Misrepresentations beginning to be corrected: Jim Ingram

[Ranggalana]

Assalaamualaekum,

A while back people in Jakarta were shocked to find out that there was a certain Jim Ingram claiming to be Guru Besar of Mustika Kwitang in the USA. The real Guru Besar of Mustika Kwitang, Ayah Zakaria, who still lives in Kwitang then issued an invitation to Jim Ingram to come and test their skills, Jim Ingram declined and stopped calling himself the Guru Besar of Mustika Kwitang, this makes him in my eyes a respectable silat man. Now he appears to call his system Amerindo Silat which is fine, good and how it should be. However on his website at http://www.angelfire.com/ri/Pukulan/history.html he still uses bombastic titles which I will copy-past below :

Translated and Edited
By
Guru Pendita Dr. Andre KnustGraichen
... never in Indonesia has silat had a Guru Pendita....

an other copy-paste from the same web page:


PENCAK SILAT IN THE USA


It has been through the continued efforts and contributions of "Indos" who immigrated to the United States that Pencak Silat continued to receive recognition on a global level. Through the pioneering efforts of men like Pendekar Willy Wetzel, Pendekar Willem A. Reeders, Pendekar Agung Paul de Thuoars, Bapak Guru Besar Rudy ter Linden, Bapak Guru Besar Jim Ingram, Sigung Bapak Guru Besar Willem de Thuoars, Guru Victor de Thuoars, Guru Art Rhemrev, Guru Richard F. Durand, Guru Rudy Kudding and others, Pencak Silat has been popularized in the United States.

Pendekar Agung is NOT appropriate for someone who bickers publicly with his brothers, and neither is it a common title used in the silat world. I hope that the Guru Besar used by Jim Ingram here refers to his position in Amerindo Silat, and not as it used to imply, in Mustika Kwitang.

Warm salaams to all,
Bram.

[AbdUllah]

Pak Bram
it is nice to see your concerned postings as always, but i agree with your first point that he has done the right thing by changing the name of his silat style so not as to suck off the name, history and traditions of a great silat perguruan.

I think that that move alone signifies that he now uses the Guru Besar title of his new style and that should he try revert his organisation back to the name Mustika Kwitang, he will find the invitation to prove his skills reissued, but this time brought to his house personally by the pesilatan of Mustika Kwitang. 

[Ranggalana]

Pak Bram
it is nice to see your concerned postings as always, but i agree with your first point that he has done the right thing by changing the name of his silat style so not as to suck off the name, history and traditions of a great silat perguruan.

I think that that move alone signifies that he now uses the Guru Besar title of his new style and that should he try revert his organisation back to the name Mustika Kwitang, he will find the invitation to prove his skills reissued, but this time brought to his house personally by the pesilatan of Mustika Kwitang. 

Assalaamualaekum,

I dont think that there will be any more problems. It appears to be an honest mistake, easy do make right when no egos involved.

We have to remember that these pioneers of silat in the USA begun their work there before the age of the internet. Jim Ingram believed he was teaching Mustika Kwitang and being the head of his school he was the Guru Besar. His mistake was not checking with the Mustika Kwitang school in Indonesia to see if it still existed, but it might not have been that easy to check in those days.

Wassalam,
Bram

[AR]

HI Bram,
I had raised this issues 8 years ago, when I saw their website regarding mustika kwitang perguruan and their claim. I send them an email and explain the cisrcumstances, including about Bapak Zakaria, the guru besar of mustika kwitang. I also mentioned to them about the history of mustikakwitang itself, but they still refuse the fact that the only mustika kwitang in Indonesia is taught by Bapak Zakaria nowadays, I also gave Bapak Zakaria details, so they can contact them. The reply I got shows their arrogance by saying that they are the real and genuine mustika kwitang and different with mustika kwitang at kwitang street. I lost some of my archives regarding this topics but I still keeps some of it.

