04 May 2010

Once I was a tiger!


In the pitch of darkness I started to transform myself and invoked all the inner senses in anticipation for any incoming surprises. My black attire blended well with the surrounding. When the timing was right and upon instruction by my master, I started to jump...punched...kicked and then I roared. My other colleagues did the same. Sometimes I punched them and the other time they kicked me back, in retaliation. But most of the time I received more kicks than landing a good punch onto my opponents. The bruises could last for weeks and the scars never healed in my memory.

That was my 'painful' remembrance during my initial year as 'anak Gayong'. The year was 1987 and I just started my new life chapter in the ivory tower surrounded by lifeless concrete jungles. I was hundred miles away from my beloved family for the first time. The year was a restless one for me and puberty hormones was already started to kick in. At that time, my teropong iman was still in its infancy and not well developed to take care of the hormonal imbalance.

I then got myself involved with Pertubuhan Silat Seni Gayong Malaysia (PSSGM) at my first alma mater, UKM. There was no special reason for choosing this martial art practice but merely a gut feeling. There were few other martial art clubs as well, but for me PSSGM somehow made me feel and look cool!

From there, I became a very devoted disciple, unraveling the mystery of Gayong. Rain of shine, there I was with my other anak Gayong in the open field and enclosed building to practise this ancient form of art. One of the reasons why I felt so obliged and dedicated was because of my first Gayong master, Cikgu Selamat. He came twice a week to Bangi all the way from Kelang on his really old kapcai just to make sure we got to learn all the bunga, buah, kunci and other syllabus. Despite many punctured tyres in the Federal highway in the middle of the night, that never become his stumbling block to roar together with us, his faithful disciples. His sheer spirit and utmost devotion really touched me. He later became my inspiration to move on and continue my quest to become an invulnerable.

Year in, year out - masters come and go. the late Cikgu Mat Khir, Pak Ngah and Cikgu Nazri were among the many that came to teach at our gelanggang. Occasionally, we went to visit other gelanggang and met other masters to learn special Gayong moves and tricks. They had their own touch and styles, but still the first one really made a lasting impression. I lost touch with the group after I left my alma mater and the tiger remained tamed inside. But the demon never died.

Last weekend however, I almost awakened the sleeping tiger in me and brought back all the wonderful memories in Gayong. This time though, the memory became a painful one. After so many years, I visited Pusat Latihan Tertinggi PSSGM Air Kuning, Taiping and the sight before me was really a shocking reality. My heart broke to see the sorry state of the place. Once the place where so many Gayong warriors practised and received personal attention from the founder himself, the late Dato' Meor Abdul Rahman, is now a dilapidated ruin waiting to bit the dust. The place is now ghostly eerie and almost unrecognizable to me. It was abandoned and lying vulnerable for a new development. A legacy is there no more.

It was believed anak Gayong numbered more than 100 000 and scattered roaming the globe. We should all weep and cry for being so helpless. The least is feeling ashamed to ourselves. Tiger is now becoming an endangered species. Is the tiger going to roar one more time? I keep asking myself. Only time will tell.


Jangan ditepuk susu di dulang,
Anak harimau tak dapat menyusu,
Janganglah pecah rahsia hulubalang,
Nanti harimau hilang kuku.

Jikalau ada dulang di tangan,
Jangan biar jatuh terhempas,
Jikalau ada senjata di tangan,
Jangan biar orang rampas.

Pecah gayung di dalam dulang,
Dulang hayut di lautan tujuh,
Pecah Gayong perpecahan sayang,
Di satu masa balik berpadu teguh.

Biduk berlalu kiambang bertaut,
Kata bersahut Gayong bersambut.




Anak Gayong congregated on the beach for Khatam keris. This was during my final year in UKM. This khatam keris was the last attended by Allahyarham Dato' Meor Abdul Rahman. This orthodox silat chapter took place at Port Dickson on the 23rd. June 1991. It was a symbolic gesture of a naga, a mystical creature pulang ke laut.


