Background. Martial arts come in many forms of practice throughout the world. However, silat is the form of martial arts prac- ticed in the Malay civilization with both artistic and contact variations. Problem and Aim. In Southeast Asia that includes Malaysia, silat is practiced widely, but in various forms. Silat and Pencak silat are widely practiced in Malaysia and Indonesia have been inscribed as a cultural heritage by UNESCO. And while there are many reasons for practicing silat, it can also contribute to the development of young people. So, does this youth development through silat take place? This paper will therefore present a narrative exploration of silat development from childhood to tyouth to exam- ine how it takes place for youth development, particularly in the Malaysian silat context. Methods. This study used the literature narrative to chart out the development of silat in Malaysia from the school system in the school curriculum to the policy and legislative level, its challenges, and how it relates to youth development. Result. This exploratory narrative demonstrates that for holistic youth development through silat, the practice of silat and its devel- opment must encompass its various forms, be structured, methodological and systematic. And besides, its combat, self-defence and sports elements, development and practice must incorporate elements of sports science and performance, health and well-be- ing, humanities and social sciences. Conclusion. For human development purposes, silat should extend beyond its sports, combat, and self-defence components of practice to include the health and developmental components and be holistic. While the initial starting point must be instilling its traditional fundamentals of basic combat and self-defence skills that are psychomotor, at higher levels, silat should be inclusive of affective and cognitive development such as human values with social skills and higher-order thinking skills.
© Copyright 2022 Ido Movement for Culture. Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology. Idokan Polska. All rights reserved.