Kanchin...Kamei Uechi?

[Bill Glasheen]

The two Sakugawa no Kun clips on this site are an excellent example of either divergence over time or two completely different kata having the same name. The 4th clip in the 2nd row, demonstrated by Yoshio Teruya, is the Sakugawa no Kun of Matayoshi Ryu kobudo. I do not know which kobudo style the one demonstrated by Naonobu Ahagon (4th clip in the 1st row) is from. It's a stretch to find many similarities between them.

There's a Sakugawa dai ichi and dai ni, Glenn, and they are two different forms. There was a time when I did them both.

- Bill

[Glenn]

There's a Sakugawa dai ichi and dai ni, Glenn, and they are two different forms. There was a time when I did them both.

- Bill

Interesting. Matayoshi Ryu only teaches a single Sakugawa no Kun, I wonder if it is the dai ichi or the dai ni.

[GojuMaster]

Unlike Taira-lineage Ryukyu Kobudo, who practices 2-3 versions of both Shushi Nu Kun and Sakugawa Nu Kun, the Matayoshi line only practices one of each.

In my opinion, Matayoshi's version of Shushi Nu Kun appears to be similary to Taira's Shusho Nu Kun Dai and Matayoshi's version of Sakugawa Nu Kun appears to be most similar to Taira's Sakugawa Nu Kun Sho.

Interesting. Matayoshi Ryu only teaches a single Sakugawa no Kun, I wonder if it is the dai ichi or the dai ni.

[Bill Bauknecht]

Bill,
I could be wrong but wasn't that Miyagi at one of George's summer camps at Thompson Island? I think he lead the exercises from up on the platform. I am thinking he may also have been the Okinawan champion for several years. Again I could be wrong. Also, I'm not sure what year, it could have been the same camp, when Kanmei Uechi did a seisan inside the gym and goofed up one move. I also remember when the senior group, Thompson Island, in the gym, were all doing their three kata for their godan rank. My sensei, Art Rabesa, goofed up but looked great doing it. He made up a new kata as he went, mixing seisan and sanseiryu. (Unintentionally) I think I have all of the above on film somewhere. George and Van must remember that. Art told me later that George came up to him when he was finished and very quietly said, "Art, what the f... was that?? And he had to do it again. He smoked it this time and all gave a big round of applause, including the other seniors. At that time I didn't even know sanseiryu. I still threaten Art with that tape. When Master Uechi and my sensei goofed up,,it made me feel pretty good, I did it all the time.
Bill

[Van Canna]

George and Van must remember that. Art told me later that George came up to him when he was finished and very quietly said, "Art, what the f... was that??

If someone ever asks you _the kata F!@@upper_ the same question...you can say it was a demonstration on how to recover from the tactical mistakes one is bound to make in a street confrontation.

The person who screws up a movement, recovers in his own way, and moves on has a lot teach.


Rabesa demonstrated this principle when working a pub down the cape in his younger years.

Then his kata was the going back and forth to the bar hook his fingers into beer mugs' handles and serve the customers at the tables.

Some punk stuck his foot out and tripped him causing ''kata interrupt" _ spilling beer mugs on the floor.

He calmly got up went back to the bar for more mugs.

Then he returned to the punk's table and smashed a fist full of mugs into his face.

[gmattson]

when a student "stops" after making a mistake.... I tell them "Now you have made two mistakes!"

Never stop... Keep going and recover.... as though nothing happened. (There was a clip someone posted of an Okinawan using a horizontal elbow strike in seisan, instead of a vertical one. He just kept going. ... and now people are discussing whether his dojo practice a different seisan! )

My comment to Art was simply a good-natured "poke in the ribs"... something that can only be done among friends and "in person".

[Van Canna]

Good post George.

[Van Canna]

My comment to Art was simply a good-natured "poke in the ribs"... something that can only be done among friends and "in person".

You might remember our expression about "Rabesa Ryu" ?

He never got fazed by any claims of superiority or criticism_

His comments were "Van, I'll just knock them out" and shrug his shoulders.

It is like those punks that attacked him in Chinatown [not Chinese] they could not tell if they were hit by a runaway train or a human being as they lay with crushed sternum and jaws in the emergency room, prompting a call to Art by the ER doctors when he was rooming with Maloney who never laughed so hard in his life.

The doctors wanted to know if Art had hit them with a car.

[Stryke]

His comments were "Van, I'll just knock them out" and shrug his shoulders.

theres some serious Zanshin right there Van

[Bill Bauknecht]

I'm glad you remember that Rabesa Kata. The story gets better with each telling. I am going to dig out that tape one of these days. Your are right Van, it looked great, especially to us students. I was maybe a shodan or nidan. We didn't know any better until he told me later. The "confrontation" you speak of,,you failed to mention that one of them had a very badly injured leg as well. (BADLY) The police ask Art if he wanted to press charges. They actually had tried to steal his car, while he and Sharon were in it!!! He was so worried about HIS getting charged with something, he preferred not to press charges himself. I have to view that kata tape,,a jab in the ribs or a little jab in the ear. All I can say, is the building was smoking the second time around. Just like when he use to demonstrate his breaking. Like 9" of concrete, it would crumble and he would just glare and you could see him almost growling like a dog. We had a serious conversation after my diagnosis, talking about old times and the future. He commented to me that he hadn't changed over the years. I laughed and said oh yeah, you've changed. Not in the fire, he still has all that, but his teaching. He was able to take everything good about Uechi ryu, break it down and strive to perfect it. You do that Van, of course George, Bobby and so many others who have made Uechi even more effective. All of your students show it. Art doesn't use a computer, he would kick my butt if he knew I was bragging about him. I would not be here today if I hadn't walked into his dojo all those years ago. There are a few of us who know that Art is among the few most loyal and dedicated practioners today. I'd go to the wall for him, and he knows it.
Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

I've had 2 students who have won trophies at tournaments when having goofed kata. The tournament was put on by Japanese karate stylists. They didn't know the difference. The judges just saw good technique, power, and mindset, and rewarded the effort. They never knew there was a goof, and my students never telegraphed it.

I have an instruction for my more advanced students when doing yakusoku kumite on a test. If their partner does the "wrong" technique somewhere, they should respond with the appropriate technique. If they do, they get extra credit. If they don't then they too get dinged.

And if I see my partner "anticipating" a technique in yakusoku kumite...

And that's the way life works, no?

- Bill