# New Martial Arts University Formulation



## Pappy Geo (May 12, 2004)

Some excerpts from the thread on WMAC forum: 

http://forums.uechi-ryu.com/viewtopic.php?t=11789&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

This Conference is open to everyone of all arts, whether you can come or not. Chance to be published and recognition.


WRCMA Conference slated after Summer, Article Peer Review 
Hello All: 

The Washington Research Council of Martial Arts (WRCMA) is calling for papers to be published in our 1st Annual Journal, and to present those papers for peer review at our upcomming conference. The goal of this conference is to strengthen our FMA and MA brothers and sisters by developing strong writing skills, which by default, help develop strong teaching skills. In addition, the WRCMA seeks to legitimatize many of our member instructor's work that they do in writing, by allowing submissions into our website and official journal. See this as a great chance to be published and get some great experience. 

The idea of the conference may be mostly intellectual based due the the subject matter. Selected individuals can present their papers, and have their papers critiqued by other members in the field. In addition, an open questions and answers session will be conducted after the author presents their paper. This creates an environment of philosophical and intellectual dialogue where experts and novices alike can discuss various issues, in a constructive manner, to better enable each to understand the other. 

Additionally, the conference would like to host a couple of seminars presenting new material in areas where we don't normally get to train or see. If you are interested, please contact me at wrcma@yahoo.com for more information. You do not need to be a member of WRCMA to contribute, but the dollars collected for membership help us fund the publishing and seminar fees. The conference will be held at a hotel and fully catered (depending on our fund raising events, membership drives, and donations - hint -hint). 

The target date is slated for October, so we have time to help you develop ideas for article submission, WRCMA memberships, fundraising, or donations. BTW Big Ken Smith is already working on his piece in Renton, Cale Merkley in Spokane is doing the same (as well as his school), and we'd like to see others for the NSI camp, WMAC, and others. Guys, the whole boost on the idea is to bring up our writing to scholarly levels just like other sciences do. Peer review conferences is just one aspect of the process. Let me know if I can be of any help, and I look forward to your future submissions. 

Corey Minatani 
WRCMA Central Washington Regional Director





This a Great opportunity to take your training into the next league. I know how difficult and time consuming it is to write an article and create your experiences and thoughts into words understandable by all. 

Senior Guru Corey Minatani given us all an opportunity to be acknowledged formally by being published. This convention no doubt takes the Arts to the next level. I encourage everyone whether you are local our not to participate by at least submitting an article for review by your peers with the good possibility of being published. 

Maybe Corey could state some guidelines on submitting articles and the review process. 

Senior Guru Ken Smith also is very supportive of this convention and has already preliminary authored an article for submission. Looks like Ken and Tony Annesi will be doing some seminars or demonstrations and there are rumors Datu Worden may acknowledge the convention with a demonstration and support with his presence, ( I hope Corey or Ken will be his Uki, not me!) Scheduling is the issue. It would very supportive if Mr. Annesi would comment on his thoughts as to the curriculum and Mr. Worden's comment on his view of this first ever accredited Martial Arts educational Convention? 

Myself? I have done some preliminary research on my topic and been formulating my thoughts, unfortunately I will be having right shoulder rotor-cup surgery this Thursday and will be some time before I can get on the typewriter. Hmm, I wonder what caused my rotor-cup injury? 

For fun, google your self and see if you get any hits. For myself, from being published on the Corey's WRCMA website: 

http://www.geocities.com/wrcma/

 have several hits on the first page of many thousands of pages. Kinda cool and interesting.
_________________
Tito Geo



I got a visit from my longtime partner in crime, Sifu Ken Smith! One of the topics of discussion is the direction of WRCMA, what is goals, both long and short term are. Let me tell you what it is not: The WRCMA conference is not a seminar with some paper readings. The papers, the conference, and the WRCMA have far more aspiring implications than at first glance. Ever hear the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it?" Well, I think its broken, and I'm trying to fix it. The martial arts have been stigmatized from the normal academic community at large, in part, because of no standards and no credibility towards real research. This is why one cannot go into a local university and sign up to pursue a degree in martial science. Another reason is that there are not enough players to take their art seriously enough to spearhead to make the martial science taken seriously. In other words, there are a lot of people saying they are leaders, but instead they choose to follow. Creating leaders is what the WRCMA is all about. The conference is your first real opportunity to step up to the model that GM Worden, GM Keating, and Shihan Annesi have set forth; finding a balance within training, being both warrior and poet. 

