Throughout Martial Arts the mannerisms of the “Tiger” is emulated in many forms of Martial Arts. In Indonesia, Martial Arts usually associated with the Tigers are the Sumatran based systems such as Harimau. It should be noted however that one of the most common stories about the origins of Pencak Silat – the generic name associated with all Indonesian Martial Arts, is a story of a Woman, who by watching the actions of a Tiger was able to defend herself from the beatings of her husband, and so began a Martial Arts style, that grew up in many forms of Pencak Silat.

In our art of Cimande, a West Javanese style, the founder Embah Kahir went through a process of trial and error before the culmination of his grand finale Cimande. At first he studied the evasive manner of the Monkey, and in its ability to dodge, deflect and off balance it’s opponent. From this study he developed a system called Sera, which we have written about previously ( Sera – The lost Art ). Once developed and battle tested he implemented his characterization of the tiger into a fighting Art. This time the blows and attitude of the fighter were different. Instead of just a deflecting blow follow by a strike, the arm itself was grasped and struck in a simultaneous manner with the hands being held in a claw type form. Once the hapless opponent was thus hit and grabbed at the same instant, the fighter’s body weight could be used to drag the opponent to the ground where vicious claw, low kicks, rolling elbows and knees finished him off.

The beginning stance is normally a low crouch with both hands, slightly extended out facing the attacker in a claw position. The practioner, however can quickly drop to the ground in seated or full supine position, even on the flat of the back, as a decoy awaiting the hapless person who rushes in thinking the Pamacan exponent is defenceless. Pamacan in Cimande in the original Embah Kahir tradition has five Jurus or sets of moves that take the practioner through many strikes, low positions and leaps. These leaps are often used once an opponent has fallen,and perhaps is even faced down. The leap carries the Pamacan player up over the downed opponent where the Pamacan stylist falls on them with elbow and knees leading the attack. When a strike is delivered using a claw hand more nerve centres can be struck at once. The great thing about the Pamacan for the Cimande player as well, as the Sera, only when done in the original fashion is the flavour of the moves, the principles and attitudes of the fighter remains intact. It is as if it is one system utilizing the many techniques as opposed to a person who attempts to glue together different systems, that don’t match up in intent or type and style of actions. One is a cohesive fighting machine, the other a fracture meagre attempt to be the “Jack of all Trades” and surely Master of none.

Although Embah Kahir had an evolutionary progression of fighting ideals he used the same framework to build them. However after the design of these arts, some practioners took only the portion, and went on their way to practice it and eventually change it. So for instance today it is possible to see Sera that looks nothing like its original version. I know someone who actually believes that because his art does not look like the original Sera that he must be doing a different art. Instead sadly from one to another teacher, removing this and that, and adding something else so, well it is not Sera any more, and bears mostly the name now, only in common. For a Cimande practioner it is highly beneficial to find a Cimande teacher, who know’s the roots of this great art, and can instruct the students in the ways of Sera and Pamacan, in a way that does not alter the finale product of Cimande. In the end it was the combining of these two concepts that lead Embah Kahir to develop what is considered by the West Javanese Pendekars as the most superior in terms of fighting, Cimande. The way of the Pamacan is a fantastic way to develop the Tiger aspects lurking in all Cimande Players.