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[JOHN THURSTON]

I hope I successfully cleared this posting with Sensei GEM.

It will be in many ways possibly offensive if misenterpreted.

For whatever reasons Uechi Ryu Split into many threads after the death of Kanei O Sensei. He was such a great man I find it hard to talk about him.

The disintegration of the "House Sensei Kanei Built" can be most upsetting.

I know the first objection that might be raised is that this is the "Western Martial Arts Forum"

So be it, I am breaking the rules. Nevertheless, I have 30 years experience, including years with GEM Sensei which I would not have missed.

In response to some things I will not address, several threads of Uechi Ryu appeared. These include but are not limited to the Zankai, Shohei-Ryu and the Kenyukai.

It is disturbing to note the variations and different interpretations one day, yet the next day they seem to me worthy of study.

I can only state that although diferences interpretations are shown, no 'earthshaking' change in the Kata has occurred. I would cheerfully have posted this in the "All about Uechi Kata" forum, but I found I could not, so do forgive me. There I might have enjoyed a spirited discussion about interpretation, but this is not to be, apparently, I am constrained to say this is not my loss alone.

I am in the Shohei-Ryu Thread for better and for worse.

As sort of a "state of the art" as it appears, I assume, to the Okinawan Karate Association's view of Uechi Ryu a DVD set has been issued.

I "am not trying to turn a buck" on this as I cannot obtain any more DVD's than i have, but it is possible that you might enjoy viewing the DVD with a Shohei -Ryu friend.

The DVD's do contain an excellent if brief history of Okinawa, hilighting Okinawa's natural beauty, the longevity of its people, and its place in Martial Arts development as, in my words, the three jewels in Okinawa's Crown. No disparagement of other interpretations is made.

The horrific battle of Okinawa is mentioned, of course.

I am informed, as a parallel of sorts, that the three Jewels in China's Martial Arts Crown are T'ai Chi (and perhaps its subset Liu Hei Ba Fa) Hsing I and Pakua from which I think Uechi is related, if distantly.

Master Tomoyose's interpretation of his favorite Kata is included .

He does not look much older than he did when I first met him in 1983 thanks to the efforts of GEM Sensei to bring him to the US.

Since I will probably never travel to Okinawa this experience was to me absolutely beyond any price..

This is just intended as an informative post.


JT