Thinking about the Mega change which occurred about what training in karate was for.

I just completed reading Joe Swift’s “Itosu Anko” and he again makes an interesting contribution both about Itosu and the earlier arts which became karate. In fact so much that Joe Swift has written and translated have revealed so much about the genesis of karate.

 

This time I began thinking about something else which wraps around the whole issue about the changes that occurred.

 

Of course there are many others who have provided so much to this time, Patrick McCarthy and Mario McKenna come to mind. And of course there are many others.

 

I don’t read Japanese, Okinawan, for sure my speculation is just my own and of course I may not be right. But I believe this is worth speculation. I realize that there are many terms often used to describe these earlier arts (such as Ti, Toudi and others), Having no clear idea what should be the proper answer I am using ‘Toudi’ for this discussion.

 

 

There is no clear document to describe the earlier arts which became karate. Another of the books translated by Joe Swift may provide a starting point. Using the book  “Ryuku Oke Hiden Bujutsu: Karate, Bukijutsu” that time when Toudi was focused on the groups involved the use of Toudi for each group had a particular practice.

 “ The martial artists (bushi) of the Ryukyu can be divided into five distinct groups.

First of all, the Shuri bushi, who were in charge of protecting Shuri Castle.
Next, the Tomari bushi, who were in charge of domestic law enforcement.
Third ,the Naha bushi, who were in chages of protecting the Chineese envoys (Suppushi) as well as the tribute ships sent from Ryukyu to China.
Next were the Udun bushi, who were involved in the politics of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

Finally, the bushi of Naha’s Kume Village, who were in the service of Chinese imigrants.”

 

But the clear thought is that they were private traditions, kept to the families involved. When members of those families were trained in those arts, there was a definite progression of them involved. For the training was to be a part of the life role in the family they were part of. The training was not their primary role, It was a tool they could rely on when necessary, that meshed into their larger role for the family.

There was more training that would be involved on the job so to speak, preparing them for their eventual role. Their role was the purpose of their family.

 

Those chosen to be come instructors of Toudi to the young, were likely those who had retired from those roles. They had demonstrated the lessons required and they survived. Then they might be asked to become an instructor. At such time no likely they would meet other instructors of different traditions and might compare experiences.

 

Then the apple cart was upset, in 1880 the Japanese regained control of Okinawa. And true to what was happening in Japan, they eliminated the need for those families and their stipends. Many of them were forced into poverty, The roles needing Tuide were non-existant. Personally I believe the training of young family members continued to give a reason to keep members of those families together.

 

At the same time there was a disporia 101.1 of Okinawan’s around the world to form communities as there was not work for them on Okinawa. Some of them continued Toudi traditions in their families in new locations.

Karate became a study in the schools and in time more and more instructors became involved in the effort.  There were many structural changes as well as technical changes to what was taught. But how many of those students continued after school to continue study with instructors. As far as I know we have no historical records to tell us what happened.

At the same time another dispersal of karate was undertaken. I call it disporia 101.2. Among which were the efforts of Funakoshi, Mabuni, Motobu and others. They worked to make Japan or it’s martial establishment aware of Okinawan karate.  Funakoshi and Mabui specially built off of Anko’d idea but to a different level, focusing their efforts on University students. Specfically toward 4 year program for university students. They would leave to pursue the careers they trained for.  Their programs then focused on developing Japanese instructors for those 4 year programs. I imagine then as they further built their associations that remained a core to be built upon. It certainly was different from what was happening on Okinawa, that included their writing about karate. Their own writing and that of their students.

 

As karate developed on Okinawa the idea of programs for lifetime training took place. This was very different from what happened in the past in Toudi. Groups formed with everyone sharing with each other. The Japanese karate convinced the Okinawan karate instructors to adopt a different version of the name of karate, ostensibely not to offend Japanese sensibilities by referring to China. A group of instructors commissioned new beginning kata from Nagamine and Miyagi. Then they commissioned 10 developmental kata for an idea of public training. But while those kata were published in Japan, the idea never took hold, no doubt a result of the war.

World War II occurred and it was a devastating loss of Okinawan instructors, then again the Okinawan people did not do better. And after the war more devastating was the resulting depression.

Yet other disporia 101.3 where Okiawan people went out into the world to survive. I imagine to locations in Singapore, Hawaii and South America where other Okinawans settled.

Karate on Okinawa (and the Japanese versions) reconstituted themselves and move forward.

Then on Okinawa and Japan, it was found you could make a living teaching karate to the American servicemen stationed there. I imagine that was the beginning of a different tradition of teaching karate for money.

Disporia 102.1 began, those service people kept up their trainng and in doing so moved karate around  the world. There are many other layers to this but that is not the purpose of this piece.

We can see a structural change occurred to Toudi beginning in 1870. Toudi was no longer a part of the role one held, not the primary role but a necessary tool to be used when needed.

Karate became focused on a lifetime study. Something very different.

Neither Toudi or Karate was better. They each were what they were. The study moved to fit different places in the members, in different times and for often different needs.