Isshin - Concentration the Art: Tonfa - Chia Fa

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Tonfa - Chia Fa - Hama Higa No Tuifa

When I learned the Isshinryu Tonfa kata was when Charles Murray handed me the copy of the 1966 Shimabuku movie he had borrowed from Tom Lewis and also lent me his movie editor. I watched that ‘Chia fa’ kata over and over, move my move and followed his instructions to learn it. I watched it so many times to this day it remains very hard for me to watch it.

I called the form Chiafa as that was what the movie called it.

I demonstrated it before my black belt examination. Harold Mitchum was present and explained when he trained on Okinawa it was not taught. It was not a form that any others were performing in the IKC at that time, including Lewis Sensei, for just like Mitchum Sensei he was not taught it on Okinawa when he trained there too.

I obtained a video of Angi Uzeu doing the tonfa form, As I recall the name of the form was not mentioned.

And for the next 20 years that was what I called the form.

One time before a clinic with Sherman Harrill he asked to see my tonfa kata. I demonstrated it for him. Then he demonstrated his version for me. He was not teaching tonfa. He explained he had learn it from AJ Advincula Sensei. His was a little different from what I did. We never discussed it then or later further.

Then I joined the internet age.

On an Isshinryu discussion group it was brought up that I was 1) wrong calling the kata Chia fa. 2) The 1966 tape was incorrect. They said Tatsuo made errors at several points in the kata.

Now after all those years I never competed with the form. I had taught it to my senior students ( the way I did it.) I worked fine for me. I was never seeking other Isshinryu authority than my instructors. The result I would keep to the name Chiafa.

I let you view the following and make your own decision.

14 Chiefa