Perisai Diri school of Pencak Silat was founded by Raden Mas Soebandiman Dirdjoatmodjo (R.M. Soebandiman Dirdjoatmodjo) on July 2, 1955, in Surabaya, East Java.[1] The term literally means “shield of oneself”.
About the founder
The Perguruan Silat Perisai Diri was founded by “Radèn Mas Soebandiman Dirdjoatmodjo”. Since the age of nine he enjoyed Pencak Silat and was allowed to train his neighborhood friends. Soebandiman left the city of Yogyarkarta in 1930 to find Pencak, Silat teachers and Kiayi’s, Islamic theologians. He arrived in the city of Jombang in Eastern Java where he studied Pencak Silat with notable masters such as Bapak Hasan Basri. After he had gotten enough education, he went back to the west, to the city of Solo in the middle of Java where he got a Pencak Silat education from Bapak Sayid Sahab, and to complete his knowledge, he went to his grandfather Jogosurasno to learn about “Ilmu Kanuragan”, the knowledge of spiritual powers.
His next stop was the city of Semarang, Mid-Java, where Bapak Soegito taught him the Silat style of Setia Saudara, and he also studied the “Ilmu Kanuragan” in Pndok Randu Gunting/Kuning in Semarang. From there he went to Cirebon, but on his way stopped at Kuningan in West-Java, because this area had been renowned for its excellent Silat masters. There he learned the “Ilmu Silat”, the art of Silat, and “Ilmu Kanuragan”.
R. M. Soebandiman was able to master 157 Pencak Silat styles (alirans). However he was forced to work in the sugar factory as a warehouse keeper, during the Dutch-Indonesian colonized era.
In between his training, he met a Chinese man Suhu Yap Kie San who mastered the Chinese martial art of Siauw Liem Sie style. In order for him to learn from him, he asked R. M. Soebandiman to fight one of his students. When the master saw he was a very talented fighter he accepted him as a student. For 14 years he trained in Siauw Liem Sie until his teacher moved to another city in 1950. This is when R. M. Soebandiman started forming and develop his own style. On July 1955 he formed Perguruan Silat Persai Diri in cooperation with Imam Romelan, a co-official of Education and Cultural Affairs in Indonesia.
R. M. Soebandiman passed away on May the 9″ 1983. As an appreciation for his merits, in the year 1986 ,the government of the Republic of Indonesia bestowed the title Pendekar Purna Utama (Highest Level Grant Master) to him.
Techniques
The techniques of Persai Diri are combinations from several Pencak Silat styles or (alirans) from Indonesia and Siauw Liem Sie (a Shaolin Style from China). However the techniques have been changed so much that only the starting positions Sikap show resemblance to other styles.
- Jawa Timuran (Eastern Javanese Style)
- Minangkabau (West-Sumantran Styles)
- Betawi (Jakarta Styles)
- Bawean (Maduresian style from the island of Bawean)
- Cimande (West Java style)
The word “Asli” means authentic/original. It’s a technique that is not a combination of techniques from other alirans. For the biggest part it has been taken from Siauw Liem Sie (Shaolin style from China) sources. The different “Asli” techniques are:
The different “Asli” techniques are:
- Teknik Burung Meliwis (Swallow (bird) techniques).
- Teknik Burung Kuntul (Krane techniques).
- Teknik Burung Garuda (Eagle techniques).
- Teknik Lingsang (Otter techniques).
- Teknik Kuda Kuningan (Horse from Kuningan techniques).
- Teknik Satria Hutan (Knight from the woods techniques).
- Teknik Harimau (Tiger techniques)
- Teknik Naga (Dragon techniques).
- Teknik Satria (Knight techniques).
- Teknik Pendeta (Priest/Monk techniques).
- Teknik Putri Bersedia (Princess being ready techniques).
- Tehnik Putri Teratai (Lotus Princess techniques).
- Teknik Putri Berhias (Princess getting make-up techniques).
- Teknik Putri Bersembahyang (Princess Praying)
Degrees within Perisai Diri
- Tingkat Dasar, the beginner’s degree.
- Tingkat Calon Keluarga, Candidate member of the family.
- Tingkat Putih /Keluarga Tingkat 1 & Putih-Hijau, White belt/1* level & White-Green.
- Tingkat Hijau/Kel.Tingkat 2 & Hijau-Biru, Green belt/2nd level & Green-Blue.
- Tingkat Biru/KeluargaTingkat 3 & Biru-Hijau, Blue belt/3rd 1level & Blue-Green.
- Tingkat Merah/Pelatih Tingkat IV & Merah-Kuning, Red belt /Instructor 4th level & Red-Yellow, as from this instructor’s degree, a person is allowed to teach and spread the Silat Perisai Diri.
- Tingkat Kuning/Pelatih Tingkat V, Yellow belt/Chief Instructor 5th level.
- Tingkat Pendekar /Badge Kuning, Grand/Head Master degree with yellow badge.