That being said, the journal WE create will be sent to the library of Congress, which in effect, copyrights all of your work for all time, will be sent to various big universities such as UW and WSU, and my college CWU. Students working within the degree programs sanctioned by the WRCMA will use the journal (and your research) to add to the overall body of knowledge of the martial community in a formalized class setting, but having exercised personal freedom of expression. If we can compare how RJKD protests against JKD, the WRCMA is protesting against mainstream academia, and seeks to educate and certify our own. So I look forward to hearing from my peer leaders in the field. Many of the people that have approached my to do writing, are in my opinion, really following through with serious leadership skills, and I thank you. 

Another topic of discussion we had, is that this is a family event. I know there have been conventions, symosiums, gatherings, etc. that purport to be a ring of friendship and it turns into an ego showfest. This is not about Freewind school trying to impose their will on you (we can do that, fair and square, in the ring), the WRCMA seeks to network and develop instructors accross all lines. We do not function to reverse-discrimination (meaning all Japanese or all Filipino festival), all races and stylists are welcome and will be honored. Like tournaments, this is a great way to have the next generation of students take example from seniors and how they act and what they say. In the Army, we called this the "follow me," attitude. And, like a family, we all stick together to maintain the overall goal, turning the science of martial arts into academic credibility. 

Another topic was online classes. This seems extremely weird to some of you. But, I may note, many large colleges are moving to this media. The technology is there with Instant messaging, forums, books, and video and DVD enough to develop full range classes, mirroring standards of actual classrooms. The WRCMA is the first (to my knowledge) to implement this surge in martial education. Our first classes, slated for September 1st of this year, will be on Renegade JKD and Aiki-ju-jutsu. Each course will cover about 12 weeks, cost will be the books and videos of the class, and tuition thats under $75. Sifu Ken has decided to join in on the classroom activities as co-instructor for the first class in RJKD. There is so much out there, that if one could arrange and organize the information into managible chucks, students and instructors alike have a lot to gain. While some may think this is any easy thing to do, it is not. But, its all about being a leader, that's why I do it. 

At my first Warrior Retreat (circa 1993), which was the predecessor to Water and Steel, I bought my first Datu Worden Video. It was very cool, covering a lot about connecting the systems. Connecting the systems again is what the WRCMA is trying to do, but you gotta join in. Also, at the end was the NSI creed, I remember one passage that struck a chord in me, "we are martial artists, scholars of physical motion." Scholars, made more sense than athletes or street fighters. In which category to you reside? 

Lastly, I am in the process of making demo tapes of Shihan Annesi. If you have a school that is interested in coming to the conference, but don't know who Annesi is, this 10 min demo tape will be great. I'll pay for the tape, you pay the shipping! Contact me at wrcma@yahoo.com for more info. If you want, you can talk to Ken, George, or Jeff Bray how good this guy is, I think he'll fit in nicely with our NSI stuff, Modern Arnis, JKD, or whatever you train. Shihan Annesi has 40 years experience, and this is a great venue in which to learn. 

Respectfully, 

Corey Minatani 
WRCMA Central Washington Regional Director


Hey Paul: 

Very good questions. Let me try to answer them. 

Ok. You are correct, we are sharing writings on the martial arts for the sheer purpose of expanding our knowledge as martial artists. Another is to bring together many different kinds of martial artist, and see the connections, rather than the differences, between the arts. All too often, schools and styles segregate themselves from one another. Ideally, under the banner of an agenda free organization modeled after academia, animosity between stylists can dissolve. Besides, it would give me a chance to meet new people and network with other schools. 

The piece must be original, if it is published already, you might want to augment it to a degree, thus making it similar, but the different. 

The authors not have to attend the event, since you're in michigan. 

