Sunday, May 7, 2023

Dan Smith Okinawa Report 1/ 4/ 2004

 


 

 

These are interesting post. I can see where a view of karate being
significantly different 100 or more years ago is not only plausible but
probable, but IMHO I think some karate on Okinawa as well some fighting methods in China may be closer to what it was like years ago than we think. Why? Because some groups have made it their purpose to maintain the past or to continuously look to
the past.

Some post have recently stated that life on Okinawa is so much different today than it was 100 years ago and I agree that it is when it comes to modern conveniences and life styles but the purpose of karate to many of the Okinawans is the same today as it was years go. Karate is for the development of self defense so that the peaceful life style of the Okinawans could be lived to the fullest. Karate was a way of developing the human strength that provides a healthy body that will provide the longevity the Okinawans focus on.

So, if you look from the perspective of how the Okinawans were described by outside historians 150 years ago perhaps Okinawan karate is not that much different today in some dojo. How much have the Okinawans changed in the last 100 years when compared to their culture and values? Our karate should be a reflection of our culture and values. Just food for thought.

Gambatte

Dan Smith

KuDan Seibukan Shorin Ryu Karate

 

 

 

Okinawa Report

 

 

As I committed I would give a report on what I learned while on Okinawa concerning the background of Okinawan karate as it related to China, how Okinawan karate was developed and the purpose of Okinawan karate past and present.

The primary purpose of the recent trip as many of you have learned from Sir Harry's post was to attend the 2003 Okinawan World Karate Championships. Additional reasons were I usually go to Okinawa at least once a year for training and to celebrate my 35th year of training with the Shimabukuro family.

I lived on Okinawa from 1968 to 1971 and was fortunate to have teachers that suggested that I make contacts with most of the schools of karate and kobudo on Okinawa. I had trained in Shotokan for seven years before going to Okinawa and since it was relatively unheard of for Americans to have a background in karate and not even considered that we would return to Okinawa for training in the future my teachers wanted me to be exposed to as much of Okinawan karate and kobudo as possible. Many of the teachers I visited during the three plus years I lived on Okinawa have become life long friends which has made it possible for me upon returning to Okinawa to continue my education not only in Shorin Ryu but all the ryu ha of Okinawan karate and kobudo. These relationships have helped facilitate our bringing senior teachers to the USA for the 1996 Olympics for demonstrations and seminars, 1999 Rengokai Masters tour of five cities in the USA, and being given the honor of hosting the Okinawan World Tournament in 2001.

The above activities have been important to me but not nearly as important as having the ability to sit down with the most senior teachers on Okinawa and ask them questions concerning the three key topics that were being discussed at length in these venues.

The question that prompted my committment to solicit answers to the above questions was the continual discussion in these venues about what the Okinawans thought or did. My question was why not ask the Okinawans and get the information straight from them versus re-telling someones hypothesis or information handed down through multiple levels over the years. So here is what I found:

Chinese influence on Okinawan karate - All of the teachers that I have asked not only on this trip but on previous ones gave the same answer. Okinawan karate was certainly influenced by Chinese fighting methods but in no way do they consider Okinawan karate as being greatly influenced by China. Of course the one exception is Uechi Ryu which came from China less than 75 years ago and even Uechi Ryu has been influenced more by Okinawan karate than has Okinawan karte been influenced by Uechi Ryu IMHO. Goju Ryu which has been closely related to Chinese influence a little over 100 years ago by Kanryo Higaonna's time in China has over the last few years come to understand that Higaonna Kanryo studied Okinawan karate before ever going to China and so the question is how much was he influenced in what he taught upon returning to Okinawa. Without exception the senior Okinawan teachers maintain that if the  Chinese fighting arts were better for the Okinawans than what they had they would have kept more of the Chinese fighting traditions. This position is in no way a reflection of the Okinawans thinking their ways are superior but that the methods that have been developed on Okinawa for centuries and are their cultural heritage are better for them.

