Pencak Silat Cikalong
Sundanese style from the Cianjur area, locally called maenpo. According to a peer-reviewed article, mastery is recognized by a sense of touch, not by jurus.
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About Pencak Silat Cikalong
Pencak Silat Cikalong is one of the main Sundanese styles of West Java, locally called maenpo Cikalong and associated with Cianjur. Research from 1977 to 1978, cited by Heryana 2018, places it among the three main aliran of West Java together with Cimande and Timbangan.
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According to Purwanto and Perdani 2023, the style was developed by Raden Haji Ibrahim (1816 to 1906), born Raden Jayaperbata, in the early nineteenth century. He was a direct descendant of the Cianjur regent Wiratanudatara IV and, according to informants, studied under more than seventeen teachers, while Wilson 2002 gives around forty. Four masters from Batavia and its surroundings had the greatest influence. We have not found the year of origin, as sources give a range from the early nineteenth century to 1907. According to the article, Ibrahim concluded that the skills he had learned aimed at maiming and killing the opponent, and as a strong Muslim involved in Sufism he created a style whose movements are meant to save the opponent, not kill him. The main indicator of mastery is not a particular jurus but the ability to perform susun tempel, that is, a sense of touch from which one can decide whether to continue the fight or end it. Maenpo used to spread in closed circles of the Cianjur nobility. Today, according to the same article, anyone can learn maenpo, and the Mancika school accepts students who are gentle and do not harm others.
History
Purwanto and Perdani 2023 write that the maenpo Cikalong school was developed in the early nineteenth century by Raden Haji Ibrahim (1816 to 1906), who had earlier been called Raden Jayaperbata. He was a direct descendant of Raden Adipati Aria Wiratanudatara IV, regent of Cianjur, who ruled from 1727 to 1761, and a prominent Sundanese nobleman. The title Haji means that he had made the pilgrimage to Mecca. According to informants he studied under more than seventeen teachers, while Wilson 2002 gives around forty.
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Four teachers had the greatest influence. They were Raden Ateng Alimuddin, Ibrahim's brother-in-law from Kampung Baru in Jatinegara, and Abang Ma'ruf from Kampung Karet, Abang Madi from Kampung Gang Tengah and Abang Kari from Kampung Benteng in Tangerang. A thesis from UIN Sunan Gunung Djati states that Ibrahim was born in Cikalong and that the style is named after his birthplace in what is today the village of Cijagang. This is a claim from the thesis that we have not confirmed from another source. Draeger 1972 writes that Tjikalong is very similar to tjimande, because it takes its technical basis from it, and that it arose near Sukabumi and has a long history. More recent scholarly articles, by contrast, link it with Cianjur. Maenpo at first spread only in closed circles of the Cianjur nobility. An informant said that the teaching spread in secret among the Cianjur menak, because the group was considered morally advanced. We have not found the year of origin. Pubmedia 2024, a student article, writes about development around 1907, another work about 1817 according to Dienaputra 2006.
How it differs
Draeger 1972 writes that tjimande may use the fist and blocks with an unsupported arm, whereas Tjikalong prefers the open hand and supports the blocking arm from below with the free hand. According to Purwanto and Perdani 2023, silat developed in Cianjur used, according to Wilson 2002 and Heryana, tenaga dalam, that is inner energy, whereas Sabandar and Cimande stressed tenaga halus, refined inner energy, and mysticism. These doctrines troubled Ibrahim. Because of its subtlety and spiritual aims, the development of maenpo was limited to certain aristocratic circles. The Indonesian Wikipedia states that Aria Wiranagara, called Aria Cikalong, was one of the best students of Abah Khaer, the founder of Cimande, and that his grandson later created a new aliran. The scholarly article by Purwanto and Perdani does not mention this line and links Cikalong with Ibrahim, so we do not consider it documented.
