Cap On The Right decided To Join The Future Training.

It was started at 15h00 and Silat Seni Gayong will give a bengkel [workshop] about the method of defense, health, safety in training, curriculum etc. It was an 2 hours session explaining and answering , participating from the audience ,all about Silat Seni Gayong. Most of the audience are very keen and interested in defending them self in different situation thru the philosophies of Gayong. Health concern also playing a bigger role especially for the seniors audiences. In conclusion the audiences felt happy with all the sharing and at the end of the bengkel, Silat Seni Gayong was been praised and been thrown a comment that," we never knew about so much knowledge in the art and this is the first time we ever experience it live". Alhamdulillah,AlFatihah to Dato Meor and all Gayong members for the support and barakah.

Silat Seni Gayong Keris Demonstration

Silat Seni Gayong Combat Demonstration

Then at 19h30 Silat Seni Gayong perform the demonstration together with other Silat Melayu on stage live for 45 minutes. The demonstration was end successfully.The memory of performing at Tong-Tong will remain as an another historical development of Silat Seni Gayong to expanding thru out the world and the dream of the founder has been granted. 

Semoga kita semua diberkati.

 

Kasih Sayang SeGayong

Gayong has produced many prominent students throughout the years since it started at Singapore in late 1938. The brotherhood remain strong although was lost in contact for almost 40years. Recently we had a chance to meet one and only leaving students of the late and legendary Dato Meor at his house in Singapore. He is known as Haji Said bin Haji Osman, an old men at the age of 82years and still going strong if compared with his ages. According to him we are the first Gayong's brother that was invited by him to make a visit since he was no longer active in training. Haji Said was learning Gayong in the beginning  year or era 1940.

Haji Said- second from left

During his years with Gayong , when Malaysia was separated with Singapore he travelled with his wife to Air Kuning, Taiping Perak from Singapore just to meet his beloved teacher Dato Meor Abdul Rahman. The event captured in the seventies and spend time at Taiping for the purpose. He met his wife form the training of Gayong and they felt in love and got married. His wife Fatimah was one of his partners when performing Silat Seni Gayong demonstration anywhere when they were instructed to perform.

Haji Said with his wife Fatimah performing a demonstration

We arrived a bit late at his house because we had stop at another Gayong's brother house earlier. As usual when a Gayong met with Gayong the time is always jealous of the meeting. We were received by Haji Said with warmth and we were served with satay,roti jala,some kuih est. lot of foods and eat as you burst. A typically hospitality of the Malays.

Haji Said and Fatimah in the middle at present day

Topic were about Gayong in the early days, the relationship , the struggle, the vision, the wisdom etc It is all still fresh in his mind just like it was happened yesterday. He was very happy and glad to meet us and his wishes has comes through .

After we left , he contacted us again by phone and politely saying how happy he is to meet us and hoping to gather again in near future. The teaching of the late founder Dato Meor Abdul Rahman has touch of loving between all his students no matter the difference. That is Silat Seni Gayong all about LOVING and no hatred or negative aura living within . Always will be love, love and love. It is remind me of Bob Marley song "could it be loved". For all Silat Seni Gayong brother lets strong our relationship with love {kasihsayang}. Thanks Haji Said for the warmth reception, may you preserved the good health and live a beautiful life.

Semoga kita semua diberkati