Editing Silat Melayu (section)

===Early period===
The genesis of traditional Malay martial arts has been attributed to the need for [[self-defense]], hunting techniques and military training in ancient [[Malay world]]. [[Hand-to-hand combat]] and [[weapon]]s practice were important in training warriors for combat in human warfare. Early traditional fighting styles believed to have been developed among various Malayic tribes from the dawn of the Malayic civilisation, 2000 years ago.<ref>{{harvnb|Alexander|2006|pp=51–52 & 225}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=188}}</ref> Movements of these early fighting styles epitomize the movements of various animals such as the crocodile, tiger and eagle, and deeply influenced by [[Malaysian folk religion|ancient Malay animism]].<ref>{{harvnb|Farrer|2009|p=53}}</ref> As the expanding [[Iron Age]] civilisations on the [[Mainland Southeast Asia]] engaged in wars and diplomacy, it led to the advancement of the art of war, weaponry and martial arts skills.<ref>{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=18}}</ref>

Early Malays and the related [[Chams]], were the only sizable [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesians]] that had established themselves since the Iron Age on the Mainland Southeast Asia among the Austroasiatic inhabitants.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OQkiAQAAQBAJ&q=chams+in+Thailand&pg=PA22 |title=Islam in Modern Thailand: Faith, Philanthropy and Politics - Rajeswary Ampalavanar Brown - Google Books |via=Google Books |date= 2013-10-01|access-date= 26 January 2017|isbn=9781134583898 |last1=Brown |first1=Rajeswary Ampalavanar}}</ref> Some scholars like [[D. G. E. Hall|Hall]] and [[Robert Blust|Blust]] argued that even the earlier [[Funan]]ese were Austronesians, and by the early centuries of Christiann era, a single dialect chain of Austronesian languages would have extended almost unbroken from the [[Malay Peninsula]] to Champa. The expansion of the [[Khmer people|Khmers]] into the region of the [[Mekong Delta]] would then have divided an earlier language continuum into two separate and smaller dialects.<ref>{{harvnb|Thurgood|1999|p=17}}</ref> By the 2nd century CE, the early Austronesian settlements that centered around present day Southern Vietnam and the [[Kra Isthmus]] region of the Malay Peninsula and its peripheries, had developed into strong kingdoms like [[Champa]], [[Langkasuka]] and [[History of Kedah|Kedah]]. The Chams were particularly known as formidable warriors who were great exponents of martial arts. Their exceptional skills in warfare were gained through their long intermittent conflicts with neighbouring kingdoms. The discovery of prototypes of [[bronze]] [[kris]] in Southern Vietnam, with [[hilt]] decorated by human figure, dating back to more than 2000 years ago, further indicated that the Chams had developed an advanced martial arts tradition.<ref>{{harvnb|Farish A Noor|2000|p=244}}</ref><ref name="Abd. Rahman Ismail 2008 21">{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=21}}</ref> Even centuries later, their martial prowess were still held in high regards among people in Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, as the legends of prominent Cham warriors made its way in the [[Malay Annals]] and ''Tambo'' of [[Minangkabau people]]. ''Tambo'' for example, recounts the legend of a Cham warrior who goes by the name Harimau Campo ('tiger of Champa’). Together with Kuciang Siam, Kambiang Hutan and Anjiang Mualim, they developed the early Minangkabau ''silek''.<ref name="Abd. Rahman Ismail 2008 22">{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=22}}</ref>

The early fighting styles are also thought to have been developed in Langkasuka, another important Austronesian polity of Mainland Southeast Asia. Langkasuka that is widely regarded as the progenitor of [[Pattani Kingdom]], along with the culturally-related [[History of Kedah|Kedah]], are earliest kingdoms of the Malay Peninsula. The martial prowess of people in the Pattani region is well recounted in many Malay legends, an indication of a long established martial arts tradition since the ancient times. ''[[Hikayat Hang Tuah]]'' narrates that the people of Pattani were known for their advanced martial art skills and their army were not easily subdued by the Melakan forces.<ref>{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=24}}</ref> The oldest form of silat still in existence, ''[[Silat Pattani|Silat Tua]]'' ('ancient silat') which is strongly rooted in animism,<ref name="Sutton 2018 10">{{harvnb|Sutton|2018|p=10}}</ref> is originated from Pattani and according to the local legends, was once practiced by [[Hang Tuah]] himself.<ref>{{harvnb|Abd. Rahman Ismail|2008|p=25}}</ref>

An important development of martial arts of the Malay world is also attributed to the foreign influence. The infusion of foreign elements were not only obtained through wars and conquests, but also through trade and diplomacy. The growth in trade relations brought in foreign influence throughout the early primordial Austronesian ancient states, most importantly in cultural traits including the combative arts.<ref>{{harvnb|Mishra|2010|p=28}}</ref> The influence from both [[Chinese martial arts|Chinese]] and [[Indian martial arts]] can be observed from the use of weapons such as the Indian mace and the Chinese sword. During this period, formalised combat arts were believed to have been practiced in the Champa, Malay Peninsula and Sumatra.<ref>{{harvnb|James|1994|p=73}}</ref> From the 12th century, the martial arts were further developed in [[Langkasuka]] under [[Srivijaya]] after [[Chola dynasty|Chola Empire]] was expelled from Sumatra and Malay Peninsula.The [[Riau Archipelago]] is particularly noted in its role in the development of Malay martial arts. Its people [[Orang Laut]] also called Orang Selat are stereotyped as [[sea pirate]]s, but historically played major roles in the times of [[Srivijaya]] and later sultanates of [[Melaka Sultanate|Melaka]], and [[Johor Sultanate|Johor]]. The fighting styles developed in this area are described by different writers as a crude prototype of Malay martial arts and one of the progenitors of modern Malay Silat.<ref>{{harvnb|Farrer|2009|pp=27–28}}</ref>