The following are quotes from a book called the Malay Art of Self-Defense by Sheikh Shamsuddin

sss Silat is the combative arts of fighting and survival believed to have originated from ancient Malaysian and Indonesian civilizations. The Malay dictionary defines silat as a seni(art) with the intelligence to attack and defend gracefully.

sss Silat seni gayong is believed to have originated from the Bugis tribe in the Sulawesi island(aka Celebes island). Silat gayong is believed to have existed since the late fourteenth century at which time it was used to protect the Malay empire and its people. Gayong continued to spread from one generation to the next, and later to the grandfather of Meor Rahman.

Gayong crest