The styles had to be adapted to different terrain, competing against local styles and fighting with local weapons. Many (if not most) styles of kuntao have incorporated techniques from silat and some forms even changed their name from "kuntao" to "silat". Styles which combine both kuntao and silat together are sometimes called kuntao silat. Kuntao was once practiced in secrecy and passed down through families; many schools continue to maintain an air of secrecy around their training techniques. It was kept hidden not only from non-Chinese, but also from people of differing clans. Although a few non-Chinese in Southeast Asia are known to have historically learned kuntao, this only became widespread in the latter half of the 20th century. During the colonial period, kuntao was brought to Mindanao by ethnic Chinese from Indonesia, and is associated mainly with the Tausug tribe. Old styles of kuntao are today considered by some to be "true" Chinese martial arts because they predate the Shaolin Temple's destruction. With the advent of Mixed Martial Arts in the United States, the art has begun to approach mainstream dissemination. Even so, few traditional kuntao schools exist in the States today and it is little known in the West.
Styles
- Kuntao Harimau Jawa is the traditional Javanese tiger style of kuntao. One of its main tenets is a mantra which practitioners chant to acquire the attributes of a tiger.
- Kuntao Angin or Silat Angin (meaning "wind kuntao/silat") was founded in 1977 by Yap Mat from Kedah, Malaysia by combining seni gayong with the knee and elbow strikes of tomoi, the hand techniques of Wing Chun and the energy drills of yiquan. It is known for its deceiving circular attacks and nerve point manipulations.
- Kuntao Mantis was founded in London early 1978 by Gerry Tann an Indonesian from Sumatera. It consists of two branches, that of kuntao and the other, northern mantis fist.
- Kuntao Silat deThouars was created by Willem deThouars by combining several styles of pencak silat and kuntao.
- Malabar Kuntao Silat was created by Steve Gartin, a student of Willem deThouars. It is basically Kuntao Silat deThouars. The final transmission of this form, including both the external and internal skills, is sometimes called American kuntao silat.
- Liu Seong Kuntao was created by Willem Reeders based on his studies in Indonesia.
- Talio American Kuntao was created by Roberto Torres based on Visitacion Kuntao-Arnis, Wu Kung Kuntao and several styles of silat.
- Ou-Dur Kuntao is a Taiwanese style introduced to the United States by Frank Masiello.
- Kuntao Dumpag was founded by Ron Kosakowski. It is the only style of kuntao in the United States recognized by the Grand Kuntaoist Ali Sharief and the Kuntao council of the Marinaw tribes.
Our definition of a surprise attacker is: an individual or group of individuals who pick the time, place, and way to "get" an innocent person. This kind of attacker is aware that if he were to get caught, he would become a convicted felon, and would probably go to prison; so he does not want to be identified, let alone caught.
The solution: only with total integration of the mental, physical and spiritual can one hope to come away unscathed. Our intention is to teach this integrated way and show others how to have exceptional, paranormal results that are usually associated with fables for the young. Without a doubt, a student who carefully follows our instructions will have the above-stated results in a very short time. Your purpose will start to be realized as you know you have to learn to attack the enemy's vital force -- that power that keeps each and every one of us alive.
Kuntao involves an introduction to the serious study in defense of one's physical, mental, and spiritual existence; one must not consider this a sport in any way until one has considered this is not a sport.
The Chinese word for street fighting is Kuntao, Kuntau, or Cuntao. Physically, its movements are composed of jumping and swinging shoulders with the body's joints and muscles locked in -- to form one unit. The exponent of Cuntao will strike his enemies before the enemies' minds can prepare for the pain. He stands sedate like a tree, then explodes into a force much like a tornado. The exponent will find himself behind the enemy without having been touched.
The Kuntaoist's hands are known as "fire hands" because of the searing kind of strikes he executes. The Kuntaoist believes that if he has just one finger on his body that will move, he has one finger he can kill with. Each part of his body is trained to be a deadly weapon. This philosophy coupled with the so-called "fire hands" creates a lethal operation, for if he can, at the very least, lightly touch his enemy with that finger, he will prevail.
The particular style we submit is called The Whip, where all strikes are delivered in a bull whip fashion (this is the first phase) and the body cracks like an alligator's tail. It is very fierce and meant to deal with the most severe attacks in a lethal way. The enemy will fall without having seen the means or methods of the strike.
The physical component of Kuntao is both very powerful and fast. The exponent of Kuntao trains the left side of the body for speed and the right side for power. The exponent trains his every day movements to be natural fighting movements. This system trains the Kuntaoist's kicks to step on the enemy's body, and his hands to strike in a similar way -- both staying with the enemy as he falls. We say that the enemy's body becomes our body. As a trained Kuntaoist, you will be able to run and fight without breaking stride as you move in triangular, square or circular patterns; backwards, forwards, sideways; through the air or on a ground.
