I accompanied my eldest daughter to her weekly Tae-Kwon Do classes last Saturday. She's a very athletic girl, having won four gold medals in the 100m, 200m, 4x100m and 4x200m during her school's recent Sports Day. As I watched her punching and kicking, it dawned on me how different girls are nowadays. Even during my time, girls were restricted to activities like Bulan Sabit Merah and Pandu Puteri, and even that would have already raised some parents' eyebrows. Of course boys were allowed to join the various silat classes, ranging from Silat Gayung, Silat Cekak, Silat Batin, Silat Zahir, Silat this and 'Silat Pulut'.

Silat Pulut is not an art of self defence per se. Unlike the other forms of silat, there are no actual classes conducted for this particular form of self-defence. Thus, it intrigues me that whenever the situation rises, every Mat, Yeop and Along seem to be able to perform it. And about the only time you'd get to see it performed was, of all times, during weddings.

For those born in the 60s or earlier, you will remember those times when weddings were events by themselves. A wedding would involve everybody; from the Datuks (not the 'beli' type) to the the great-grandchildren. Suddenly everybody assumes their respective responsibilities. No meetings, nothing. No caterers, no hotel staff to organize the event. Not even fancy wedding invitations.