Thoughts on the 2001 Okinawan World Championship held in Atlanta Georgia by Dan Smith

Sunday, June 2, 2024

Thoughts on the 2001 Okinawan World Championship held in Atlanta Georgia by Dan Smith

I joined the internet around 1999, I was using AOL and dialing up in those days. All I really knew of Isshinryu is how I was trained by Tom Lewis, Charlie Murray and a Decade of clinics with Sherman Harrill.But having joined the Cyberdojo and other Isshinryu sites, I began to understand what was Isshinryu around the country. Among which were the differences between different Isshinryu groups.

I also learned a great deal about other styles and what they were doing.

Never to change my program, after all I had been running it for over 20 years. Just to understand what was happening.

Then in 2001 I began to hear about the 2001 Okinawan World Championships held in Atlanta Georgia. What many were doing about it and reports from one Isshinryu black belt I had met and what he saw there.

Many of those discussions about Isshinryu I found troubling.

In response to questions I had about Isshinryu at the2001 Okinawan World Championship run by Dan Smith, he responded to them for me, This is more than a little brutal but I believe Dan was telling it as he experienced those days.

There is no video this was before You Tube.

This was his response……

Thoughts on the 2001 Okinawan World Championship held in Atlanta Georgia
by Dan Smith

Isshin Ryu was not and has not been included as a style in the mainstream of Okinawan karate events. I do not recall seeing Sunsu being listed as a shitegata at any time.

Isshin Ryu is placed into the Shorin Ryu category on Okinawa for competition. Tsuyoshi Uechi is a member of the Rengokai and part of the Shorin Ryu division.

I did my best to leverage my hosting the 2001 Okinawan World Championships (first and only time to date held outside of Okinawa. Perhaps because it drew a larger turnout than any of the tournaments held on Okinawa) to include Isshin Ryu as a style. I made several in person request to the Okinawan tournament committee to include Isshin Ryu. I explained how Isshin Ryu was very popular in the US and that they should have their own kata division. My request was turned down on several occasions and during my final attempt Uechi sensei approached me and asked that I let it drop as it would cause too many problems.

Isshin Ryu is not the only Okinawan style that is not recognized by the leading Okinawan federations/associations. Ryuei Ryu is not recognized as well. Even though one of their top members, was a three time WKF world kata champion the style is not recognized in many of the associations.

The reason is that the Okinawans do not see these two systems as original in design or concept. They are not original. They are part of either Shorin or Goju.

The teachers while some claim are soke they are not by the concept of being the "original" founder of a method. I am sure this will draw some attention but the term "soke" is widely misused by the Okinawan standard.

Comments about my disappointment with the Isshin Ryu participation at the 2001 World Tournament. I was not disappointed at the quantity or quality of the competitors but in how the Isshin Ryu community in the US treated Uechi sensei. The designated president, at that time, of Isshin Ryu was not given the respect and support by the Isshin ryu community as a whole IMHO.

There are dozens of high ranking Isshin Ryu people that live within a four hour drive of Atlanta that not only did not come to visit but some that did ignored Uechi sensei because he was only an 8th dan. I provided each ryu ha's chief instructor from Okinawa airfare, hotel and meals during their one week visit. I provided one senior American member of each ryu ha a rental car, hotel room and $300 pocket money to make sure their Okinawan representative was well taken care of.

During the one week event I found Uechi sensei riding the bus to the venue on two occasions because the American Isshin Ryu groups did not go out of their way to support their Okinawan representative. It was not important to me whether the Okinawan representative was higher ranked or more senior than the Americans but it was important to demonstrate our hospitality and encouragement for Okinawan’s to continue coming to the US to share their knowledge of heir cultural asset. Our goal was to put America's best foot forward as host of this event. To show the Okinawans that we appreciated them.

We had similar problems with Uechi Ryu people. Many Uechi Ryu people stayed away because of their own internal politics. I am amazed that anyone could have any political issues with a great sensei and man such as Ryuko Tomoyose. Again their were Uechi Ryu people that lived in Atlanta that did not even come to see one of the most famous family members of Uechi Ryu.

The open division was mentioned by someone. I was successful in convincing the Okinawan tournament committee to allow an open kata division at the tournament. It was very successful. We had many Shotokan, Shito Ryu and other Japanese style participants. My idea was expose everyone to the competition. Why be closed minded by the way each ryu ha does kata. None of us has a "lock" on how karate an be performed successfully.

The tournament was a success. We had 1,100 competitors from 20 countries. We had 562 participants in the two days of seminars. We had over 900 people attend the sayanora party. Most important the four day event began and ended on time (actually 10 minutes early).

In conclusion it is a shame that Isshin Ryu or any other ryu has that has enough competitors cannot have their own division. The AAU 2005 National Championships had for the first time a Shorin Ryu kata division. We were required to have 16 competitors before we could have our own division. We had 36 which was two less than Shotokan. If the Isshin Ryu people will organize they could have their own division both here and on Okinawa.

Gambatte
Dan Smith