Mentally, you picture with strong emotions. You believe you are facing an enemy who is attacking you or your loved ones. You are backed into a corner -- trapped, or backed to the edge of a cliff where one more backwards step will propel you into space and certain death. Inner mental visualization along with touch sensitivity sessions adds cognition to your automatic reflexes. You learn to fine tune your mind and its automatic functions so that it will move your body in a very special way in dangerous circumstances. As you progress, you will learn to circumvent the pain of disease or life's emotional battles. There are some 75 strictly mental exercises, including specific emotional exercises; and hundreds of reflex and reaction drills. Some of you will be privy to here.
Briefly we mention the highest form of animal training, which we call "The Change." It is a metamorphosis much like the proverbial were-wolf in folklore. To us, being one with a leopard, tiger, etc., is real. You are not a Kuntaoist without having this ability.
The highest form of self-defense attacks or defends against that part of your opponent that keeps him alive -- the very essence of his existence. This is that part of him that knows essentially what is right or wrong in any situation; it will keep him alive or let him die according to the laws by which all human existence is governed. Call this "Divine Law," if you will. This Law ignites your life force to attack the opponent's life force. The knowledge of this begins your understanding of spiritual training.
The secret of being an expert in Kuntao lies in the spiritual training. As with the physical and mental aspects, there is a spiritual training system for the Kuntaoist to follow throughout the day, wherever he is. The highest form of Kung-Fu, Kuntao, Karate, or any martial art is called Huc Chung. This is an exclusive system where by contacting the eternal mind, the exponent can do whatever has to be done through prayer or meditation. The Kuntaoist has to live a prayer, knowing that everything in this world is totally dependent on the eternal mind. Yet, he has to work very hard ever day, believing simultaneously that everything in this world is dependent on himself. This is not religion. Faith without conscious and consistent results means nothing to us. When one truly contacts the eternal mind of which we are all a part of, one will have paranormal results and will be able to help others and have a say in the direction of his own fate.
Hwa Chóng (huc chung) literally means "the mind stops," as it was told and taught to me by Master Reeders. Huc Chung is the highest form of Kun Tao. Without Huc Chung, there is no Kun Tao. Huc Chung is the secret way. Master Reeders could cause the death of an enemy as the enemy was asleep, by the use of his mind alone. This is the way I learned (see documentation).
Using Hwa Chóng techniques, you learn to use a variety of mental/spiritual exercises during your every day existence. Once trained, you will be able to use your mind to stop another person's mind from :
- Thinking clearly
- Seeing clearly
- Fall unconscious.
- Go into a coma.
- Die
In the early 1900s Yuyong Huenyo left Mindanao and moved to Luzon, the largest island in the north, and settled in the Bicol region. Yuyong changed his last name to Lanyada and later changed it to Lanada per Spanish decree of having a Spanish surname. He gained the name Pilato, which indicates skillfulness in fighting arts.These techniques were passed to his son Yon Iban Lanada, which in turn were passed to his son, the current Grand Master of Kuntaw, Carlito A. Lanada, Sr. In 1960, Carlito Lanada founded the Philippine Kung-fu/Karate Association and started to introduce Kuntaw.
The name Kun-tao was changed to Kuntaw to better conform to the Tagalog language of the Philippines. He then changed the name to Maharlika Kuntaw Association and finally to Kuntaw ng Pilipinas. Kuntao was once practiced in secrecy and passed down through families. Many schools continue to maintain an air of secrecy around their training techniques. It was kept hidden not only from non-Chinese, but also from people of differing clans. Although a few non-Chinese in Southeast Asia are known to have historically learned kuntao, this only became widespread in the latter half of the 20th century.
Old styles of kuntao are today considered by some to be "true" Chinese martial arts because they predate the Shaolin Temple's destruction. With the advent of Mixed Martial Arts in the United States, the art has begun to approach mainstream dissemination. The Kuntaw derivative of this art started in the Philippines, specifically in the Mindanao region and has been attributed mainly to the Tausug tribe. Kuntaw is considered a hard-soft style with cat-like movements and quick short leg techniques.
Modern day Kuntaw has become an eclectic style and has incorporated many techniques from a number of different styles. The GrandMaster of Kuntaw is Carlito A. Lanada, Sr. and he is attributed with the formation of modern Kuntaw and the proliferation of this style throughout the world. There are schools of Kuntaw not only in the Philippines, but in :
- Hong Kong,
- Australia,
- Saudi Arabia,
- UAE,
- United Kingdom,
- Mexico,
- Canada, and the
- United States to name a few.
Although it is most commonly practiced in Indonesia among the Chinese Indonesian communities, styles of kuntao are also practiced in Singapore, Malaysia(especially Borneo) and the Philippines where Chinese martial arts were brought by merchants, labourers and other settlers from South China.
Mental and Spiritual Strength : To build and develop personality, noble character and honour is the main objective of silat practitioners that must beupheld during combat or dangerous situations. Self-defense : As with any martial art, the skill of defending oneself and protecting loved ones when in danger or when faced with adversity is what all silat practitioners prepare themselves for. Weaponry : Along with the strength of the human body, silat also uses ancient weapons like the keris, pedang, parang/golok, lembing, kayu/tongkat,kipas, tekpi,kelabit and japanese sword.
