Optimus, I'll cut and paste the words concerning Jafri from the other post. Plus, I'm also adding some new information that I just received this morning.
Enjoy everyone!
Hi Michael, Eddie Jafri was Born in Borneo and trained with a Pendekar Antel in Sumatra in a style he called Lanka Umpat. He had another but I can’t remember the name of that one. Then he moved to West java where he studied Cimande as well as other west Java styles. It was In Java when we talked about the name. I think about 1986 but I’m not sure now. He was always after me to change the name to better reflect the work I was doing. As I said previously many times, Jafri said I had worked long and hard to put back old authentic Cimande techniques in my art that many over here had failed to do. He said that now that art was my Pusaka to pass on to all the future generations of my students. He said to use the word Pusaka as it would become my family heirloom to them to their students.
By the way, I can’t remember the name but when he told me to change the name of my silat, he also told me he had picked the name for the art of a Jon De Jong. He was a silat teacher who lived in California, but is now deceased.
Leo Gaje first lived in NYC, as did Jafri, when he came to this country. They decided to pair up to do seminars. Jafri taught Pencak Silat and Leo taught Kali. Jafri also taught Leo some of his Pencak Silat. I think he taught him some Pecut or whip style according to what I was told at the time. Jafri also taught Dan Inosanto his first Pencak Silat. Danny became a part of the seminar circuit with them as well as me. Later, I taught the Silat after Eddie returned to Indonesia and was unable to get back into the USA.
Eddie lived in Bedford Styvenson, New York City. I went to train with him there. It was a VERY rough area. After meeting him in NYC where John Malter and I traveled to see him in the 80's, I continued to travel to NYC. He also came to Pennsylvania numerous times and stayed at my home in Washington, even doing a seminar at John Malter’s school in West Virginia at my request. It was during all those times he suggested I go to Indonesia with him to train and that started my travels there.
And here is the latest info I just received this morning...
Ok Michael, I found some more details in my old notes from Pendekar Jafri. He stated training at the age of 12 in Sumatra in a small tiny village in the Riau (Rhio) Archipelago, which is called Sepat or Pulau Emas (the golden Island). Here he learned from very famous teachers such as Father Jamin whose title was Pendekar Lemah. His second teacher was father Ajang Asan whose title was Pendekar Gading. His third teacher was father Mohammed whose title was Pendekar Lucu and his fourth teacher was the youngest, father Antal known as Pendekar Antel. He adds in his notes the title Pendekar was given to teachers whose knowledge is regarded as pure and superior, spiritual as well as physically. He also received the Pencak Silat of Langah Umpat (four steps). Lastly, he studied the West Javanese styles in depth and was taught the ways of fighting with the Pedang, the Golok, the Kujang, the Keris, the Rencong, and the Clurit. Pendekar
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