Makalukumu wrote:
There honestly isn't much to debate. This aspect of the history of karate is clear. The Kanji for Empty and Tang can both be pronounced as "Kara" and the Japanese eventually adopted the kanji for Empty. At one point in time, karate used to be referred to as China Hand. Why are people disputing this?
The question I have said I would debate is not whether it happened, or even when it happened, but rather why it happened.
And though many might believe this is irrelevant to their training today, I believe that the history of the arts should be debated because the history is not all that clear.
Regarding the history of the role of Japanese influence on Okinawa, and karate, I think there is a great deal of misinformation and bad history out there. The history of karate, due to secrecy, and the destruction of Okinawan archives in WWII is very thin. There is not very much literature on the history.
So I believe it is within easy grasp of all of us, simply because so little exists.
As karate transitioned from a secret art practiced by small groups in Okinawa, to a public art practiced not only in Okinawan public schools, but in Japanese colleges, and eventually high schools, there were changes to the art, and even the name.
Many practicioners are very interested in what the art might have been, prior to these changes. What was the balance of kata practice, hojo undo, ti training, kobudo, prior to the modernization of karate?
What were the origins of these various training regimens.
There is a wide diversity of opinion regarding these concepts, and much, in my view, is not supported by the historical record. And the various opinions on the name change, in my opinion, go right to the heart of some of these issues.
So, in my view, it is a topic worthy of discussion.
-Cayuga Karate
