Chanpuru culture and karatedo

In Okinawa there is a famous dish served in restaurants known as chanpuru. This is a native Okinawan dish in which various different ingredients are mixed together. The term ‘chanpuru’ comes from the Indonesian language and is sometimes used to describe the eclectic mixture of different cultures found in Okinawa.

Okinawa is known for its chanpuru culture, in which various aspects from other cultures such as India, China and others are taken and adapted. This is seen in the religious practises, the architecture, music, language and customs of the Okinawan people. This is also very evident in the martial practises of Okinawa, and many researchers are often mistaken by thinking only about China when researching the roots of karatedo. Of course, the Chinese martial practises have influenced the martial culture of Okinawa significantly, but it should also be considered that because of the location of the island, Okinawa had vast trade links throughout South-East Asia including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, etc. Because of these trade links, and with the deep water port of Naha acting as the central meeting point for these various different cultures, the relatively small island of Okinawa was able to acquire a wealth of cultural knowledge about other countries; copying, adapting, and also no doubt also contributing back to the respective cultures of these visiting people.

When it comes to the martial arts of Okinawa it should come as no great surprise that when compared with the martial arts of China we are not immediately stunned by their similarities. Although they share many of the same ideas and principles, if we were to place a kata of Shorin Ryu alongside a Northern Quanfa form, we might not see an obvious resemblance. This is also true of placing a Nahate kata next to one of a southern Chinese Quanfa style.

I am not a big subscriber to the belief that the Okinawan’s inherited their karate solely from Chinese Quanfa. I don’t think the Okinawan’s receive enough credit for their hand in the development of their art. Researchers are often too quick to point toward China as the source of most kata, but I see very little evidence other than contradictory folklore stemming from the oral tradition passed on by elderly practitioners with a need to please the listener. As I have also mentioned in previous posts, anything Chinese was considered to have extra credibility. Well meaning story tellers have no doubt over time contorted the actual history of karate out of recognition purely through a combination of human nature and Chinese whispers.

Karatedo is uniquely Okinawan, and is in my opinion an eclectic mix of various ideas and methods from many different sources. To focus on just one of these possible sources is a mistake.

The karate of Okinawa, and Goju Ryu in particular should be likened to the chanpuru culture from which it was born; an eclectic and uniquely Okinawan mixture of various different ingredients.

New book by Michael Clarke sensei

I am very pleased to announce that advance orders are now being taken at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other well known outlets for the new publication by Mr Michael Clarke ‘The art of Hojo Undo’ which is scheduled for release in September.

The book covers topics including junbi undo (preperatory exercises), hojo undo (chiishi, ishi sashi, nigiri gami, tan, kongoken, amongst other lesser known tools), and body conditioning including the makiwara, jiri bako, tou, kote kitae, etc. 

Also included are a number of strengthening exercises which are performed without equipment including the cat stretch (goju ryu push up) and other body weight excersises which can be perfromed with or without a partner.  There are also comments regarding the use of hojo undo equipment from various Okinawan masters, as well as numerous interesting historical photographs throughout.

Of particular interest to some readers of this blog who write to me regarding how to build the various hojo undo tools, Clarke sensei has provided numerous plans and diagrams throughout detailing how to build your own training equipment.  No excuses then for not using them!!!!

Clarke sensei has been a big influence upon my understanding of karatedo through me having been a regular reader of his work since my childhood, and I am very excited to read his insights into a subject very close to my heart, that of hojo undo.

His previous books ‘Roaring Silence’, ‘Small steps forward’ and ‘Budo masters’ should also be considered required reading for any serious practitioner of karatedo.

Copies of ‘The art of Hojo Undo’ can be found here;

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Hojo-Undo-Training-Traditional/dp/159439136X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247921542&sr=8-1

Or here for the UK;

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-Hojo-Undo-Training-Traditional/dp/159439136X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247921632&sr=8-1

Happy training!

Elitism in karatedo

This is a subject which has been in my mind for quite some time now. A few posts back I mentioned about the need for karatedo to become elitist if it was to survive as an art with purpose and value. This prompted a couple of comments disagreeing with this statement, and this has made me think about the subject a little more deeply.

Perhaps the word elitist is not entirely appropriate as it conjures up images of naturally gifted and skillful practitioners, rather than the vast majority of us who are struggling along the path as best as we can.  This is not what I refer to, but rather being elitist in that we are able to stand out from the norm through virtue and our actions.  With regards to teaching karatedo perhaps the term ’selective’ would be more suitable.

I am not of the belief that karate is for everyone. There are those it can help and be of benefit to, but there are far more people for whom karate would be a complete waste of time. This has nothing to do with a persons physical ability, but rather the character of the potential student, their personal circumstances, and their reasons for wishing to study. I actually prefer teaching people with little natural talent as these practitioners appear to gain the most from their study rather than practitioners to whom everything comes easily. Such students are forced to confront hardship far more often in order to make even a small progression, but what little advance is made is appreciated far more greatly than by a person who ‘got it’ straight away.

Of course there are those students who may slip through the net and gain acceptance to the dojo, however before long it should become clear to the teacher whether or not the person is indeed suited to the study of karatedo. It requires also a certain degree of honesty and courage in the teacher to be able to tell the student that their energy might be better spent elsewhere. If the practise of karatedo is to have any real effect upon the life of the practitioner it has to be more than ‘something they do for an hour every Wednesday’. This mentality from my experience is what applies to most peoples study of karate. For those practitioners, the study of karatedo is no different from their squash club or 5-a-side football team. Monday might be running club, Tuesday football, Wednesday karate, Thursday drinking with the boys, etc. This is not a study of budo, and this is not karatedo. People who are not willing or able to sacrifice part of their day in order to better themselves are not welcome at the dojo.

In today’s society of commercial dojo where teachers are required to keep students happy in order to receive enough income for their dojo to function (or maybe to finance their extravagant lifestyle), such honesty on the part of the teacher cannot exist. Potential students are welcomed and encouraged to join through advertising, regardless of whether they are suited to the art or not. These teachers may fool themselves believing they are doing it for the good of karatedo, but when a dojo is full of idiots who then go on to teach more idiots, how can this ever be for the benefit of the art?

I believe that serious practitioners must make a determined effort to distance themselves from the vast majority of mediocre dojo which are more readily and easily available to the potential student. We must be honest about what karatedo can, and perhaps more importantly cannot help the person achieve in their life. A student should also be fully aware of what is expected of them so that there can be no excuses of not knowing any better, and on this subject the teacher should have the strength of character to act rather than allow things to pass for the sake of retaining a student.

The arrogant tone of this post is quite intentional and is not something I am particularly apologetic for. I firmly believe that bad teachers of karatedo have harmed the reputation of the art severely. Sincere people have been lied to and intentionally misled far too frequently in order to place a bit of cash into the insincere teachers pocket.

Being elitist in the way I personally perceive it means distancing myself from such people. I hope that I can be honest with people who come to my dojo, honest enough to send them elsewhere if the things they want from karatedo cannot be gained from me or my dojo. If their reasons for wanting to practise are admirable, then equally I hope I can have the courage to help them on their way and not be too kind to them when things get tough through fear of them leaving to pursue an easier path. Because of this I will be forever destined to have only a small dojo, and for this I am thankful because I will never have an excuse for being dishonest or cowardly when it comes to teaching karatedo correctly.