P.P. & S. PAMUR Kombinasi Tjimande

Tari Kolot Kebon Djeroek Hilir Banten Indonesia

In 2003 together with Guru George de Groot, Paatje founded an interest organization for the Cultural Self Defence art Pencak Silat Indonesia: the ASLI foundation. The goal of this foundation is to protect the quality of the teachers and the knowledge itself.

"ASLI" is a Dutch abbreviation which means: general style leaders, teachers and instructors. The foundation aims to gather al the teachers (guru's), protagonist (pendekars), style leaders (pempinan bentuk) and trainers/ instructors (pelatihs) and form one unity. This then would lead to more brotherhood and communal sense within the expansion of the noble self defence art. One of the future methods of the foundation is to issue licences for instructors and to develop and execute exams. All of this in in consultation with various mother organizations in Indonesia by intervention of the main board of the IPSI.

A history precedes the founding of this foundation. In the 1980's Paatje was co-founder of the NAPSI, the Dutch Association Pencak Silat Indonesia. The is the predecessor of the current NPSB. The NAPSI was founded on the request of the PERSILAT in Indonesia and was recognized by the Federation of Eastern Martial Arts (FOG).

Paatje comments: "We were very much appreciated on national, European and world level. We even won a gold medal in a world seni competition. However most important was the incredibly good mutual understanding and collaboration. There was a real brotherhood en communal sense between the kepala alirans, guru's, pelatihs, but also between the pelatihs. This is the way it's meant by the striving for the expansion of our cultural  noble self defence art Pencak Silat Indonesia".

Together with the BPSI the NAPSI formed the NPSB. In the following years the policy of the NPSB altered together with the various changes in the board. The NPSB emphasised more on sports (wiraloka) than on seni (wiragana). According to Paatje but also to other guru's and members of the Dewan Sesepuh, this development has disrupted the mutual understanding, collaboration and brotherhood. One of the results is the membership withdrawal of several associations, including PAMUR Kombinasi.

The Dewan Sesepuh (the Counsel of Elders) received several complaint letters of members who wanted to take action to improve the collaboration and the general atmosphere. Besides this, the problems at the NPSB are being discussed at every gathering of the kepala alirans (style leaders), e.g. at celebratory events.

Paatje became fed up with the situation when a gathering was organised on Wednesday February 5^th to honour the newly established ambassador Z.E. Bapak Muhamed Yusuf. Mr. Kessing asked Paatje whether a Dewan Guru would be founded (next to the Dewan Sesepuh). Paatje felt "irritated" (quote). Because of this Paatje phoned Guru George de Groot and made some arrangements to found the interest organization for cultural self defence art, named ASLI. The founding had already been planned.

The notary act was set in Waalre on April 16^th 2003. The foundation has been registered to the Chamber of Commerce of Eastern Brabant. The Dewan Sesepuh has agreed to this.

The foundation ASLI has got tree members. Paatje Tönjes is chairman, George de Groot is Secretary and Vanessa van Doormalen (granddaughter of Paatje) is treasurer. Gijs Copic made the logo in dialogue with the board.