Salam Hormat,

AR


Here some discussion about the topics :

Dear Fred, Just few more comments in the spirit of mutual learning.I believe there is no misunderstanding and that we are talking about thesame Mustika Kwitang. Please be aware that the place in Central Jakartayou refer to was called "Kwitang" in honor of Kwee (or Kwe)Tang Kim, avery popular healer and kuntao/silat teacher, the same Kwee Tang Kiamyour teacher refers to. Previously, the area was called "Kramat Bunder".Bapak Zakaria, as his family before him, lived in the same area whereKwee Tang Kiam was living and is still named after him, Kwitang (now heactually moved to Jakarta Timur). In other words, there is only ONEMustika Kwitang in Jakarta. Kwitang is the "Indonesianization" of 'KweeTang". It often happens in Indonesia that names are misspelled. Besides,as you probably are aware, all Chinese names and idioms were forbiddenin the late 1960s in Indonesia.When I interviewed Bapak Zakaria he clearly stated that his art derivesfrom Kwee Tang Kiam (and many other informant confirmed this claim).More particularly, Bapak Zakaria, now in his seventies, studied from hisgrandfather Mohammed Zaelani (see also "Kejuaraan Putra Betawi",1987:25, Jakarta) who was a 'murid' (student) of Kwee Tang Kiam. As Idescribe in my book "Pencak Silat Merentang Waktu" (1998:64-65) somesources claim that Kwee Tang Kiam had a competition with a Moslempendekar and lost. Recognizing the strength of the adversary, Kwee TangKiam taught him his techniques and decided to became Moslem. In this way "silat Kwitang" started to become accessible to Indonesians. At the timethe name Mustika was not yet used. Many believe that the name MustikaKwitang was created around 1967 when Bapak Zakaria founded his"perguruan" and became a member of IPSI ("Ikatan Pencak SilatIndonesia). "Mustika" or "mestika" means "precious jewel/stone". Mustikain Indonesia is NOT a person's name (and for sure is not a Moslemname). It would be interesting to know where your teacher got inspiration for "his" style's name, since when his teacher, Loreo, studied from Kwee Tang Kiam it probably was only "silat Kwee Tang" or "silat of Kwee Tang" in Indonesian "silat Kwitang".The claim of 800 styles has never been seriously assessed and cannot beconsidered highly reliable. Even if there are 800 different styles(which in my view is not the case since many derive from the samestyle), NOT all the leaders and founders pretend to be "guru besar". Tobe sure, I want to state here that my aim is not to question thecapacity of your guru, whom I do not personally know, or other guru'sfor that matter, but only the (mis?)use of the term "maha guru","pendekar", and such. Even very capable guru's are hesitant to be called"guru besar" and certainly they avoid to call themselves so out ofmodesty, although other people may refer to them using such honorary "title" in conversations. It is not only a question of putting togethera few styles or being skilled in techniques, but a matter of attitude, behavior and mystical strength. Be assured that the ethnic/racialbackground does not count. As long as he/she has the rightcharacteristics, a "guru besar" can be Chinese, Indonesian or Indo.Be also assured that having lived in the Netherlands for some time, I amwell aware of the styles that have developed there. Some have origin inIndonesia, but others are new forms, like pencak silat Manyangestablished by Don Kessing. A final remark, the history of the "Hindos" is more complex than youmake it appear. In the 1950s, after many of them underwent the brutalityof Japanese occupation, they were given the option to stay and becomeIndonesians or leave to the Netherlands. Many decided to stay and weresoon integrated in Indonesian society (no ethnic cleansing was performedon them...). Many others decided to leave for various reasons. If youvisit the KITLV in Holland you will find many relevant sources whichshow how different groups hold very different perspectives with regardto this historical event. Friendly regards to you and to Bapak Ingram, O'ong MaryonoPS: "Cheribon" should be "Cirebon" "meme moyang" should be "nenek moyang" "speler" is a Dutch word, in Indonesian should be "pesilat" or"pemain pencak silat"

O'ong Maryono
#42 Ponce StreetS. Lorenzo Village1223 Makati CityThe PhilippinesTelfax: 63-2-8170147

