Kuntau Dayak

‘Kuntau’ is a Hokkien term for the “martial arts”.

‘Dayak’ means “people of the land” indicate the native people of Sarawak.

Member Organization(s)

Introduction

Sarawak has about 40 ethnic groups, each with its own distinct language, culture, and lifestyle. The non-Muslim indigenous groups are collectively called the Dayaks.

History

Kuntau Dayak masters(Tok Guru) claim that this traditional martial art was practiced since ancient times pre-dating to the headhunting era in Borneo. Earlier times, Kuntau Dayak was practiced in secrecy to protect the martial art from others knowing their techniques. It is also known during the olden days that there were elements of spiritual and traditional rituals used by the Kuntau schools.

References

Sarawak Dayak Martial Arts Association (2016). WoMAU application form.