Silat Tomoi/Toi-Muay

[RedBagani]

Does anybody here practise Silat Tomoi or know anything about it? I am particularly interested in its similarities with Muay Thai.

 

[silat]

Does anybody here practise Silat Tomoi or know anything about it? I am particularly interested in its similarities with Muay Thai.

RedBagani,

I am not familiar with either of these styles but my first silat style was from South West Thailand near the border of Malaysia.

My instructor called it Muay Thai Silat but it could of been pronounced Muay Toi Silat and I just didn't understand him correctly. Anyway it was a mix of the following:

1. Silat: Willow System - Monkey style
2. Krabbi Krabong
3. Muay Thai Boran

Sorry I couldn't be of more help to you.

Sincerely,
Teacher: Eddie Ivester

 

[RedBagani]

RedBagani,

I am not familiar with either of these styles but my first silat style was from South West Thailand near the border of Malaysia.

My instructor called it Muay Thai Silat but it could of been pronounced Muay Toi Silat and I just didn't understand him correctly. Anyway it was a mix of the following:

1. Silat: Willow System - Monkey style
2. Krabbi Krabong
3. Muay Thai Boran

Sorry I couldn't be of more help to you.

Sincerely,
Teacher: Eddie Ivester

To my knowledge, Tomoi or Toi-Muay Silat is found in North Malaysia. I think we are talking about the same art. If you switched the two syllables, it would spell Moi-To or Muay-Toi. There is a strong possibility that it is Muay Thai/Silat, or as you know it, Muay Thai Silat. Given that original Muay Thai was actually composed of different styles, and that originally many styles had no fixed names, it is possible that Tomoi represents an art that is both Thai and Malay.
Was your teacher an ethnic Malay who had a Thai citizenship?
Are the kick of your style similar to the power-oriented kicks of Muay Thai or are they quick, low snapping kicks?
Is there any Chinese element?
Was the Keris part of the arsenal of weapons?

 

[silat]

Was your teacher an ethnic Malay who had a Thai citizenship?
Are the kick of your style similar to the power-oriented kicks of Muay Thai or are they quick, low snapping kicks?
Is there any Chinese element?
Was the Keris part of the arsenal of weapons?

1. Yes Chi (ch-eye) was a Thai citizen. Half American/Half Thai Born and raised in Thailand. Learned martial arts from his uncle in his mom's home village from 5 until 17.

2. The kicks are both: from silat they were low snapping & from Muay Boran they were low powerful. The difference I see with the Boran kicks vs the Thai kicks you see today is there were no high head type kicks and the stance was low like silat.

3. If there was any Chinese influence it was integrated and never specified.

4. The keris was not part of the weapons in Krabbi Krabong. Now that just might of been because he didn't have one here in the states or didn't think it was practical to teach me. I was taught the staff, single & double sticks, knife, and something similar to the Japanese Tonfa and which we used my set of Tonfas because he didn't have the Thai weapon counterpart here in the US.

Hope this is helpful,
Teacher: Eddie Ivester

 

[blackdiamondcobra]

In my upcoming book, The Vanishing Flame: The Bare Knuckle fighting arts of India, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and Laos(malaysia and vietnam), I discuss the tomoi fighters. I interviewed and trained with several of them. The tomoi fighters were trained to fight against the muay thai fighters generally on the border of thailand and malaysia. Some were highly trained silat players--others were not.

I also trained in the south of thailand, where there are many forms of sila or silat and various forms of muslim krabi krabong.

In my other project hidden masters of the martial arts, there is a chapter on the south of thailand called "in the village of the kris" about a master who teaches in the traditional manner.

 

[RedBagani]

Very, very interesting. How was Tomoi played? Was it all striking as in Muay Thai or kickboxing? Or were the players allowed to catch a kick and throw the opponent to the ground? Was grappling allowed? Or was there no sport version and was a purely practical combat form?

 

[java man]

hey diamond,
do you know when you're book's coming out?

What are the arts like in Laos? Although I got near there, I never made it to that country...always wondered if they had any good arts
cheers

In my upcoming book, The Vanishing Flame: The Bare Knuckle fighting arts of India, Cambodia, Thailand, Burma and Laos(malaysia and vietnam), I discuss the tomoi fighters. I interviewed and trained with several of them. The tomoi fighters were trained to fight against the muay thai fighters generally on the border of thailand and malaysia. Some were highly trained silat players--others were not.

I also trained in the south of thailand, where there are many forms of sila or silat and various forms of muslim krabi krabong.

In my other project hidden masters of the martial arts, there is a chapter on the south of thailand called "in the village of the kris" about a master who teaches in the traditional manner.

 

[arnisador]

There's a very brief entry on the Malaysian art of tomoi in Wikipedia, but it definitely needs editing. It gives siku lutet ("knees and elbows") as an alternate name, if I understand correctly. It's practiced as a martial sport, the page says.

See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomoi

If you look at earlier versions of it on its history page you'll see an even harsher assessment of it.

 

[brokenbonz]

some tomoi video clips I found on Youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbIhZ8OuRVo&mode=related&search=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4WeI3dHnNQ&mode=related&search=

Enjoy!