An interesting side note to the above is that I met several karate men from several of the off islands and there was no karate practiced on those islands until karate migrated from Okinawa in the early 1900s. The Chinese and Japanese visited many of these islands but yet there is no historical evidence that any fighting forms were codified on these islands. Perhaps the hypothesis I have developed over the years that the Okinawan fighting arts were developed by the upper classes and policemen has merit when you question why the fighting arts were not developed on the outlying islands.


How then was Okinawan karate/kobudo developed if it was not directly transported from China? - Since Okinawa is substantially larger than all of the other Ryukyuan Islands the Uchinan Chu had the need for protecting themselves from not only the other populace of the island but from frequent visitors to the big island. Just as in most civilizations have developed figting methods the Okinawan methods were highly developed in empty hand combat and easy to access weapons not made of metal due to necessity. The development of the movements into pre-arranged sequences was influenced by Okinawan Odori(dance).
It is quite complimentary to the kata methods of starting and ending in the approximate spot, the equal utilization of both sides of the body and the movements codified as to remember events or applications. The Chinese had kata but they were not systemized as highly as the Okinawan kata due to the small size and population of Okinawa compared to China. The Okinawa kata methods were also adapted to allow the for practicing alone whereas the Chinese methods placed higher value on partner training. The Okinawan life style dictated that perhaps only one or two people in a given area had the need for martial skills whereas with the massive size of China and their population the widespread need for fighting skills was much higher. In retrospect this IMHO is what gave the necessity for jujitsu and other combative arts that depend on partner training as it was a part of armed or military combat. Okinawan karate was for the use of keeping the peace and providing proctecion to the civilian population. All the senior teachers agreed that prior to the early 1900s only the wealthy or policemen had knowledge of karate while there was a  broader practice of kobudo due to the bo, eku,etc. being readily available and part of everyday life. The
Sai on the other hand was strictly a police weapon.

The purpose of Okinawan karate/kobudo both past and present remain the same to the senior teachers. Even though there is a strong element on Okinawa that favor sports the large majority of Okinawan karate practioners still practice the same today as they did in the early 1900s. Those reasons are: personal development through the physcial and mental aspects of karate, self defense, and health. The training methods have virtually remained unchanged in most Okinawa ryu ha with the emphasis on learning the forms and movements of karate, developing the ability to strike, kick and block, the learning and development of kata. Okinawan karate as I mentioned earlier was developed to practice principally alone. You need a knowledgable teacher but most of your training time is spent alone developing your personal skills and strengths. This element of practicing alone has not been transferred outside of Okinawa in most cases and the missing link to the cultural treasure of Okinawa to the rest of the karate world is the development of ones self and the ability to have the discipline and patience to train alone without recognition or obvious reward.

The senior teachers that contributed to my understanding of what I have outlined above are too numerous to name and I certainly would not want to list names as a method of gaining creditability to what I am presenting. Hopefully many of you that have been to Okinawa or have attended events held in the USA know that the senior Okinawan teachers willing make themselves available for discussions and sharing of their knowledge.

The Okinawan culture has been and continues to be one of peace and friendship. The Okinawan karate methods while deadly and effective provide a balance that generates the desire for harmony with others. I have never found a closed door or mind on Okinawa when they understand that your desire for Okinawa is sincere.

In closing I would like to expand on the comment that I made concerning the demonstration of Chinese Boxing by a group of Okinawans. This group has been active in Okinawa for many years and usually participate in most events of this nature. The stark difference in their flashy, complex movements vs. the Okinawan methods only demonstrated what I think the Okinawans saw as the reason to develop their fighting methods along the lines they followed. The Okinawans have concentrated on insuring that the finite muscle movement necessary for complex techniques are held to a minimum due to during a time of stress these complex movements are surely hampered by the loss of finite muscle movements.

We had a great trip and for those who did not get a chance to go this year we will be taking a group in the spring of 2004. We will also be bringing a group of Okinawans to make a five city tour in October of 2004. Anyone interested in being a host city please contact me off line.

Gambatte 

Dan Smith

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