Okinawan Kobudo Traditions

 

The average Okinawan probably did not clamor for karate was because they had so much at their hands they could use for defense.

 

When you go back to the time before 1900 when karate was Toudi (or whatever name you wish to use) toudi was a tool of the Okinawan samurai for use in their positions. Some were guards on ships, some were guards of the king. Their toudi was a tool they were trained in for use in their positions, likely not their primary function either.

 

The rest of the Okinawan people lived very different lives. Some were in agriculture, some were fishers, And every home had kama for their gardening. They worked with their hands, and always were surrounded by the tools they used. It has been documented the villages had their own kobudo traditions, not used the same way in toudi.

 

Toudi was not specifically developed for use by the Okinawan Police.

 

Should a situation requiring self defense occur the people most often had tools at their hand that could have been used defensively. Not that was a common occurrence, but as different villages did develop different kobudo traditions, there had to have been a need behind that.

 

In the 1900s Taira Shinken was known to have gathered those traditions together for use with his students. Some of that he also shared into the developing karate. Other kobudo traditions also developed in Okinawan samurai traditions for use within Toudi.
 

All I am trying to do is put things in perspective.