NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 20 — Pencak Silat, an Indonesian form of martial arts, is gaining popularity in Kenya, thanks to the efforts of the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi.
The embassy has been promoting Pencak Silat in schools, campuses, and other community groups and institutions in Nairobi, Kiambu County, and Mombasa County since June 2021.
The recent promotion of Pencak Silat was showcased at the International School of Kenya during the school’s “International Day” event, attended by around 500 students.
During the event, eight Kenyan performers demonstrated Pencak Silat movements combined with strong self-defense techniques aimed at strengthening the body.
The techniques include the easel technique, stance technique, parry technique, kick technique, cutting technique, punch technique, direction technique, and step pattern technique.
According to Counselor Andi Syamsurijal Usman of the Indonesian Embassy in Nairobi, Pencak Silat not only teaches Indonesian martial arts and self-defense but also connects people to Indonesian values.
“Pencak Silat could act as a bridge to strengthen Indonesia-Kenya bilateral relations at the community level because it enhances people-to-people contact,” he said.
The Indonesian Embassy has been engaging in such programs for the last two years, and around 600 trainees and 20 trainers/coaches are part of the program.
All Pencak Silat training centers in Kenya have been created through collaboration between the Indonesian Embassy and the National Federation of Pencak Silat Kenya.
Established in June 2021, the Kenya Pencak Silat Federation gained the Certificate as an Associated Member of the International Pencak Silat Federation (PERSILAT), headquartered in Jakarta.
The Kenya Pencak Silat Federation was inaugurated with this certificate on March 28, 2022.
