Pencak Silat body for international pencak silat is the International Pencak Silat Association or PERSILAT ("Persekutuan Pencak Silat Antara Bangsa"). Pencak silat is one of the sports included in the Southeast Asian Games and other region-wide competitions. Pencak silat first made its debut in 1987 Southeast Asian Games and 2018 Asian Games, both were held in Indonesia. "Silat" is a collective word for a class of indigenous martial arts from the geo-cultural area of Southeast Asia, more precisely in the Malay Archipelago, a region known locally as "Nusantara". The origin of the word "silat" is uncertain. The Malay term "silat" is linked
Pencak Silat sword, which is still used in Java. The earliest evidence of pencak silat being taught in a structured manner comes from 6th-century Riau from where it spread to the Minangkabau capital in West Sumatra. The Minangkabau had a clan-based feudal government. Military officers called "hulubalang" acted as bodyguards to the king or "yam tuan". Minang warriors served without pay. The plunder was divided among them according to military merit, so fighters strove to outdo each other. They were skilled horsemen with the native pony and also expert bladesmiths, producing arms both for their own use and for export to Aceh.