The styles had to be adapted to different terrain, competing against local styles and fighting with local weapons. Many (if not most) styles of kuntao have incorporated techniques from silat and some forms even changed their name from "kuntao" to "silat". Styles which combine both kuntao and silat together are sometimes called kuntao silat. Kuntao was once practiced in secrecy and passed down through families; many schools continue to maintain an air of secrecy around their training techniques. It was kept hidden not only from non-Chinese, but also from people of differing clans. Although a few non-Chinese in Southeast Asia are known to have historically learned kuntao, this only became widespread in the latter half of the 20th century. During the colonial period, kuntao was brought to Mindanao by ethnic Chinese from Indonesia, and is associated mainly with the Tausug tribe.
