Small Surface Strikes - One perspective

 I have been interested in what exactly was taught on Okinawa for Te (Tode, Tuide) to Karate in the past. Of course we have nothing to look at in any case, but occasionally some older memories surface. In turn is speaks to the simplification and changes made to karate over the past century.

This article on the site of one of Oyata Sensei's student speaks to some of those 'changes' and I believe is worth looking at. Of course this does not optimally speak to Isshinryu. We know of changes Tatsuo made specifically to shape his karate as he wished.

Still looking at change is always worth the effort.

Then I referred my friend Robert Orozco to look at this site. He has deep Goju roots (even to Okinawa), thinking his comments would be valuable.

 http://ryukyuma.blogspot.com/2013/04/small-surface-strikes-structurally.html

Hello Victor,

Thank you for the clarification and the appropriate link. These hand formations actually exist in kata and it is what I reference when I speak of things being different in kata to kata even though to an outsider they appear the same such as the beginning of Sanse-ru, Se-san, and Su-pa-rinpei. The same goes for the stances. However, in standardized or modern karate all techniques have been lessened to be performed the same way which takes away from the "original" but makes it easier and faster to teach. Now, I do not think that this is something that can just be added to kata but it must be transmitted from teacher to student within kata as there is no written material (Not today at least) that document the "oral" traditions of karate.

The term Tuide is an interesting one since it is the Okinawan pronunciation for Torite. Tori meaning "To take or Seize" and Te meaning hand. The Okinawan pronunciation for "to take" is "Tuin" which conjugates to Tui when used in Compound words. Interesting point is that Te is pronounced Ti- or Tii in Okinawan and when used at the end of compound words it can be pronounced as "Di-" or "Ti-" depending on the word. It would seem more plausible if people would call this Tuidi or Tuiti but Tuide seems like an Okinawan/Japanese Mix. However, I also think that this word is borrowed from Japanese and does not have roots on Okinawa.

So, when I see the term "Bunkai Tuide" being used I just roll my eyes and sigh. Just so you are aware there is an Okinawan word for Bunkai but I doubt anyone will ever be aware of it since no one really studies the Okinawan Language. If someone was to really look into the Okinawan language then they could easily find it. Otherwise I leave it to the "Experts" to continually tell the public that there is no Okinawan word for Bunkai.


Respectfully

Robert Orozco


Specifically returning to Isshinryu, especially with the sharings of SheIman Harrill Sensei, and John Kerker Sensei, I have seen many iMO unnoticed striking surfaces within Isshinryu.


May this give everyone something to think about.