Fred Fullerton wrote:
> > I was unable to respond to this post as I was out of the office last> week--most of it training with Guru Besar Jim Ingram!> > Unfortunately, the problem with Mr. Draeger's book, and others like it, is> that they generally ignore the contributions of "Indos" to pentjak silat in> Indonesia and elsewhere. Perhaps a book will appear in the future that will> shed light on these contributions in more detail.> > I know I have posted information about Guru Besar Ingram and his background> in the past, but I'll repeat it for the benefit of Mr. Maryono and Mr.> Bovelander. Bob Orlando also has mentioned some of this information in his> book, _Indonesian Fighting Fundamentals_.> > Despite the English sound of his name, which stem from a Scot who served in> the British army in the "Indies" during the colonial days and stayed there,> Mr. Ingram was born in 1930 in Cheribon. His father, Jimmy Ingram, was a> local police chief and a formidable pukulan (poekoelaan) player.> > Mr. Ingram began training in Mustika Kweetang and Tjimande in Jakarta in> 1938 under a djago (a kind of protector) by the name of William Loreo, a> skilled silat speler (player) in several systems. Loreo maintained his> position as djago for over 20 years and was one of the most feared men in> Jarkarta in those days when certificates of rank didn't exist. > > Please note that Mustika Kwitang (aka Skwitang), named after an area in> Jakarta, is *not* the same system as Mustika Kweetang, named after a Muslim> holyman by the name of Mustika and a Chinese vendor by the name of Kwee> Tang Kiam. This was the system in which Loreo--together with two men named> Zakaria and Tjoa Kek Kiong--studied. Loreo, however, who had studied other> systems later combined what he thought were the most effective elements of> each and synthesized them with the Mustika Kweetang he had learned. In> effect, Loreo's and Ingram's system became Pentjak Silat Mustika Kweetang> Pukulan Tjimande.> > It is my understanding that the Bapak Zakaria Mr. Maryono mentioned is> originally from Kwitang. (If he is the same Zakaria who trained with Loreo,> he'd be well over 90 years old today.)> > After the Indos were kicked out (I won't say ethnically cleansed...) of> Indonesia in the 1950s, Ingram resumed his silat training with Loreo in the> Netherlands. When Loreo retired from teaching, he gave Mr. Ingram his gold> sash and siku siku, promoting him to guru besar in Mustika Kweetang. Guru> Besar Ingram migrated to the U.S. in the early 1960s and soon after became> a U.S. citizen.> > Mr. Ingram has never ceased training in his art since the day he began over> 60 years ago--despite Japanese and Indonesian concentration camps and 2> years of jungle warfare during the turbulent years from his childhood into> his early 20s. And he still teaches and continues to learn other silat> systems, even at the age of 69! In addition to Mustika Kweetang Pukulan> Tjimande, he also has trained in Serak and Manyang and is pelatih in both.> > Mr. Ingram shares the concern about the many people in silat who calim> titles such as Maha Guru, Guru Besar, Pendekar, etc. There are enough> people in the U.S. and elsewhere who claim knowledge they don't have. Some> think they can travel to Indonesia and spend a few weeks each year, pay> enough money and buy a certificate that proclaims them Pendekar. But> compare their expertise in djurus, kembangan, buah, and sambut menjambut > and you will recognize the real teachers. Make no mistake about it, Mr.> Ingram is a "real" guru besar. See him teach and you will have no doubt!> > Mr. Ingram asked me to relay to following to Mr. Maryono:> > "In case you're interested, 'meme moyang' was pure Indonesian. But tell me> this, when I left Indonesia in the early 1950s, there were about 150 silat> systems. Today there are about 800. Where did all these other systems come> from and what kind of credentials do their founders have?"> >
Hormat,>

Fred Fullerton



Dear O'ong,The information I have about Mustika Kweetang comes directly from BapakIngram. You may be correct that Mustika Kwitang stems from Kwee Tang Kiam, but I believe that Bapak Ingram's argument is that this system today is notthe same as that Loreo trained in and later taught. At the same time, hereadily admits that he also teaches it differently than when he learned it.According to Bapak Ingram, Mustika was a kjai, but can't confirm that partof the story either. Loreo trained in various silat systems, includingMustika Kwee Tang in the early part of this century, but I don't have exactdates, but I know that he was already a djago with a considerablereputation by the 1930s.As for Manyang, it is my understanding that the system--part of threesystems actually--is from A.D. Nelson, who taught it to Don Kessing.Coincidently, Mr. Kessing and Mr. Ingram are close friends. In fact, one ofMr. Ingram's sons lives and trains in the Netherlands with Mr. Kessing.I'm aware of the problems of spelling Indonesian terms. Bapak Ingram oftengives us terminology in Behasa and Sundanese, as well as in Dutch, hencespeler, which is what the Indos often use instead of pesilat.And yes, I am very aware of the complexity of the history of the Indos, butI will not debate this with you. Just allow me to say that many Indos donot share your perspective of their history. Some of them have put it behind them, others haven't.Perhaps it would be better if you contacted Bapak Ingram directly todiscuss what you know about Mustika Kweetang and compare data. He iscurrently researching Indo speler/persilat in his father's and Loreo's generation and the systems they trained in and contributed to. I'm sure hewould appreciate any leads you might give him. If you're interested I canprovide you with his address and phone number.
Hormat,

Fred Fullerton