What's in a name?

[Skeptical]

First off, I'm new here, and when I saw that there was actually a forum where people talked about Ryukyu Kobudo I was pleasantly surprised.

I've been training Ryukyu Kobudo for a short time now and had a discussion with my instructor about the names of certain kobudo kata. Specifically, he was telling me that all the kata created in Shinken Taira's namesake used his mother's maiden name, Maezato, though some schools used Taira. Seeing how I'm new to kobudo, I was curious as to whether or not Maezato was the predominant name that is used or if Taira is the main naming?

In a related vein, he also told me that some of Taira's kata might mistakenly go by Miyazato, and was curious as to how this confusion may have come about.

[TimJurgens]

We do use Maezato for the three kata that he is credited with composing.

Maezato no Tekko
Maezato no Nunchaku
Maezato no Surichen

To complicate matters in the local dialect the pronouciation of the Mae is different than it is in standard Japanese. In Unchina Guchi or Okinawan Hogen it is prounounced Mizato (like English Me as in the prounoun). Other kata names change based on the reading of the Kanji but the Kanji stays the same. For more info please visit our website. We are working through the variations and explaining where the differences exist in hopes it will clear up such questions.

www.ryukyu-kobudo.com

Regards,

Tim

[Shorin Ryuu]

First off, I'm new here, and when I saw that there was actually a forum where people talked about Ryukyu Kobudo I was pleasantly surprised.

I've been training Ryukyu Kobudo for a short time now and had a discussion with my instructor about the names of certain kobudo kata. Specifically, he was telling me that all the kata created in Shinken Taira's namesake used his mother's maiden name, Maezato, though some schools used Taira. Seeing how I'm new to kobudo, I was curious as to whether or not Maezato was the predominant name that is used or if Taira is the main naming?

In a related vein, he also told me that some of Taira's kata might mistakenly go by Miyazato, and was curious as to how this confusion may have come about.

Ah, don't pay this guy any mind. He's just trying to rub it in that I was using the Japanese appellation (Miyazato) when I told him I learned Miyazato no tekko dai ichi the other day.

Tim, thanks for that info about the differences in pronouncing the romanization for Okinawan...I didn't know that. Now I have to go back and mentally doublecheck all the pronunciations of Okinawan names in my head...

[TimJurgens]

Hmmm

Ok maybe I should get Akamine Sensei to put the pronounciation down on wave files in both Japanese and Hogen. I can add that to the site if it is of interest.

I think that people are having a hard time getting the sounds right and if that is important we can help a little. I remember a hightly ranked Yoshinkan Aikido teacher coming to Yokohama from somewhere in the UK and no one could understand his Japanese because the pronounciation was way out in left field. He kept getting upset when we were looking at him like what is this guy trying to say. It was funny because all the Japanese expected me to know what he was saying as they thought it was not Japanese. Once I worked it out and then said it for them all the lights went on.