HISTORY OF SERAK A CONFUSING STORY. By the magus of Denver.

  HISTORY OF SERAK A  CONFUSING STORY. By the magus of Denver.
  The main source for Serak in Holland, was by any means Uncle John de Vries. He was long before anyone else out the Dutch East Indies came to reside on the Dutch country side, and to live in cities and towns and villages. My uncle was also one of the finest and in my opinion also the very best in quality who knew the Serak Bandung and Garut. To the best of my knowledge was  uncle John de Vries  the very best, and made Serak a spectacular art. Due to his martial association with two well respected Southern Chinese kun tao teachers who had influenced his Serak system made his practice also more an internal combative art. He was also responsible for  teaching Serak under the Mas Djoet lineage in Buitenzorg or Bogor. The native Indonesians who studied Serak from Uncle John relate to him as Mang de Pries. (Uncle Ventje was always in Betavia). Uncle John was a cousin from my mother, and so was uncle John's brother, uncle Ventje or Ness de Vries. There were two brothers de Vries, my grandfather John de Vries, and his brother who is the father of uncle John and Ventje. My mother had several other brothers that they too were deeply involved in silat or kun tao. Uncle Eddy de Vries was also a close associated family from my mother's side. I trained under him and shared with me his ci mande - Serak combative art. He had to use his art in the last part of the Ace war, in Northern Sumatra against the rebellious Ace warriors.
  Most particular that uncle John, the most reliable for the history on the Serak Bandung, could also relate to Pak Serak and his background in what was explained to him by Mas Djoet that Pak Serak due to his physical incapability of a club foot and lame arm had hard time teaching his art. And Mas Djoet alongside others who came to study under the founder and left and wend their own ways recreated the system Serak to fit their own body structure. Serak became many other Serak systems, and Pak Serak became many.
  For the ones, I was fortunate enough to learn the Pak Srak system for it's quality and originality consider myself the luckiest recipient that was able to learn their history, and their practice of the founder's system. Had also a total different history and practice. Of them teaching me, and inclusively also of Uncle John de Vries his art of Serak gave me over the years a total different point of view regarding the difference in practice and also a better comprehension of the founder and his created fighting art of a Central and West Javanese origin.
  From my long studies in the art Serak, and actual many variations of the art was also able to evaluate the background more precisely. That it really will not make any difference to me for the many people unfriendly to me for my relentless writing on the subject. I also knew when the magazine Tong Tong was first organized by Tjalie Robinson, an ex journalist for the only Dutch newspaper in Surabaya during the 1950's.  I also able to recall the news  articles on the Dutch attorney who fled Indonesia, and of Fritz  a big bully who fought people in the city by bullying people around. Because of his seize knew how to be living terror in the street. There were also different characters like him, who were talks and bullies.  Much of the history in Holland came from the de Vries, in Leiden in Holland. And the Dutch silat prostitute Walter van der Broeke made the comment about uncle Ventje who was mentioned as Mang de Pries, in Bogor. Was a big thumb s****** idiot for not knowing the real history that it was uncle John instead. The Tong Tong article on Serak was also made mentioning of Uncle John, who brought in uncle Ventje. Like the lies foretold was also the history of Serak, in Holland a vapor dust in the wind. The (sticthing) or organization to honor Pak Serak was like the vapor of dusty winds, and proclaimed through de Vries and other thumb s****** idiots who wrote and created the foundation. The Serak know how in Holland; in Indonesia and here in America may all relate itself  like the cow pasturing cakes in the deserts. Many suddenly after my mentioning began to write their history on Serak. Also before me, were many others writing their own history who was to me as my "Bad Jungle Book Story Book".  Like in Los Angeles some guys coming up to claim of teaching the old ci mande, (they never knew) and better of for them to advertise the ci mande baru. Like Herman Suwanda who was honest and a pioneer  of the ci mande baru. He also told me once in Hawaii where I met him for the first time that many of my people born and raced in Indonesia had studied silat from outside a street window to in a living room quarter. . Could not more agree with him, after meeting Jim Ingram and all the other big time gurus in Los Angeles.  They brag the most of grasping knowledge out a fantasy world be imitating others in their practice. Why I am happy for the knowledge i have, and was taught by true and real advanced and finished styled masters in old school silat, old hand kun tao and internal kung fu or Kuntao Sheila.
  I knew in what I know and never wanted to learn from Rudy ter linden,  Arthur Remrev Jim Ingram, my own brothers and the many others who were the pioneers here in America. I never wish to exchange my knowledge for any of them. Some of those jungle book story tellers made them self to a seventh dan in kempo after learning very little under Sigung Ed Parker, also knew to claim Hari Mau with their own kempo invention of the Sumatran art. Many were the likes a like in their nature of business. Why I never had any liking of those Dutch-Indonesian-Chinese as self proclaimed masters. I met them all, in the 1960', the 1970' and until I parted from many later on in time.
  After the passing of uncle John de Vries, as the greatest under Mas Doet that ever had lived and Maurice my oldest brother did all their Serak secrets wend with them in their graves. Likewise also with Paul, had taken his secrets to his lasting burial ground. May they live in peace, and for me to care less of those unfriendly to me may take a stroll with a flying carpet and take a deep s*** of a fly to the moon. Is always great to know your real enemies for less of my constrain.
I will be relentless for writing, and also gaining more enemies for me not to give a rat's ass for the liking. Life is always an adventure with the good and the bad.
 In closing will share the long langka enam of the Tjirebon serak, this Sunday morning in class.
With my best at heart for only liking the ones close to me and training under me. For others just not in their liking is always perfect and good for me. It is their feeling not in my caring I like to write about as constructively as I can.
The more I am hated the more I like it so that I don't have to kiss up or make up.
As usual my therapeutic communication with my devoted and loyal following.
Oom Willem de Thouars, the magus of Denver.