honorary black belt

[OnlyAnEgg]

Sensei told me the story of an honorary Black Belt he bestowed some years ago:

When Sensei started his dojo, it was on a shoestring budget in a small community. From the start, there was an elderly woman that would attend, observe really, the class each day it was open. After a couple of months, she approached Sensei and gave him a substantial donation to the dojo, saying, 'Get those kids some equipment.' He did. She contimued to attend the classes, watching the children progress. Thereafter, Sensei held a ceremony, bestowing her with an honorary Black Belt for her commitment to the kids, the community and the dojo. Her family came from out of state to attend the ceremony.

Her visits to the dojo became fewer and fewer over the course of time and, soon after, she passed away. Sensei attended the funeral, honoring her memory. She was wearing the belt and was buried with it on.

It was a way of saying thank you to a woman that did a good thing in the way she saw best.

 

[Flying Crane]

Sensei told me the story of an honorary Black Belt he bestowed some years ago:

When Sensei started his dojo, it was on a shoestring budget in a small community. From the start, there was an elderly woman that would attend, observe really, the class each day it was open. After a couple of months, she approached Sensei and gave him a substantial donation to the dojo, saying, 'Get those kids some equipment.' He did. She contimued to attend the classes, watching the children progress. Thereafter, Sensei held a ceremony, bestowing her with an honorary Black Belt for her commitment to the kids, the community and the dojo. Her family came from out of state to attend the ceremony.

Her visits to the dojo became fewer and fewer over the course of time and, soon after, she passed away. Sensei attended the funeral, honoring her memory. She was wearing the belt and was buried with it on.

It was a way of saying thank you to a woman that did a good thing in the way she saw best.

OK, now this is completely justifiable. Nobody has any misconceptions about what the belt meant, or what it signified, including the woman. It was done as an act of respect and gratitude to someone who did your sensei an act of kindness. Given these circumstances, I see nothing wrong with it. Chances of the honorary rank being used irresponsibly to dupe people are non-existant, and I seriously doubt it gave the woman an ego trip.

 

[OnlyAnEgg]

It did not give her an ego trip at all, as I understood the story. It was a point of honor her and she was justifiably proud.

 

[arnisador]

OK, now this is completely justifiable. Nobody has any misconceptions about what the belt meant, or what it signified, including the woman. It was done as an act of respect and gratitude to someone who did your sensei an act of kindness. Given these circumstances, I see nothing wrong with it.

Yes, I don't have a problem with this...though others have pointed out that even well-meaning people will sometimes try to trade on their new-found status. One never knows!

 

[Solidman82]

It's arguments like these that really make me thankful that I don't have a system that uses belts, I don't care about belts, and belts don't really mean anything anyway.

 

[James Kovacich]

I couldn't find the issue. I thought I bought it but I guess not. I usually buy an issue if theres an article worth reading but I guess there was not in that issue (for me).

But I do distictly remember 2 honorary black belts. 1 Karate and 1 Judo. Thats what I remember. But this is from Genes site.

Gene LeBell promoted to 9th Degree by the Kodokan, Japan
http://www.genelebell.com/news.asp

And heres Genes sites descrition of the promotion.
[FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]Promotion to 9th Degree [/FONT][FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica][/FONT][FONT=verdana,arial,helvetica]Gene LeBell has made a tremendous contribution to the martial arts community, and though he will stoutly deny it, he is admired and appreciated by nearly all of the greatest fighters alive today. In 2000, Chairman Gene LeBell was promoted to the rank of 9th Degree Black Belt in US JU-JITSU and US TAIHO JUTSU by the United States Ju-Jitsu Federation (USJJF), The National Governing Body for Ju-Jitsu in the United States of America.

On February 26, 2005, the USJJF's Central Technical Committee (CTC) through its National Program of USA TRADITIONAL KODOKAN JUDO (USA-TKJ), officially announced the Recognition of Life-Time of Achievements, Outstanding Leadership & Original Contributions to Traditional Judo by Gene LeBell and his Promotion to the Traditional Kodokan Judo Dan Grade of Kudan, 9th Degree Black Belt.

Congratulations for this Most Well-Deserved Recognition & Promotions.

Respectfully, Lt.Col. Bruce R. Bethers, (US ARMY Ret.), President, USJJF
http://www.genelebell.com/news.asp#35kudan[/FONT]

I'm confused. I know I read about the honorary promotion but on his site it says promoted by the Kodokan. Then it says it was the USJJF recognizing him in Kodokan Judo. Dosen't sound like the Kodokan had anything to do with it.

 

[James Kovacich]

I didn't see anyone from the USJJF here.
http://www.judoinfo.com/judan.htm

I don't see a problem with an outside organization doing the promoting but the issue is promoting in "Kodokan Judo." They should have promoted him in Judo, American Judo or Gene Lebells Judo or something that they agree describes his art.