Weapons of pencak silat

Because Southeast Asian society was traditionally based around agriculture, many of these weapons were originally farming tools.

The kerambit (kurambik in the Minangkabau language) is a narrow-bladed curved weapon resembling the claw of big cats.

Literally meaning "pepper crusher", it is similar to the Acehnese rencong except that the handle is not bent and is traditionally adorned with a parrot head figure.

A curved blade originating in West Java, it is a characteristic weapon of the Sunda styles of silat.

According to the Sanghyang siksakanda ng karesian canto XVII dated 1518, the sword and kris were the main weapons of the kesatria caste.

In 1800, the traveller Charles Campbell wrote that the inhabitants around Mount Kerinci and Siak Sri Indrapura all carried sewar at their sides.

The chipan (also spelled cipan or jipan) is a battle-axe, the weaponised form of the domestic kapak (axe) or beliong (hatchet).

While the kapak and beliong were originally designed for cutting wood or chopping down trees, they could be improvised as chipan if needed.

Created in the Pattani province of Thailand, the weapon is said to have originally been used for cutting open betel nuts.

Unique to the Pattani-Kelantan region between Malaysia and Thailand, the kapak Siam is primarily a throwing weapon and only used in close as a last resort.

The cakeram is a steel disc which can be either thrown from a distance or wielded in close like the Chinese wind and fire wheels.

The most common form of the topang is the pancawangan sakti which is made of bamboo and has a 5 in (130 mm) blade protruding from inside the shaft.

What is believed to be the earliest form consists of a rectangular slab of wood strapped to the fighter's forearm with rope, combined with a handle.

Literally meaning "double-stick", the liangcat consists of a pair of sticks connected by a short chain or occasionally rope.

[citation needed] Said to have been based on an indigenous Southeast Asian rice flail, the liangcat in its weaponized form is generally believed to be a Chinese innovation.

[citation needed] The rantai is a chain which can be swung offensively or used to lock and seize opponents.

Chain whip techniques in silat are the same as the staff, centrifugal force keeping the weapon straight.

Both terms are often used interchangeably but tombak actually refers to non-missile weapons which are circular at the base of the blade, rather than spatulate.

The steel-tipped spear was one of the main weapons used by soldiers in Southeast Asia, along with the kris, sword and shield.

Contrary to the western misconception that it is used to distract opponents, the horse-hair's true purpose is to prevent the enemy's blood from dripping onto the handle.

The word trisula is sometimes also used when referring to the tekpi or short-handled trident A primitive spear or javelin constructed from a sharpened stick of bamboo.

A related weapon is the angkusa or elephant-goad measuring 2–3 ft (0.61–0.91 m) long with a tip of steel or bronze.

However, the indigenous tribes of Malaysia and Indonesia commonly wield the jebang, a long hexagonal wooden shield.

The chaping (called caping in Indonesian and terendak in Malay) is a conical hat often worn by farmers, travellers and others who spend long hours exposed to direct sunlight.

Related weapons include the linso or kerchief, and the chindai or Sindhi waist-sash made of silk.

It was a common hunting weapon even among the region's aboriginal tribes (orang asal), but was later replaced by the senapang or rifle.

Tribes such as the Iban of Sarawak used a hollow spear which could shoot arrows, thus combining the characteristics of a projectile and hand-to-hand weapon.

Literally meaning spike or nail, the paku is a shuriken-like throwing dart, based on the Chinese piau or biu.

Its small size and double point were intended to make the weapon more difficult for the victim to see or avoid.

It is one of the oldest known weapons to have been adopted from outside Southeast Asia, and is depicted on bas-reliefs in Srivijaya dating back more than one thousand years.