The set standards are not the problem, its due to segregation between the arts. Case in point, take Modern Arnis after GM Presas died. Although you do have a point that standards have not been met. I'm dictating that all work must be in some form of standard. I recommended APA, because that seemed easiest. The standard will be set by martial artists. Specifically, members of the WRCMA. Although the WRCMA means Washington Research Council of Martial Arts, its just designating the base of operations, anyone from any state can become a member or member instructor. The credentials are sticky, because martial artists can have upto 10th degree black belts and not be considered "academic authority" in academic circles. Again, we have a segregation between the artists and universities of academia. So black belt members in the WRCMA will set the standard. Acknowledgement of one's martial rank is applied in lieu of academic degrees. For example, a 5th Dan in a respected system should be equivilent to a MA in academic circles. GM or 7th, 8th, 9th, or 10th Dan equivilent to PhD scholars. Problem here is that the said individual must have written something or researched material to be considered. Right now we have people like Ken Smith, Myself, George Hoover, Cale Merkley, Datu Worden, and Shihan Annesi acting as overseeing this operation. It is my hope that is the reason they agreed to help with this project. 

I think for the first year, all will be published, but it will be compartmentalized by rank. Right now I'm doing the selections, but admittantly, I can't do it all. If you want to help, contact me...I guess my regional directors as well, Geo and Cale can help as well. 

I think at the top or start of the post, I describe what will happen, as far as how the process of reading/presenting, critique, and Q and A. Also, we have some people doing demos and seminars. 

My goal is to keep the cost as low as possible, depending on how many people pre-register. Right now, WRCMA members are looking at $50 a head, which is extremely cheap in the Tacoma area, and topped out at about $75 if you pay at the door. When I get all the figures in, I can let you guys know. Also, schools that do fund raising events to donate to the conference costs will have even cheaper rates. Right now, everyone except member instructors (who have a WRCMA school affilliation) will have to pay for a copy of the journal, and those who are doing the demos or seminars will get their copy free. If we break even or make a small profit, the WRCMA will give those people who submitted work, a great rate for a copy. 

The WRCMA has been chugging along for two years now. We are looking to expand accross the nation, and make the WRCMA the virtual breeding ground for the standard in martial research. Our long term goals are to make the WRCMA the closest to a University as one can, and issue out recognition for academic work and martial skills through the auspices of the WRCMA. 

Paul, sorry for not naming the "founder." I try not to take myself too seriously, and I've issues with the term "founder" as martial artist might think I'm creating my own system or something, which I'm not. Striving for a university yes, system no. I've been crunching the website out for the last three days straight, so there might be small errors or typos, sorry. 

You are right, the WRCMA is the first as I know it, doing something like this. It is unique. I'm not too worried about standard accreditation though. For example, if I were going to put our online classes and have them accreditied through the DETC, it costs $2000 per class to have accredited, and, the class needs to be jamming for two years straight. So, every school has a period where there is a lack of accreditation. So...But as long as I get the nod from the martial community, and we police and recognize our own, that is standards and accreditation enough for me. For instance, in Sept. the WRCMA will launch two classes with lots of video watching, readings, online posting, and paper writing over a twelve-week course. The first classes will be RJKD and Aiki-ju-jutsu. We will examine the academic history of JKD and Classical styles, and pour over Lee's work, until we get to the formulation of RJKD by Datu Worden. The aiki class will go over the Japanese historical and cultural roots of aiki-ju-jutsu, and pour over its origins as an outgrowth from Kenjutsu and Jujutsu styles. 

The idea here for the WRCMA is not to make money, all profits will go on to fund for next years seminar/conference, trying to bring in the big guys to keep the info flowing, but also expand peoples horizons and knowledge base. This year, I'm bringing my Aiki-ju-jutsu instructor Shihan Annesi, who is a 7th Degree and has written for black belt, inside kung-fu, and many others. Also Datu Worden is attending who has written for inside kung fu, blackbelt, full contact, and fighting knives magazine. So we have guys who have set the standard... 

One of the great ways you can help is to join the WRCMA as a member or member instructor. FYI, this page isn't up yet ont the site. Once a member, help us develop strong standards and recognition to those individuals who do scholarly work and put the time in on the mat. I would like to have conferences on the other side of the nation as well. I guess that falls on you to organize Paul. 

Thanks...Hope this helps 

Corey Minatani
_________________
Corey Minatani 
B.A. Philosophy


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