Ray Hughes Editor

"Maybe we are the Problem?"  

The Internal Struggle.

  And as I read through them, there seem to be a common thread with many of them; a sense of disappointed, sadness, and anger with the state of traditional karate and society as a whole.  Many thought their arts were in decline, moving away from the founder's original vision and many were concerned about the state of today's practitioners. A feeling that today's practitioners are soft, both physically and mentally, requiring entertainment to motivate them.  

The argument of whether we should strictly adhere to the traditions of the old ways or not will continue for many decades to come.  But what I found interesting is the feeling that maybe today's practitioners, and possibly society, may be to blame for the decline, or perceived decline, of our traditional arts.  

Every generation, whether we're talking about martial arts or society, for as long as there has been a written language has complained about the younger generation.  They have complained that discipline, morals and values have eroded and expressed a need to get back to the good old days.  Each generation has generally embellished their experiences and hardships while disparaging youth.  Could this be the situation today?

Could it also be we are simply struggling to find the voice modern practitioners can hear?  This problem has existed forever, trying to communicate to one generation in another generation's voice.  And when each generation has struggled to find the right voice, they have blamed the recipient.  

I ask myself, "What would the old masters say about this?" These great men did not think like others of their time. They thought outside the box and where able to communicate and motivate the people. Would they say "learn the voice of the people of your time and think outside the box?"    

We face different issues from what the great masters faced.  Maybe we traditionalists need to look at ourselves rather than blame our students and the times we live in.  Maybe we simply haven't figured out the puzzle of passing on the concepts of the great masters to our modern students.  Maybe we are not communicating in a voice they can hear?

Maybe we traditional instructors are the problem?  

Something to think about....

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Shorin and Shorei  

Sensei Hunt

By

Robert Hunt

  

 

The history of karate is a mess - a real "dog's breakfast", as they say. Sorting it out is like trying to identify the ingredients in hobo soup by sips. The more I study the more messy it gets.  I was happier 50 years ago simply studying Shotokan and believing I knew all there was to know. After studying four styles over a half century, I am finally...hopelessly lost.

            Karate is a fusion of secret societies, monasteries, midnight graveyard schools, priests, revolutionaries, palace guards, nobles, commoners and a plethora of iconic warriors fighting Chinese dynasties, Japanese overlords, bandits, girlfriends, each other and the unrelenting march of time (which, by the way, I also find myself battling, in case you hadn't noticed.)

            A few young men fled Okinawa for China to avoid the Japanese draft, (something with which I can relate, growing up, as I did, in the sixties and living within a desperate dash of the Canadian border.) Some of those Okinawan draft-dodgers later returned home hailed as newly minted karate masters. For some reason I always thought they were visionary seekers of martial enlightenment at the center of the world. Turns out they may have just been staying alive and happened to stumble on a fun hobby.

            Okinawa is a small island and everybody in the super secret menagerie of karate seems to have known everyone else.  Turns out it may not have been so secret.  When Bushi Matsumura showed up at the bull ring to fight the bull, half the island turned out to see him.  Some secret. What were they expecting, a Matador?             

 

                 

 

 

To read the rest of this article click 

HERE.   

 

 

Sensei Hunt holds Dan ranks in Wado Ryu, Shito Ryu and Shotokan.

 

 Robert Hunt is the author of the book "The Art and the Way". Click the title to get information about this book. To order the book click HERE.

 

You can contact Sensei Hunt at steelmoon@hushmail.com

 2013

WIKF Wado Karate Seminars 

 Sensei Jon Wicks

WIKF World Chief Instructor

Sensei Wicks