Goju-Shorei
The Real Weapons Tradition
It was a large school in a local shopping center, with a full class of students, children and adults, working out on the floor. The owner had been in the arts for quite a number of years and was eager to answer any questions about what he taught. This is a traditional school, said the instructor as he pointed to a Bo and Kama that were displayed on the wall. And we only teach traditional weapons and katas.
He is justifiably proud of what he teaches; he has turned out an impressive number of advanced belts, and he is a highly respected martial artist. But is he really following the weapons traditions of the old masters? Is he really teaching his students what they need to know now?
For the most part as “traditional” weapons were farm implements or tools that were commonly carried and used in everyday life. There have been lengthy discussions, and some disagreement, about what each of the “weapons” were really used for. As an example, some say that the Nunchaku was a rice flail, others say that it was a horse bridle. What the original use of these tools were is not important. The important thing is that they were unremarkable in that society. They were common, non-exotic tools. They were some sort of legal, practical, non-threatening implement that doubled as a weapon of defense.
Our martial arts fore fathers were practical men, and what they taught had to be practical as well. In those times a weapon was considered practical if it was useful, available and legal to carry, anywhere, anytime. In those days carrying a weapon that was banned was dealt with harshly and swiftly, often with severe penalties including lose of life or limb, and there was no board of appeal. What good would it do to teach a student the use of a weapon that would land them in jail or even get them killed?
The teachers of yesteryear taught only what was effective and what could be used. They were duty bound to do so. They established the tradition of teaching only those weapons their students could have with them at all times, weapons to defend themselves and their loved ones. What kind of teacher would teach their students something that did not work, or would jeopardize their well-being or the safety of their family? The teachers of old would never teach a student the use of a weapon they could not have with them at all times. What would be the point? The Bo, Kama, Nunchaku, Eku, Tonfu etc. are the by-product of that tradition, not the tradition.
Does anyone think it possible that the old ones are spinning in their graves at the idea of teaching old weapons in new times? I asked a self-described traditionalist why he insisted on teaching the Bo. He replied it was taught for exercise. Exercise!?!?!? Swinging a cane would give the same level, or more, of exercise, and the student could have the cane with them - and know how to use it - when it was needed. Another instructor said that Bo kata taught balance coupled with coordination. I responded that mopping or sweeping the floors would accomplish the same thing, with the added benefit of clean floors. In fact the students would more likely have a mop or broom with them in public than a Bo.
Weapon traditionalism, as practiced today, is not traditional at all, but is instead an exercise of remembering a tradition. And in remembering that tradition instructors fail their students. The one true tradition is teaching weapons that are legal and practical as dictated by the laws and practices of the land where the instruction is given. The teachers of today must recognize the impractically of teaching weapons that are forbidden on public streets, or public transportation. If the weapon that is practiced is a weapon that cannot be used, in any arena, then it is not “traditional weapon”. It would be like a Tae Kwon Do instructor teaching kicks during class, then making the students leave their legs in the Dojang when they went home. What would be the point of teaching kicks when the students didn’t have legs?
Times change. It has been pointed out that we no longer use the medicine or communication methods of the 1800’s. Why should we restrict our use of self-defense weapons to what was taught in the 1700’s. Weapons that were accepted yesterday are not accepted today. Weapons that were legal yesterday are not legal today. The rules have changed, but the need for protection has not. Now more than ever practical legal protection is needed. And present day instructors, teaching out-dated illegal weapons, are not meeting those needs. Teaching weapons that cannot be used at all times, in all places, is doing a disservice to the student, to the community and to themselves, but more importantly, it is certainly doing a disservice to tradition.
What would be a weapon that could be used in the Dojo or at a tournament and still be legal and practical? Let me purpose a simple test to judge the legality and practicality of a weapon: Can you take it on vacation to Maui? Can you carry it openly in the airport or take it aboard a commercial airline? Can you take it to a restaurant or the theater? Would the Bo, Sai, Kama, Katana, Tonfa, or Nunchaku make it to Hawaii?
To the question of a legal and practical weapon, Goju-Shorei has the answer: The humble, misunderstood and highly effective CANE. Is the cane a new weapon? No. I’m sure that a Cane was used by the first cave man that stubbed his toe. And while Og was limping around he probably took a poke at his neighbor with the Cane over some meat dispute. Presto, the Cane as a weapon was born.
Goju-Shorei did not invent the Cane, but we have systematized the study of the Cane by developing katas, techniques and ranking standards. All of the katas are designed to be chained together; the last move(s) of each kata is the first move(s) of the next kata. And the last move of the last kata is the first move of the first kata. The katas are not just a series of random moves strung together, each kata is meant to teach a specific self-defense idea or concept.
The techniques are the core of the weapons system. Each of the moves in the katas are broken down into individual techniques, so the student is learning realistic self-defense applications as he progresses through the ranking. These techniques use all aspects of the cane at all ranges: weapon, striking and grappling.
The Goju-Shorei Weapons System has a unique way of designating rank. An octagonal patch is worn with the appropriate colored chevron, indicating the rank of the student, sewn to the outside of one of the eight sides of the patch. This means the student can still wear the uniform and belt color of his/her parent martial arts system while receiving rank in a supplementary weapons system.
7 Ranking Videos and a Text Book show in detail the requirements for advancement.
As the great haiku poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) wrote, “Seek not what the old masters did; Seek what they sought”.
Dave McNeill, Soke
sokemcneill@gojushorei.com
http://www.gojushorei.com
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