One of our activities was performing a silat demonstration during special ceremonies for the KAMSIS. This was my first and I was very nervous for missing several steps. Harimau mengambur mangsa - I was not the one leaping high in the air, but a mere junior crouching waiting for my turn.



A knife duel in front of PUSANEKA, perfomed flawlessly as this was my senior year in my alma mater and also becoming one of the sifus in the gelanggang.


One of the test for our obedience, courage and skills - A fearless tiger never hesitates and accepts all challenges


In one of my visits to Air Kuning to undergo several initiation processes and mandi minyak. Allahyarham Dato' knocked and broke a bamboo on my head. His son cikgu Sazali (Harimau berantai/Singa Malaya) was the one wearing a brown shirt nearby.


The last standing legacy (as of 2nd. May 2010). These were what left of the once a prestigious place for Gayong warriors to equip oneself with intimate knowledge of Gayong vast secrets. For the mortals, we have to accept the fact that nothing last forever.

42 comments:

ckLah @xiiinam said...

Wah banyak ilmu dalaman ni....



Saya pula dah tercebur dalam taekwondo...dan sekarang 3 anak saya juga aktif TKD.

lovelyfana said...

penting utk perempuan ~ protect themselves..

Anonymous said...

Tak semua orang berpeluang seperti Dr... bertuah betul kerana punya ilmu begitu. Tapi, sayang sungguh bila pusat latihan tu jadi begitu.

DrSam said...

xiiinam,
ilmu tuan punya operator kilang modal insan apa kurangnya.

apa-apa cabang seni dan ilmu jika diceburi dengan niat yang betul, insyaallah akan ada keberkatan.

lovelyfana,
seni bela diri, bukan untuk menunjuk tapi sesuai dengan nama - untuk bela diri, bangsa, agama dan yang perlu dilindungi.

kayteeze,
saya berharap dan ingin sekali melihat lebih ramai anak bangsa kita mempunyai minat dan kesungguhan untuk mendalami bukan sahaja ilmu duniawi malah juga ilmu-ilmu ukhrawi.

Small Hiker said...

Doc, you're a very good story teller. You should have your column in The Star or NST!

Fadhil said...

Hebat Doc! Now I know who to call for protection, hehehe...

But seriously, it is good to have some defensive skills. I learned a bit of aikido at university but couldn't find a training place when I started work in JB. In KL there are places that teach this art... maybe I'll join and re-learn something.

besi said...

dr sam... anak gayong rupanya..
mmg macam harimau la

geraugebang said...

Sekarang saya confuse..ada 2 drsinga...he he he

payarumput21 said...

Salam DrSam..

Hmmm.. the place perhaps is almost not there.. but the memories within lives forever..

p/s - teringat time sekolah.. my fren terperanjat kena hon dek kereta.. semua bunga silat keluar.. LOL..

kucingorengemok said...

dengarnya ada jenis silat yang ada jampi² nak invoke spirits... betul ke? out of mere curiosity...

Diana AR said...

hmm..teringat kawan saya dulu masa sekolah rasanya dia ada mengena mengena dengan Dato Meor ni punya family..dia cakap ada kala memang pengamal seni silat gayung mmg 'bertukar' menjadi harimau..betul ke?

Anonymous said...

blog bukanlah hakmilik kekalls,

salamm,

Sir Pök Déng said...

Rancak bertarung siluman harimau,
Di bawah pokok bunga tanjung,
Tidaklah matahari pagi silau,
Kalau adat dikelek agama dijunjung.

Seni Keris seninya elok,
Dihayun panglima bak halilintar,
Usah tunggu hari esok,
Sudah pasti kita menggeletar.

Terbang helang di langit biru,
Membelah awan hanya bersendiri,
Nasib kelak siapa yang tahu,
Luh Mahfuz di tangan Ilahi.

