Kateda

Kateda is a self defense martial art. Its origins are claimed to be somewhere in the area of South Asia and/or South East Asia and is claimed to be at least 3,000 years old, perhaps even 10,000 years old which would put its emergence at the end of the last Ice Age !! Various different stories of its origins exist, but a common theme is that it originated in the Tibetan Himalayas and was then taken to Indonesia.

Kateda was originally used for self-protection against the harsh Himalayan environment and as a basic training for maintaining a natural and healthy lifestyle.This was during the time when wars were totally non existent, so the art eventually died out with the invention of weapons.

It is said that Kateda was lost for a long time and was rediscovered by a solitary man from the Himalayan region called Tagashi (or Takashi).When Tagashi was travelling in the North of Tibet,he found an ancient leather bound book written in symbolic form. For the next forty years he studied the book and made an intensive search for its origin, comparing it with other ancient books kept by the people of Tibet, Nepal and the Himalayas. He named the book “seven secrets”,and translated the symbols into seven different characters.

Very little is written in the public domain about Kateda, so what follows is told from firsthand experiences of training. The only official book about the art, written by Lionel Nasution, is now out of print and impossible to find.

The rare and out-of-print Kateda book says that it is based on seven elements:

* Bravery
* Challenges
* Leadership
* Sacrifices
* Togetherness
* Peace
* Knowledge.

Through the understanding and progression of these elements, individuals may be able to overcome their fears, negativity, stress, anger and other social problems. Training provides the opportunity for individuals to acknowledge their achievements of creativity, confidence, assertiveness, self-control, self-discipline, awareness, respect and understanding, to recognize and expand on their personal development.

He described the teaching as “a structural anatomy of human inner force, built by the seven purest elements of natural inner strength”. He believed the human body has an internal power and this internal power is separated into seven natural and pure parts. In the old ages these powers and knowledge were used only for the protection of life and the convenience of mankind, for example: to confront the wild nature, to confront fierce animals, the cold and the heat and even for peace and harmony between people.”

There are three main aspects to the Kateda training- Physical fitness, Self Defence and Central Power.  These are used to improve mind strength, respiratory and nervous systems, co-ordination, balance and instincts; work all voluntary/in-voluntary, internal/external muscle groups; all necessary requirements for the basic training of Kateda self-defence. They will produce the positive side effects of increased stamina, relaxation and simultaneously reduce overweight and stress without the use of any drug.

These abilities can only be achieved by the intensive training in self-discipline, self control and mind concentration.Note that fighting plays no part in Kateda Self Defense. The aim is for the individual to develop a peaceful mentality over one’s anger and aggression.

After learning the basic movements of the art, which are simply numbered from 1 to 10 and comprise a variety of punches, blocks, kicks and vigorous leaps, one moves on to learning how to deliver and maintain Central Power. The steps become dramatically more powerful when combined with Central Power.

Like many martial arts it also promises spiritual development, via the invokation of Central Power. Central Power is developed through unique breathing, physical and mental exercises. One exercise is called “kei”, which suggests some kind of common thread with other oriental martial arts. This may be a linguistic accident, but the similarity to the Chinese word Qi or Chi is clear.!!

A student’s proficiency in delivering Central Power through the body’s nervous system is tested in a variety of ways
* For men, break bricks hit on the solar plexus!(ouch!)
* For women, to kick and break bricks with the sides of the feet
* Receiving punches delivered to the solar plexus!
* Withstanding strangulation
* Rapid, repetitive punching iron plates with the knuckles
* Jumping knuckle press-ups on iron plates
* Being hit with an iron bar
* Being punched simultaneously from all sides by as many as eight people !

alll this without being injured or suffering any pain, of course!!

In today’s society Kateda is now needed to protect one’s Body and Mind  from some of the negative influences that exist within our communities, such as drugs, crime and violence to name a few.