I've read in a few sources of the elder Funakoshi's efforts to broaden the scope of the Shotokan syllabus by permitting his son Gigo (Yoshitaka) to cross-train in other dojo and with other teachers. In one story Gigo meets an old man on Okinawa who teaches him a kata in secrecy. The mysterious teacher allegedly tells young Funakoshi that he has only taught the kata in a modified (diluted) form to others and is giving Gigo the real deal.
So, here's my question - if the story is true what kata did Gigo learn, could it be one of the weird (compared to Shorin-ryu) Shotokan variations of a shorin kata such as Meikyo or even Sochin? OR, is this story just a cover for the "Shotokanization" of Okinawan kata - essentially allowing the JKA to save face for monkeying around with kata that the Okinawans knew well?
Both of these are provocative positions - the first rubs Okinawan karateka the wrong way by suggesting that one of their kata is an inaccurate version - that in fact the Japanese karateka may know a bit of their karate heritage they don't know themselves. The second question provokes Shotokan karateka by resurrecting the old saw that the Shotokan method simply simplified Okinawan karate.
So let's argue it out since it's all speculation anyway. Thoughts?