Salam dari anak Gayong:
Sir Pok Deng

p/s: How small the world is. All you need is a few things to complete the cycle. Zzzzaat!!

DrSam said...

small hiker,
Thanks for the compliment bro. My learning curve is still very long. Still strugling to fit in my technical writing in scientific journals.

Oldstock,
First step in silat is 'buka langkah 1000" first :)

Good for you too. In K.L there must be a number of Aikido dojo around. One good dojo I remember which is taught by a Japanese Master (with her daughter) situated somewhere in Sri Hartamas (saw an interview in TV). Maybe you can ask Uncle Google for the address.

besi,
anak Gayong kena cool :)

DrSam said...

geraugebang,
mungkinkah kami bersaudara? jeng...jeng...jeng...

payarumput21,
One sweet memory too bitter.

p/s: Kawan saya yang memang melatah, pernah cucuk orang yang buat dia melatah dengan garfu...haru betu.

KOG,
Silat pun macam-macam ada. Tapi kalau melibatkan spirit tu memang silap le...

DrSam said...

Diana Abd Rahman,
Mungkin benar, mungkin tidak. Wallahuaklam. Dari pengalaman sendiri dan pengamatan, bertukar secara fizikal keluar misai tu tak de la...tapi kalau dah naik 'shekh' Harimau pun takut :)

thunbergia,
Salam. Tiada yang kekal, hanya Dia.

Sir Pok Deng,

Berburu ke padang datar,
Dapat rusa belang di kaki;
Berguru kepalang ajar,
Alamat binasa badan sendiri.

Mendaki gunung meredah lurah,
Mencari ramuan pengubat hati;
Ilmu GAYONG bukannya mudah,
Seni turunan wali kesakti.

Mencari ramuan pengubat hati,
Beranyut ke hilir panduan resemi;
Seni turunan wali kesakti,
Menjaga air mengawal bumi.

Beranyut ke hilir panduan resemi,
Lenggang bertapak seni memandang;
Menjaga air mengawal bumi,
Tegap menapak teguh menjulang.

Lenggang bertapak seni memandang,
Memohon tahjud menadah sentiasa;
Tegap menapak teguh menjulang,
Hanya sujud ke hadrat yang Esa.

Zatttttt...Kata bersahut Gayong bersambut.

Yes...what a small world.

Memorable trails... said...

Wah...pahlawan rupanya Doc ni...You are a multi-talented person lah Doc...
Tahniah...

yohteh said...

...Naaahhhhhh..!!! terimalah tikamang berbiser dariku... heyyaaahhhhh..!!!!!

huh..! berdiri bulu romaku...
(saja nok nngosék)

DrSam said...

madam gold,
Thank you madam. Nowadays, our job requires us to do a bit of this and a bit of that...multi-tasking they call it...in this kind of environment, multi-talent is an added advantage.

yohteh,
...Adussss...sappa hati deme tikang ambe...hik...hik...

bunying macang skrip drama bangsawang je yohteh?

pal7 said...

salam drSam..
lama x singgah blog ni..
seni mempertahankan diri bagus..abg2 saya semua belajar tp saya x sempat sebab belajar di luar kampung..

laki cikgu kimia said...

doc! kita lawan street fighter lah.. :P

DrSam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Naddiea said...

Doc,sedihnya tempat tu dh jadi macam spooky place pulak.padahal dulu sgt berprestij.Anyway doc,my hubby pun belajar silat gayung.kalo melawak2 dgn dia selalu la jugak tangan kene kunci.hehehe..

DrSam said...

pal7,
Salam. bagus kalau dapat belajar. Kalau ada peluang cuba-cubalah menjinakkan diri dengan ilmu mempertahankan diri sementelah masih muda belia ni.

laki cikgu kimia,
Jom...ken atau Ryu?

DrSam said...

Naddiea,
Dasyat betul cik hubby you...wife dia pun disilatkannya. Tapi silat untuk bermanja-manjaan apa salahnya kan :)

Sally said...