Technique
According to Purwanto and Perdani 2023, the main indicator of mastery of maenpo Cikalong is the ability to perform susun tempel, also called tapal or tapalan. It is a sense of touch or of sticking to the opponent, from which one can decide whether to continue the fight or end it. Rasa, that is feeling, is according to Wilson 2002 a degree of sensation and awareness of movement that must be trained so that practitioners can read the opponent's strength through touch and overcome it. According to the curriculum of the Mancika school, the basic movements of maenpo are jurus, ten basic forms of Cikalong, pancer, the stance and support of one leg, tangtungan, readiness in three types, sambutan, the position of the hands in attack or defense in three positions, and susun tempel. Draeger 1972 states that Tjikalong prefers the open hand and supports the blocking arm from below with the free hand.
Training
Purwanto and Perdani 2023 state that maenpo Cikalong stresses the principle of learning to fight, not fighting as such. The deadly movements of the opponent change by adding gliding movements, hand positions and senses, and the pesilat remain modest. Rasa is learned in the Cikalong tradition as a continuation after the jurus and usik, and is practiced through long repeated tempelan or tapal. In its most basic form, usik and the ability to perceive are trained precisely by susun tempel in pairs. Heryana 2018 writes that in the aliran Cimande and Cikalong spiritual instruction is given after the jurus or alongside them, formulated as talek, a student's vow. The doctrine itself, patalekan, is not the source of the movements, and both schools can be learned without it.
Ranks and progression
We have not found belts, sashes or examinations in the sources. Purwanto and Perdani 2023 state, based on the curriculum of the Maenpo Cikalong Mancika school, a five-stage path of learning. The first step is called Kahiji Keu'eung and means fear, the second Kadua Nineung, desire, the third Katilu Leuheung is an intermediate stage with half of full strength, the fourth Kaopat Teuneung means memorization and precision of aim, and the fifth Kalima Ludeung courage with prudence and maturity. This describes one school, not a nationwide system.
Today
Purwanto and Perdani 2023 write that maenpo has undergone a transformation from an exclusive aristocratic martial art into a practice that anyone can learn, and from a deadly art into a more defensive skill. It is developing more as an art and a philosophical exercise than as a sport. R. H. Azis Asy'arie, called Wa Azis, founded the Maenpo Cikalong Mancika school on 12 December 2012. It accepts students from all groups, on the condition that they must be gentle and not harm others. Ido Movement for Culture 24(4) describes Pencak Silat Maenpo Cikalong as a developing cultural heritage of the Cianjur community in West Java. It contains the values of care, modesty, courage, honesty, discipline, respect and self-control derived from the founder's teaching. Draeger 1972 wrote that the best young stylists and the best representatives of tjikalong are in the city of Cianjur.
Did you know
Atlantis Press states that Cianjur culture rests on three pillars. These are ngaos, that is recitation of the Quran, mamaos, that is the singing of tembang Cianjuran, and maenpo, which is silat originating from Cianjur. The number of Ibrahim's teachers differs in the sources. The informants of Purwanto and Perdani state more than seventeen, Wilson 2002 around forty and the thesis from UIN Sunan Gunung Djati over forty. The founder's name appears in the texts in two forms, Raden Haji Ibrahim and Raden Jayaperbata. One thesis also writes it as R. Djajabrata.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded Pencak Silat Cikalong?
According to Purwanto and Perdani 2023, Raden Haji Ibrahim (1816 to 1906), born Raden Jayaperbata, developed the style. He was a descendant of the Cianjur regent and, according to informants, studied under over seventeen teachers.
When did Cikalong arise?
We have not found the year of origin. Purwanto and Perdani 2023 write about the early nineteenth century, the student article Pubmedia 2024 about development around 1907.
What is susun tempel?
It is a sense of touch or of sticking to the opponent, by which one decides whether to continue the fight or end it. Purwanto and Perdani 2023 call it the main indicator of mastery of maenpo Cikalong.
How does Cikalong differ from Cimande?
According to Draeger 1972, Cikalong prefers the open hand and supports the blocking arm from below with the free hand, whereas tjimande may use the fist and blocks with an unsupported arm.
Similar styles
Selected by overlap in the style profile, not by historical lineage.