By Fred Royers Photos by Evert Zwaanswijk and archive Appeared in "Fighting Spirit/Zendokan"

PENCAK SILAT

THE "PAATJES" OF HOLLAND

In pencak, there are a number of distinguished elders, who may bask in the honorary title of "Paatje". In the Netherlands, one would quickly think of something like "Grand master" but the "Paatjes" themselves will laugh at that. They don't see themselves as such at all. Actually, it is a derivative of the Malay word for father, "Bapak". Who and when is someone called a "Paatje"? It is hard to say when someone is endowed with such a title (with, at the same time, such an equally loving and endearing meaning attached). Mostly, they are the somewhat elderly Dutch Indonesians who have been engaged within the world of Pencak for years. Some have been teaching publicly for years, others only teach privately. But all of them have a sound knowledge of the techniques and philosophy and principles behind Pencak Silat.

As funny and hard as it may sound, the present generation of Paatjes is getting on, and it is of the greatest importance that their knowledge and history is kept for future generations. Too many of the greats amongst them (only a few months ago, the great teacher Cor Turpijn passed away) have left us and therefore in the mean time, a 'council of elders' has come into being, where most of silat's paatjes have a seat. Men like Flohr, Nelson, Phefferkorn, Risikotta, Boham, Vink, Kneefel, Theuvenet, Tonjes and Drijssen. With Zendokan/Fighting Spirit, it seemed appropriate to do a series on these men and in the coming months we will focus on many of the greats. As the first in this series,  we start with Frits Drijssen (73).

Paatje Drijssen

"I was born in Cilacap on Middle Java. My father worked there on a sugar cane plantation.
When I was 13 years old, it was for the first time I came into contact with Pencak Silat.
My mother was a natural healer, and she had healed a man who wanted to pay her.
She wouldn't accept any money, and he offered to teach me in Pencak Silat in
return.

His name was Raden Mas Abin.

'I was fascinated by his suppleness and skill. He practiced a style called 'Cikaret' but
it was one which didn't only emphasize the physical side. The mental and the cultural
aspect were enormously important.'

This spiritual side of pencak still holds a great fascination for Frits Drijsen. Still,
for him, the practice of Pencak Silat is irreversibly connected with strengthening
the mind and building character.
After a year, he left for Jogjakarta, to follow a secondary education. There,
he trained for five and a half years with "Pa" Busro. The style of pencak taught
there was 'Tjiptomuljo'. It wasn't just the superior fighting skills which fascinated
Frits Drijsen. It was the idea behind them. Even though you were able to take
out an enemy, you could still choose for a peaceful option.

"A fight avoided is a fight won" is a credo which is still flies high in Paatje Drijsen's
banner.

"He was a special man, Pa Busro. When you stood before him, you felt like he
looked straight through you. No, not in a paranormal manner or anything like that,
it is that he knew you right away. He talked to us, and taught us about herbs,
health care, vitamins. His idea was that if you weren't healthy, you wouldn't
function optimally, so that was the first thing to be worked on. By the way,
I'm still benefiting from that at my age of 73!"

Who sees Paatje Drijsen will agree that you're dealing with a very
energetic pensioner. The man brims with energy, still trains every day
and lives a rigorously healthy lifestyle. For the photo we took of him,
we asked him at what time we should come by, but he replied 'I'll
cycle to you. I'm cycling everywhere anyway, it doesn't matter to me.'

THE WAR

On December 7, 1941, war broke out in Indonesia. Frits Drijsen
at the time was serving for just half a year. The war also meant that
he wasn't taught everything by Pa Busro. The teachings of the Kerisses
and minerals passed him by. After three months of fighting, he was taken
prisoner and after that it was one transfer after another from camp
to camp. On Java, the island of Flores, Vietnam, prisoners of war
were put to work to perform slave labor for the Japanese occupier.
Life was a hell, the circumstances horrible, and the prisoners died
like flies.

"The teachings of Pa Busro helped me get through it. Meditation
took in a special place during those harsh times.
It is especially because of the teachings and style of Pa Busro that
I wasn't left with a war syndrome like many others who came back
from that hell. An example? One, in the prison camp, I stole a small
bit of quinine (fever fighting medication), and was caught by the Japs.
They gave me a horrendous beating, and then I was tied up,
half naked, lying in the burning sun. Just out of reach they put down
water and fresh food. I could see it, but I couldn't reach it. My back
was all busted up as an encore, they pored salty water onto it.
In a moment like that, physical skills mean nothing. All you can fall
back on is your mind. Meditation pulled me through that.

"The teachings I had been given were literally a means of survival.
Of course, you can fight, but what good is fighting to you in a situation
like that? The herbal teachings, which I had also received, took care
of it that when I returned to barracks, my wounds healed well and that
I could go on.

"Unarmed combat really comes last. The art of survival is more than
just kicking and punching well."

 

HOLLAND

In the end, the professional soldier Frits Drijsen ended up, like so
many in Indonesia, in The Netherlands. Here, he received further
training and proceeded his military career as an NCO. Meanwhile,
a 3 year stint in New Guinea followed, but in 1980, he was out and
was pensioned off.
However, in 1962, he was transferred to Arnhem and there he met
Gerard Meijers (Shaolin Kempo creator).

"What training with him was like? Well, actually it really was fun.
I was about 40, and still wanted to keep training. Of course,
he was doing something completely different, very hard, very
physical, and there was no philosophy involved whatsoever,
but the combat value wasn't wrong, you understand?
He could really hold his own. I know, people now say he's
a con and didn't know anything. But mind you, I didn't met
him yesterday, _don't underestimate him_!

"Really, I never taught any specific pencak style. Actually, I
don't want to pass on my style of pencak. I had taken an
oath to only teach my 'brothers' and I have to stick to that.
A pity (he shrugs his shoulders)?
Oh well, here, they only see the fight, not the rest. If they can't
or won't accept the lifestyle, they won't get the rest either!"

In pencak people talk mysteriously about "secret" forces.
What's your opinion on that?

"Listen, whatever the style it is you practice, it's the person
who counts, not the style. In my youth, I accompanied my
teacher to a trip into town once. Before we left, he told
me 'If something happens, stand directly behind me', as
if he felt something.

"On the road, we were attacked by four men with huge
tobacco knifes. They wanted to rob us. I hid behind
him, and they started to slash at him.
How he did it, I still don't know, but suddenly, all
four of them were on the floor! He brought them to
again too, and apologized for hitting them! He didn't
get a scratch!

"What the future for Kempo and Pencak looks like?
Listen, Kempo has always existed, and it is viable
as a martial art. As is Pencak.
There is a council of elders now, which is an advisory
body. There, youngsters can always go for information,
seminars, seminars. That's good, because that way much
knowledge remains and is collected. Sometimes, we
get together every six months and have a meeting.
Our successors are all ready now and that's good."