Bertopeng kingkong, Yuli Purwanto, 47 tahun, tangkas memainkan beberapa jurus pencak silat di panggung. Masked kingkong, Yuli Purwanto, 47, deftly played some martial arts moves on stage. Gerakannya lincah. His movements were agile. Kadang terlihat lentur meliuk, acap kali berkelebat cepat. Sometimes be seen bending twisting, often flashed quickly. Diiringi iringan kendang nan rancak, penampilan pria yang akrab dipanggil Ipung ini memang memikat. The accompaniment of drums accompanied by nan smart, he looks familiar it's called Ipung alluring. Di puncak aksinya, Ipung kemudian menyurukkan wajahnya ke selembar batik yang dihamparkan di panggung, topengnya dilepas, lalu tampillah wajah aslinya dengan kain batik yang dibikinnya menjadi udheng . At the peak of the action, then pressed her face into Ipung piece of batik is spread out on the stage, removed his mask, and then arose with the original face dibikinnya batik cloth into udheng.

Gerakan pencak silat Ipung itu bisa dinikmati pemirsa di mana pun lewat situs YouTube. Ipung martial arts movements that can be enjoyed by audiences anywhere on the website YouTube. Dari situs ini pula wawancara Ipung dalam bahasa Jepang dengan televisi pemerintah nasional Jepang, NHK , bisa diakses. From this site are Ipung interview in Japanese with Japanese national television, NHK, can be accessed. Di tayangan ini Ipung menjawab segala hal soal silat. On the show replied Ipung everything about martial arts.

Jangan heran jika Ipung membicarakan silat dalam bahasa Jepang. Do not be surprised if Ipung talk in Japanese martial arts. Dia, bersama Soesilo Soedarmadji dari perguruan Perisai Diri dan Djaja dari Panglipur, adalah penyebar seni bela diri tradisional Indonesia itu di Jepang 13 tahun lalu. He, along Soesilo Soedarmadji of colleges and Shield Yourself from Panglipur Djaja, is spreading the traditional Indonesian martial arts in Japan 13 years ago. Ini tentu menjadi petualangan menarik bagi ketiganya. It would be interesting adventure for all three. Maklum, negeri itu sudah punya tradisi bela diri sendiri yang berusia panjang, yakni karate, judo, kendo, aikido dan ju-jitsu. Understandably, the country had a tradition of self-defense are long-lived, ie, karate, judo, kendo, aikido and ju-jitsu.

Tantangan lain adalah adanya persoalan bahasa dan budaya yang berbeda. Another challenge is the issue of language and culture. Tapi ketiga pendekar itu tak putus asa, apalagi dukungan moril dari Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia cukup kuat. But three warriors did not despair, let alone the moral support of the Association of Indonesian Pencak Silat is quite strong. Ini masih ditambah adanya dukungan dana dari Bimantara pada tiga tahun pertama. This was compounded by the financial support of the Bimantara the first three years. “Setelah itu, bergantung pada iuran peserta,” kata Ipung. "After that, depending on the contributions of participants," said Ipung.

Penyebaran pencak silat di Jepang dimulai dari masyarakat Indonesia, sekolah-sekolah Indonesia, dan karyawan Departemen Luar Negeri. The spread of martial arts in Japan starts from the people of Indonesia, Indonesian schools, and employees of the State Department. Penyebaran ke khalayak banyak dan penggemar bela diri dilakukan dengan cara memperbanyak pergelaran. Spread to many audiences and fans of martial arts is done by multiplying the performance. Pergelaran-pergelaran itu rupanya cukup ampuh. Performance-the performance was apparently quite powerful. “Gerakan meliuk-liuk seperti tarian dalam kembangan diiringi musik tradisional Indonesia sangat menarik khalayak,” kata Ipung. "The movement to weave a dance accompanied by traditional music in the development of Indonesia is very attractive audience," said Ipung.

Untuk menarik praktisi bela diri, Ipung berduet dengan Soesilo menggelar pertunjukan di dojo (tempat latihan karate) dan pemusatan aikido serta bela diri setempat lainnya. To pull-martial, the duet with Soesilo Ipung perform at the dojo (karate gym) and the concentration of aikido as well as other local martial. Tak disangka, “Mereka welcome ,” kata Ipung. Not unexpectedly, "They're welcome," said Ipung. Mereka tertarik justru karena gerakan silat yang lentur sekaligus kaya tipuan dan kuncian. Precisely because they are interested in martial arts movement is supple and rich deception and lockdown. Ini berbeda dengan bela diri Jepang, yang berkarakter kaku-keras. This is different from the Japanese martial arts, which is characterized by stiff-hard.

