yamatodamashii
06-22-2000, 10:34 PM
I had the good fortune to enjoy Mr. Lowry's excellent post along with a little take-out food; a Suburi-To Supreme from Tae Kwon Bell. I should probably have posted this on the same thread, but it's getting crowded in there.
I had an experience last year that I thought I would share. I am primarily a Japanese stylist, but last summer I found myself stationed for two weeks in Korea with Operation UFL '99 (big military simulation). While I was there, I took the opportunity one weekend to visit the Kukkiwon in Seoul, where I learned that not only had I been mispronouncing the name of Tae Kwon Do my entire life--I had never heard a single person pronounce it correctly.
Can you imagine what it's like for the grandmasters of Koryu? Keepers of 1200 year old traditions, who go to visit "students" in far away lands who can't even PRONOUNCE what they are studying? And, if Americans can't even pronounce the names of the Asian arts that they study, what else are we not learning, when we don't go to Asia?
I can answer that question, too, to be honest. Most of the karate that is taught in the US is ridiculous. I had the opportunity to study under Shimbukuro Eizo in Okinawa for a while... One of the last masters who still teaches Karatejutsu, instead of Karate-do. I only wish I could show more people what karate was truly meant to be.
But then, they could see for themselves... If they went to Okinawa.
I had an experience last year that I thought I would share. I am primarily a Japanese stylist, but last summer I found myself stationed for two weeks in Korea with Operation UFL '99 (big military simulation). While I was there, I took the opportunity one weekend to visit the Kukkiwon in Seoul, where I learned that not only had I been mispronouncing the name of Tae Kwon Do my entire life--I had never heard a single person pronounce it correctly.
Can you imagine what it's like for the grandmasters of Koryu? Keepers of 1200 year old traditions, who go to visit "students" in far away lands who can't even PRONOUNCE what they are studying? And, if Americans can't even pronounce the names of the Asian arts that they study, what else are we not learning, when we don't go to Asia?
I can answer that question, too, to be honest. Most of the karate that is taught in the US is ridiculous. I had the opportunity to study under Shimbukuro Eizo in Okinawa for a while... One of the last masters who still teaches Karatejutsu, instead of Karate-do. I only wish I could show more people what karate was truly meant to be.
But then, they could see for themselves... If they went to Okinawa.