Bujutsu Chart?

[Shosei]

Hi

I should want to have your opinion about the following issue:

There's in Spain a well known public martial arts magazine in whose last number the readers can find the following text among others:

"We seize this opportunity to offer to all groups or dojos interested, the chance to create an Iaido, Jodo, and Koryu section, giving you inciation, improvement, and instructors formation in the whole disciplines that our entity offers. You can contact with us at the telephon number: xxxxxx "

Personaly a find it insulting and dishonourable for all what budo and specially koryu represents.

Sincerly, what do you mean about the way concepts like budo, koryu, iai.. are traded and handled by some groups of my country?

Thank you for your attention

[Doug Stryker]

Hello Shosei, welcome to the JSA forum. Please sign all your posts with your real name, per forum rules.

As to your posting, I'm confused about what the magazine is requesting. It sounded to me like they were inviting budo/bujutsu practitioners to participate in a new special section in their magazine. Am I reading it wrong? As long as those participating were legitimate iaidoka/jodoka/etc (and not the Hokey Soke McDojo variety), I don't see how that could be a bad thing. But perhaps I'm just not understanding the point you're trying to make. Why would it be insulting or dishonorable to be part of an informative magazine article about different bujutsu dojo?

Regards,
Doug

[Shosei]

Hi

What I mean is that there is a group in my country that announces in public magazines messages like the following:

"You can open a Koryu section in your dojo, if you want to be our representative, we can form you as instructors, through our week-end semminars"

That is what I find a completely inappropiate manner to handle a Koryu. Koryu appears with such messages to be like a "McDonalds branch office", specially when the person who offers the semminars never went to Japan, and doesn't belong to any school but he only have learnt in some workshops with a member of the Koryus (plural) he offers.

But the matter is (and what I find insulting) is that Koryu is handled like a comercial product, a "section" in a public martial art center, and so on.

I don't know if I could transmit what I wanted to transmit

Good day

Carmelo Toledo

[Shosei]

Hi

What I mean is that there is a group in my country that announces in public magazines messages like the following:

"You can open a Koryu section in your dojo, if you want to be our representative, we can form you as instructors, through our week-end semminars"

That is what I find a completely inappropiate manner to handle a Koryu. Koryu appears with such messages to be like a "McDonalds branch office", specially when the person who offers the semminars never went to Japan, and doesn't belong to any school but he only have learnt in some workshops with a member of the Koryus (plural) he offers.

But the matter is (and what I find insulting) is that Koryu is handled like a comercial product, a "section" in a public martial art center, and so on.

I don't know if I could transmit what I wanted to transmit

Good day

Carmelo Toledo

[Doug Stryker]

Ah, now I see what you mean.

Yes, it does sound very much like they are offering "McDojo" status through a simple set of weekend seminars. I agree, that does seem a bit simplistic and shallow. Koryu or not, it sounds to me like their style is either so simple anyone could do it, or else they have no value in what they have studied and simply wish to "spread the word" and get a bunch of members signed up as belonging to their style ("Hey, look at us! We have over 800 students in 6 different countries!). Hard to tell for sure without knowing all the details, but from what you are saying it does sound a bit suspicious.

Regards,
Doug

[Kopiller]

were it says weekend seminars?

sorri but i think that Shosei its trying to start a flame war ;)

[pgsmith]

Hi Carmelo,
Several things in your statement that I feel need to be discussed. First is the fact that what you are discussing is in a "well known public martial arts magazine." I don't know what things are like in your country but, here in the US, well known martial arts magazines are usually full of bunk. You can find the occasional decent article, but they are filled with alot of garbage. It goes with the territory.

Second, why do you find it insulting? You don't tell us what school you practice, or what 'koryu' these people are trying to sell through seminars, or what exactly the advertisement says. The only reasons I can see for finding it 'insulting' is if they are bastardizing teachings from your sensei, or you are worried about how people would look at the koryu you are learning. If the first reason, I can see you being insulted. If it's the second reason, then you've got too much ego. If there's a third reason, perhaps you could elaborate?

Third, a large number of koryu are still in existence today because they were commercialized after the Sengoku Jidai. Most of the extant koryu fall into a few categories. Those that were family teachings and so were passed down, those that were favored by the Daimyo and so were passed down, and those that advertised well enough that they became popular and so were passed down. So, without a lot more information it's very hard to have any opinion about the subject you posted.

Jose,
Very cryptic reply don't you think? What would make you think he is trying to start a flame war?

Bear in mind that these are just my opinions. Other's may vary!

Cheers,