Melihat perkembangan menarik itu, televisi lokal, yakni NHK dan Fuji TV , kerap menayangkan olahraga silat. See exciting developments, the local television, the NHK and Fuji TV, often showing sports silat. Silat juga ditampilkan di festival rutin yang digelar di kelurahan-kelurahan dan di masa liburan pada Juli-Agustus. Silat is also shown in festivals held regularly in villages has and in the holiday period in July-August. Silat pun sudah masuk agenda rutin festival setempat. Silat had already entered the local festival regular agenda. Ipung kini memiliki dua asisten pelatih Jepang, selain asisten pelatih Ipung now have two assistant coaches of Japan, in addition to assistant coach

Indonesia. Indonesia.

Untuk memenuhi kebutuhan sehari-hari, Ipung bekerja sebagai staf lokal Kedutaan Besar RI. To meet the needs of everyday life, working as a local staff Ipung Embassy. Ia juga disokong istrinya, seorang perempuan Jepang. He also supported his wife, a Japanese woman.

Tak hanya di Jepang, para pendekar pencak silat Indonesia juga merambah Thailand. Not only in Japan, the martial arts warriors Indonesia also penetrated Thailand. Bahkan di Negeri Gajah Putih ini, perkembangannya lebih pesat. Even in the land of white elephant is, it progresses more rapidly. Bayangkan, di arena SEA GAMES 2007 di Thailand, para atlet pencak silat negara ini menyabet empat emas. Imagine, in the arena of SEA Games 2007 in Thailand, the country's martial arts athletes won four gold. Perolehan ini cuma beda tipis dari Indonesia, yang meraih lima emas. This acquisition was just a little different from Indonesia, who won five gold medals.

Pelatih nasional sekaligus penyebar pencak silat di Negeri Gajah Putih adalah O'ong Maryono, 56 tahun. Spreader at the same time national coach of martial arts in the City of White Elephant is O'ong Maryono, 56 years. Juara dunia silat dan taekwondo itu menyebarkan silat sejak sembilan tahun lalu. Taekwondo world champion in martial arts and martial arts since it spread the last nine years. O'ong, yang juga belajar karate, judo, aikido, ju-jitsu, dan taekwondo, menyebarkan silat dengan mempertimbangkan budaya setempat. O'ong, who also studied karate, judo, aikido, ju-jitsu and taekwondo, martial arts spread to the local culture into account.

Di kawasan yang beragama Buddha, bekas pegawai pemerintah daerah Amsterdam itu menebarkan silat sebagai sport. Buddhists in the region, the former local government employees Amsterdam was cast as a martial art sport. Di daerah-daerah yang kuat memegang Islam, lelaki Bondowoso, Jawa Timur, ini menggunakan cara konvensional, yakni mengajarkannya sebagaimana perguruan atau pesantren-pesantren di Indonesia. In areas of strong holds of Islam, men Bondowoso, East Java, it uses a conventional way, namely as teach college or boarding schools in Indonesia. O'ong juga memanfaatkan media massa. O'ong also utilize the mass media. “Melalui situs dan televisi setempat,” kata O'ong. "Through the website and local television," said O'ong.

Berbeda dengan di Jepang–silat banyak diikuti kalangan dewasa dan praktisi bela diri–di Thailand hampir semua kalangan menyukainya. In contrast to many martial arts in Japan, followed by the adult and martial arts practitioners in Thailand, almost all walks of like it. Dari anak sekolah sampai pemain muay Thai atau Thai boxing , yang mengakar di kasta bawah, ikut menggemarinya. From school children to the player muay Thai or Thai boxing, which is rooted in the lower castes, participate menggemarinya.

Kini O'ong, yang tak lagi melatih, mulai melihat rintisannya itu kian berkembang. Now O'ong, who no longer practice, pioneering was beginning to see growing. Pencak silat sudah masuk ke sekolah-sekolah olahraga sebagai mata pelajaran wajib. Pencak silat has been entered into the sports schools as a compulsory subject. Sedangkan di sekolah umum dan universitas, silat menjadi pelajaran ekstrakurikuler. While in public schools and universities, extracurricular arts into lessons. Tak hanya itu, di seluruh provinsi kini sudah terbentuk klub pencak silat. Not only that, throughout the province has now been established martial arts club. Dalam event pekan olahraga nasional Thailand, silat pun menjadi salah satu cabang yang dipertandingkan. In the event the week Thailand's national sport, martial arts became one of the branches that competed.

Tangan dingin O'ong memang tak terbantahkan. O'ong cold hand is irrefutable. Sebelumnya, ia menyebarkan silat di Eropa, Filipina, Brunei Darussalam, dan negara Indocina lainnya. Previously, he spread the arts in Europe, the Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, and other Indochina countries. Namun, di balik kisah suksesnya itu, O'ong masih memendam harapan bahwa pemerintah Indonesia mau memberikan perhatian pada aktivitas penyebaran pencak silat. However, the success story behind it, O'ong still harbored the hope that the government of Indonesia will pay attention to the spread of martial arts activities. Selama ini, “ Nggak ada perhatian, (bahkan) nggak ada ucapan terima kasih,” kata O'ong. ENDRI KURNIAWATI During this time, "No attention, (even) is not no thanks," said O'ong. Endri Kurniawati

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