Time for a martial Age of Reason?
What do Nagamine Shoshin and Yagi Meitoku have in common?
OK, the commonalities of these two men might be an extensive list, but I am thinking of one specific thing that very few Okinawan masters can claim to.
That's right. Very few.
I wish there were more of their ilk. For it would truly be revolutionary. It would be inspirational. And it would provide each ryuha with a distinct fingerprint that would uniquely identify it to the world.
I'm talking kata. Specifically, kata development.
Nagamine, in cooperation with Chojun Miyagi, created new kata some 70+ years back that served as basic kata for Okinawan schools. Not news, I know. Nor is it news that Yagi created five kata used exclusively in the Meibukan system, kata said to have elements of many of Miyagi's favorite kata in them.
Both sets of kata are amazing examples of martial development. Yet, when was the last time that a master set to making a new kata for their school? I mean, let's look at it this way, people with less skill and pedigree have created new kata. Youtube is full of examples, many of them laughably bad. Even Korea's Kukkiwon, in its infinite wisdom scrapped an established syllabus for a new one back in the 70s. (OK, so not a good example since some WTF schools no longer emphasize or teach kata at all.)
But, you ask, why do we need new kata? Well, I can think of a few reasons. I'll hit the top ones, at least in my mind.
- it would provide a legacy for the creating master. Yes, each soke or head of style adds their own twist or flavour to the art, based on the teachings of their master. When senior students leave their organization, they maintain the same kata, perhaps adding a small variation to the kata's execution, but it is in essence, the same kata practised by the core style. A new kata would differentiate said style and would be the master's gift to his ryuha that could be carried forward and practised, Just as Nagamine and Yagi are immortalized by the creation of their ryuha, they also left their imprints with their own kata. The modern masters would leave behind something that their students would carry forward in perpetuity.
- it would mix up the 'same old, same old' kata. Face it, Most Goju ryu systems teach the same kata. Not always in the same order and not all the same way, but saifa in one is very close to saifa in the other. The Shorin ryu folks are quite similar in that regard as well. Pinan, Naihanchi, and on and on. Same same. New kata that maintain the core elements of the system would further identify ryuha by the 'style' of this new kata. it would not just be the 'shobayashi version of...' or the 'shobukan goju interpretation of...,' it would a new kata that belongs to that ryuha and that ryuha only.
- it would identify the specific traits or strengths of that style or that branch. Or, more succinctly, the strengths of that specific instructor. When it comes to bunkai, are they a grappler or a striker? Do they value close-in fighting or do they prefer shifting to a dead angle at arm's (or foot) length? They would be keys that students could use to unlock the mater's particular bent or focus when it comes to the kata practised within that style. It also gives us more things to learn, more moves to master. Learning more kata is a not a bad thing. That is... unless you're not up to the challenge.
- it would make our martial art a true art. Art forms have specific periods and styles of art. Ever hear of impressionism? abstract? absurdist? Do you listen to jazz, rock or baroque? Get the point? We are, in essence, painting the same pictures over and over again. Not a new painting by the same artist, we do the same song by the same artist over and over and over again. What if Mozart had only composed one concerto, or Fellini had made the same film, but from different angles? What if Shakespeare had really only written one play, but kept recycling the same plot and characters? How many people might they have inspired with those solitary works? Perhaps a new kata would be inspirational for the flock. It would be heralded as a true martial expression of power, beauty and grace.
I have not even really touched on the symbolic or ritualistic natures of what new kata would mean, nor have I really touched on the social or academic opportunities that such new kata would afford.
I am not saying that the current masters are twiddling their thumbs. Quite the contrary. Many take new directions with their teachings - exploring applications of our existing kata, working on methods to techniques faster, stronger or more applicable to modern situations.
All I am saying is that it is already the second decade of a new century... perhaps, with some discussion and contemplation, we could pave the way for a new period of martial enlightenment.
If you are offended or disappointed by this post, my apologies. Just chalk it up to me being my typical agent provocateur self.
OK, the commonalities of these two men might be an extensive list, but I am thinking of one specific thing that very few Okinawan masters can claim to.
That's right. Very few.
I wish there were more of their ilk. For it would truly be revolutionary. It would be inspirational. And it would provide each ryuha with a distinct fingerprint that would uniquely identify it to the world.
I'm talking kata. Specifically, kata development.
Nagamine, in cooperation with Chojun Miyagi, created new kata some 70+ years back that served as basic kata for Okinawan schools. Not news, I know. Nor is it news that Yagi created five kata used exclusively in the Meibukan system, kata said to have elements of many of Miyagi's favorite kata in them.