Sports : Competitions and intense training keep the practitioners’ skills sharp, through form demonstrations, for single, double or teamed combat. The concept of sound mind, sound body. Art and Culture : Performing the ‘art’ of silat is very important. Traditional costumes and music that accompany the stylized moves and artistic techniques of the martial art have made it an internationally recognized form of choreography. Silat is also used in very many officious events, as part of the Malay custom, such as weddings and royal occasions.
Kuntao was once practiced in secrecy and passed down through families. Many schools continue to maintain an air of secrecy around their training techniques. It was kept hidden not only from non-Chinese, but also from people of differing clans. Although a few non-Chinese in Southeast Asia are known to have historically learned kuntao, this only became widespread in the latter half of the 20th century.Old styles of kuntao are today considered by some to be "true" Chinese martial arts because they predate the Shaolin Temple's destruction.
With the advent of Mixed Martial Arts in the United States, the art has begun to approach mainstream dissemination. Even so, few traditional kuntao schools exist in the States today and it is little known in the West. Kuntaw(Kun-tao, Kun-too) is originally from China and was brought to the Philippines by way of Indonesia from China. Kun-tao is thought to be derived from Shaolin Chun-fa by Monk Dama Larma who left the monastery after one of the burnings by the government. Kun-tao specifically migrated to the southern Philippines island of Mindanao where the Muslim faith was predominant.
It is not clear and probably never will be sure exactly how Kun-tao originated, but it has proven to be an effective fighting art. The art was kept secret and passed down through families. Weapons were predominantly with many different swords, spears, and knives. Practitioners not having access to bladed weapons used hard wood or more commonly rattan, a native vine growing wild in the jungles and hardened when dried and burned.
In 1979 he founded the International Kuntaw Federation to unify and organize Kuntaw practitioners around the world. Headquarters for the International Kuntaw Federation is now located in Wilson, North Carolina, under the IKF president Lakan-Guro Bill Kossmann and IKF directress Lakan-Bini Alice Lanada Kossmann.Presently, Great Grandmaster Carlito Lanada has chosen 5 kuntawistas to oversee and continue Kuntaw propagation, these 5 have presently become Grandmasters of Kuntaw :
- Grandmaster Kyud Marc Deleon (Canada),
- Grandmaster Kyud Bill Roy (United States),
- Grandmaster Kyud Bejamin Ortiz (Saudi Arabia),
- Grandmaster Kyud Jonathan Bais (United States), and
- Grandmaster Kyud Bud Cothern (United States).
- Great Grandmaster Carlito Lanada has also found his successor in his great granddaughter.
- Kuntao angin or silat angin (meaning "wind kuntao/silat") was founded in 1977 by Yap Mat from Kedah, Malaysia by combining seni gayong with the knee and elbow strikes of tomoi, the hand techniques of Wing Chun and the energy drills of yiquan. It is known for its deceiving circular attacks and nerve point manipulations.
- Kuntao Mantis was founded in London early 1978 by Gerry Tann an Indonesian from Sumatera. The Art consists of two Branches, that of Kuntao and the other, Northern Mantis. Both united by the holistic Philosophy of Chinese Martial Arts. Kuntao is an eclectic mixed martial art, with the best of the Southern Arts put together. Kuntao has no forms but basically is an art for fighting, explosive, fast and ferociously aggressive and it consist of 18 simultaneous ways to move, called Chap Pek Poh. These movements were used as strings in one combination or integrated into dynamic movements to form new defensive movements. Each Poh has the ability to allow you to perform in a certain conditions, such as you can move Linear, Circular, Trident, and in a H position also there is an S shape form, where you end up behind the person.
- Kuntao harimau Jawa is the traditional Javanese tiger style of kuntao. One of its main tenets is a mantra which practitioners chant to acquire the attributes of a tiger.
- Kuntao Silat deThouars was created by Willem deThouars by combining several styles of pencak silat and kuntao.
- Kuntao Silat (Chinese kuntao and the Dutch-Indonesian method of pukulan pentjak silat)as taught by Bob Orlando, a student of Willem De Thouars, is a highly structured/practical application of the self defense techniques taught by Bapak Willem de Thouars.
- Malabar Kuntao Silat was created by Steve Gartin, a student of Willem deThouars. It is basically Kuntao Silat deThouars. The final transmission of this form, including both the external and internal skills, is sometimes called American kuntao silat.
- Liu Seong Kuntao was created by Willem Reeders based on his studies in Indonesia.
- Talio American Kuntao — The Art Of Triangular Fighting was created by Roberto Torres based on Visitacion Kuntao-Arnis, Wu Kung Kuntao and several styles of silat.
- Ou-Dur Kuntao is a Taiwanese style and introduced to The States by Grand Master Frank Masiello.
- Kuntao Dumpag is a form of Kuntao founded by Ron Kosakowski. Kuntao Dumpag is the only style of Kuntao in the United States recognized by the Grand Kuntaoist Ali Sharief and the Kuntao council of the Marinaw tribes.