I have a confession to make..may i?
I've always adore a Malay man with a silat skill..hehe..macam ada extra bonus mark bila jejaka melayu pandai seni persilatan..
hv a nice day Doc!

Faisal Admar said...

whoa! you were such a warrior!

don't judge a book by it's cover!

DrSam said...

sally,
I know...I know...many men are very good at this skill too, especially on the Friday night :)

Be cool and have a nice weekend with your beloved family.

Faizal Admar,
the cover gathers much dust and dirt over time. Dah tua le kita Faizal.

Zendra-Maria said...

Dinda hulubalang, nowadays kids show off their lipat repertoire at wedding receptions - which Abg RA really disapproves of. He himself pernah nuntut from a certain wak jowo tp tak tamat hehe but enough to impress yours truly *winks*

You've got to re-hone those skills dinda - awet muda tau!!!

DrSam said...

Zendra-Maria,
Kanda, the thought of re-hone my passion is always lingering in my mind, but having to endure back all those demanding physical regines had really made me think not only twice but many times - especially with my previous back problem. The only thing that I can thing of to re-live my dream is to set up one gelanggang for our younger generation.

Probably next time both Kanda RA and myself can show-off a little bit infront of a pengantin too :)

DrSam said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sally said...

Aiyakkk..didnt that once a week silat skill laaa.. hehe

Sally said...

Typo:didnt mean that once a week skill..

pB said...

Salam


pB sempat belajar sampai tali pinggang hijau jer calit 2 meroh ....


Kenal aBear pun thru PSSGM ni ler ..

hi hi hi

DrSam said...

Sally,
Aik...asyik tershashul ni...tak pe...tak pe...kita faham.


pB,
Salam anak Gayong. aBear masih turun gelanggang ke?

@xiM said...

tak pernah masuk ilmu mempertahankan diri ni..
dulu masa zaman sekolah ada la masuk taekwondo kejap...tapi kejap jer lah..

betul jugak kata doc tu..zaan sekarang macam dah kurang pengaruh nya kan ilmu persilatan ni kalau nak di bandingkan dengan generasi dulu..takder ker badan yang bertanggung jawab untuk memantapkan ilmu persilatan ini kembali??atau saya sebenarnya tak peka pasal isu silat menyilat ni..

DrSam said...

axim,
saya memang dah lama tak turun gelanggang, namun ada lah juga mengikuti perkembangan persilatan di tanahair kita ni. Dari pengamatan mata kasar saya yang dah sepet ni, jalan cerita persilatan kita masih tak ubah-ubah dan sama sahaja seperti cerita-cerita wayang gambar persilatan purba wara. masing-masing dengan kehebatan masing-masing. Jika nak kira badan, memang bermacam-macam badan ada...yang berpusat malah ada yang ikut syok sendiri. Apo den nak kato lagi eh...

Faisal Admar said...

ala doc. for me age is just a number :) yang penting kita sihat dan ceria selalu. dapat buat apa yg kita impikan, dan kecapi kebahagian tak kira dari aspek apa pun :)

jangan botox ye! :)

DrSam said...

Faisal Admar,
Ha...ha...botox. botox sana, botox sini, tak sedar badan penuh dengan bakteria. Sihat dan ceria selalu bro.

ReActivate said...

::: saya sukeee semua gambar silat bro.. mmg vintage giler lerr [huhu] teringat plak citer 'bujang selamat' lakonan faisal hussein.. [hehehe] alhamdulillah saya pon penah join martial art juga. latest ialah aikido di kompleks sukan permas jaya, johor. very nice.

DrSam said...

ReActivate,
Bujang selamat atau Wak Mustar, Pendekar Kg. Pinang Sebatang :)

Bagus tu bro kalau dapat teruskan minat yang sedia ada. Selamat majujaya.

SH said...

Harapan kami agar sumbangan kepada Gayong tidak terhenti di sini. Lawati webblog kami nanti -

www.kssgayong.com

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