Kuntao Prodigy: Willem A. Reeders and His Elusive Martial System

Of the few martial art masters from Indonesia who have brought their arts to the west, Willem Reeders has been lauded for his unique blend of Chinese ( kuntao ) and Indonesian ( silat ) styles. Arriving in the United States in the late 1960s, Reeders is said to be of Dutch and Chinese royal bloodlines who inherited a martial system noted for its lethality. For over fifty years his legend spread: a POW behind Japanese lines in WW II, his escape and series of covert operations, teaching Bruce Lee and influencing the main themes in the Kung Fu television series, and the list continues. Above all, he was sought out as savant who embodied many other arts such as karate, judo, and possessing the ability to fluently use a myriad of weapons. However, much remains a mystery.

Awareness of Reeders as a person and his martial system has been limited, mainly because attention has been given to the popular martial art styles. During the past fifty years, very little has been published about Reeders. For the first time, this book fills a need for those interested in Reeders and his kuntao, giving the historic setting in which the art developed, plus providing his combat theory and practice.

What makes this book unique is that it goes beyond unverified myths by presenting the results of recent research findings based on documents such as birth, passport and military records. The book includes original documents as well as photographs.