Both sets of kata are amazing examples of martial development. Yet, when was the last time that a master set to making a new kata for their school? I mean, let's look at it this way, people with less skill and pedigree have created new kata. Youtube is full of examples, many of them laughably bad. Even Korea's Kukkiwon, in its infinite wisdom scrapped an established syllabus for a new one back in the 70s. (OK, so not a good example since some WTF schools no longer emphasize or teach kata at all.)
But, you ask, why do we need new kata? Well, I can think of a few reasons. I'll hit the top ones, at least in my mind.
- it would provide a legacy for the creating master. Yes, each soke or head of style adds their own twist or flavour to the art, based on the teachings of their master. When senior students leave their organization, they maintain the same kata, perhaps adding a small variation to the kata's execution, but it is in essence, the same kata practised by the core style. A new kata would differentiate said style and would be the master's gift to his ryuha that could be carried forward and practised, Just as Nagamine and Yagi are immortalized by the creation of their ryuha, they also left their imprints with their own kata. The modern masters would leave behind something that their students would carry forward in perpetuity.
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| Does the thought of only ever doing the same old kata over and over make you want to do this? |
- it would identify the specific traits or strengths of that style or that branch. Or, more succinctly, the strengths of that specific instructor. When it comes to bunkai, are they a grappler or a striker? Do they value close-in fighting or do they prefer shifting to a dead angle at arm's (or foot) length? They would be keys that students could use to unlock the mater's particular bent or focus when it comes to the kata practised within that style. It also gives us more things to learn, more moves to master. Learning more kata is a not a bad thing. That is... unless you're not up to the challenge.
- it would make our martial art a true art. Art forms have specific periods and styles of art. Ever hear of impressionism? abstract? absurdist? Do you listen to jazz, rock or baroque? Get the point? We are, in essence, painting the same pictures over and over again. Not a new painting by the same artist, we do the same song by the same artist over and over and over again. What if Mozart had only composed one concerto, or Fellini had made the same film, but from different angles? What if Shakespeare had really only written one play, but kept recycling the same plot and characters? How many people might they have inspired with those solitary works? Perhaps a new kata would be inspirational for the flock. It would be heralded as a true martial expression of power, beauty and grace.
I have not even really touched on the symbolic or ritualistic natures of what new kata would mean, nor have I really touched on the social or academic opportunities that such new kata would afford.
I am not saying that the current masters are twiddling their thumbs. Quite the contrary. Many take new directions with their teachings - exploring applications of our existing kata, working on methods to techniques faster, stronger or more applicable to modern situations.
All I am saying is that it is already the second decade of a new century... perhaps, with some discussion and contemplation, we could pave the way for a new period of martial enlightenment.
If you are offended or disappointed by this post, my apologies. Just chalk it up to me being my typical agent provocateur self.
Comments
On another note, it always surprises me a bit when people are very strict "traditionalists", not realizing that the art or style they practice wouldn't exist if the founder thereof had held the same attitude regarding updates.
The Okinawans (and to a further extent) the Chinese had a pretty decent understanding of the human anatomy and phsiology, and to a lesser degree, I'd daresay biomechanics. :) Sport karate has removed a lot of the analysis of what we do in our karate. We spend more time kicking and punching and dancing around. Yagi Sensei himself called sparring a perversion and a departure of proper karate-do.
I am a bit of a purist, indeed. I recognize how the art has advanced to a certain point and why. Obvious changes were made from the time of Tode Sakugawa to the time of Miyagi to even today. Not all advancements are good.
To make a scientific comparison: imagine that, rather than focusing on science proper science and good research, we skimp and cut corners on our studies and findings in order to popularize science. Imagine the world when only a handful of people received blackbelts to today's environment. Now, imagine if the same situation applied to the academic world and every man and his dog was given a doctorate.
That can partially explain my quest for purity in the art and return to the traditional values. :)
I agree with everything here. I suppose there are two types of "mystical" components to martial arts. One is the bullshido that people made up to sound profound or to pretend they have superpowers or whatever. The other is the best description that they had at the time of some underlying reality that may not have been explicitly understood in the scientific sense. That happens a lot with traditional knowledge, where the way it is explained and taught is not accurate but it does cover something real that can be understood explicitly if we study it using modern methods. I suspect that the old guys knew a heck of a lot about how the body works, either by being taught or just through experience. So, I am mostly talking about the same thing you are -- recapturing what they knew in the past and giving it a solid scientific underpinning. In terms of your scientific analogy, I'm afraid it's all too real when dealing with topics like climate change or evolution -- up to and including people with "doctorates" from phony schools.
One thing I can say, is that I am very encouraged by the existence of blogs like yours, and karate by Jesse, and various others that take what might be called a "realist" stance but still have a great love of traditional karate. That's certainly my view on the topic.