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OKINAWAN
KOBUDO SEMINAR
Ryukyu
Kobudo Tesshinkan
August 13 -
15, 2004
Parksville,
B.C. Canada
With
special guest:
Sensei
Hidemi Tamayose, Kyoshi, 8th Dan
President
of the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan
Along with a group of my
senior students I recently spent another three day
training camp in the "original weapons system of
Okinawa" with one of the finest Okinawan weapons
masters teaching in the world today, Sensei Hidemi
Tamayose, Kyoshi, 8th Dan, President of the Ryukyu Kobudo
Tesshinkan.
To give you a brief history
of Okinawan kobudo, Taira Shinken (1897-1970) established
the "Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai", (Ancient
Weapons Promotion and Preservation Society) in 1955, and
upon his death in 1970, Sensei Akamine Eisuke (1925-1999)
his senior student, inherited the leadership of the
organization.
In 1982 Tamayose
Sensei began studying directly under Akamine Sensei at
the Hozon Shinko Kai Hombu Dojo. As one of the senior
students Tamayose Sensei was ranked Nana Dan, 7th Dan, by
Akamine Sensei and Hatchi, 8th Dan, by the Okinawa Ken
Karate Do Rengo Kai, and he served as the Chairman of the
Board of Directors until the death of Akamine Sensei in
1999.
Tamayose Sensei, in order
to perpetuate Ryukyu Kobudo in the manner he had been
taught by his teacher Eisuke Akamine Sensei, formed the
"Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan" on May 22, 1999.
In the
beginning
Sensei Tamayose, as always,
made the ten bo basics the foundation of our daily
training, morning, afternoon, and evening. Lasting from
and hour to an hour and a half each session this was a
great way to warm up prior to moving on to kata.
Following the bo basics the various katas including, the bo kata, Shushi
no Kon Sho, the tekko kata, Maezato no Tekko, the
nunchaku kata, Maezato no Nunchaku, and the sai kata,
Chikin Shitahaku no Sai.
In the end
a great deal of knowledge was imparted to all of the
students during the three day event. I know that everyone
involved in this camp will take back to their respective
dojo's, wonderful memories, new friendships, as well as a
renewed desire to work hard on all aspects of their
kobudo.
Focused on
the task at hand
Sempai Katharine Kaye stays
focused during the kata, Shushi no Kon Sho. Within the Ryukyu Kobudo
Tesshinkan there are ten basic bo movements that need to
be demonstrated correctly on both the right and left side.
All ten basics must be performed is a specific series,
which not only promotes good skills, but also allows the
student to learn one form correctly before going on to
the next one after which Shushi no Kon Sho is the first bo
kata a student is taught. Unlike some North American version of this
kata the use of hip rotation in Okinawan katas is
considered extremely important and as such is strongly
emphasised during each movement of the kata.
Taking
their turn
Out in
front of the class with Sensei Tamayose watching very
closely, Sempai Katharine Kaye, and Sempai Marilyn Norman
go through the kata Shushi no Kon Sho together, while
another group of students await their turn on the floor.
Sensei
Nicholson
Sensei
Martin Nicholson, one of the highest ranked student in
Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan, makes regular trips to Okinawa
to train with Sensei Tamayose in his private dojo which
is attached to his home. During the many weeks of
personal one on one training that he has received in
Okinawa over the past ten years Sensei Nicholson has
established himself as one of the foremost practitioners
of old Okinawan Kobudo.
A watchful
eye
Throughout the weekend
Sensei Martin Nicholson kept a close eye on all of the
students, and especially on all the corrections, no
matter how small, that were made by Sensei Tamayose.
Those students seated beside him also paid very close
attention knowing that their turn in front of the Master
and the other students was just minutes away.
Attention
to detail
No detail
was to small to escape Sensei Tamayose's attention. Here
Sempai Tim Trytten gets an up close, one on one lesson,
on the finer points of the kata, Maezato no Tekko. Sensei
Martin Nicholson who hosted the seminar in his newly
completed dojo can be seen watching in the background.
Well done Sensei, the dojo is great, you are to be
congratulated on a wonderful facility.
Four on the
floor
Working in groups of four
Sensei Tamayose put all of the students through their
paces at various point throughout the day. Seen here
waiting their turn are, Sempai Marilyn Norman, Sensei
Colleen Nicholson, Uwe Bartley, and Sempai Katharine Kaye.
Up next
Hands on is
the best way to learn, here sensei Tamayose makes sure
with two hands that Uwe Bartley knows just where he wants
his upper hand to be at this point in the kata. As with
any kata, the correct placement of the hands and feet,
along with proper body posture, are all critical to
proper performance.
Satisfied
with what he sees
A little
further through the same kata, Maezato no Tekko, Sensei
Tamayose once again checks on Uwe's technique, stance,
and posture. This time satisfied with what he saw he
moved on to the next student in line who also performed
equally well.
Posture
first
Sensei
Tamayose is always careful to stress that everything
begins with good posture. Here he make sure that Sempai
Marilyn Norman has her shoulders in the proper position
before moving on with her lesson. Once again hands on
helps the student to not only feel what is required, but
this method also helps to instil body memory for those
times when the students are practicing alone.
Leading by
example
Setting the
pace for everyone to follow Sensei Tamayose was always
ready to lead by example when ever he felt it would help
the students on the floor, or those waiting their turn,
to better understand the point he was trying to make.
Always a
beginner
While I hold Dan ranks in
both Shotokan Karate and Goju Ryu Karate, in the years
that I have been a member of the Ryukyu Kobudo
Tesshinkan I have never graded for any rank within the
organization. As a result, since being granted
membership in the Tesshinkan, when ever I attend one of
Sensei Tamayose's training camps I always make sure I am
wearing a white belt, not a black one, and the same holds
true for all of my students. As with all things in life
if you want to learn anything, the first step is to keep
and open mind, and the second step, is to always be sure
that you check your ego at the door.
More than
four
Bringing up several groups
on this occasion Sensei Tamayose took everyone through Maezato no Tekko
one more time before the lunch break, just to be sure
that everyone was on the same page. Knowing what was
coming in the afternoon session, however, most students
ate very little, and instead used the time to go over
what they had already been taught.
Sempai Jim
Luck
A long time
student of Sensei Nicholson's, Jim is a serious student
of kobudo, as well as Goju Ryu karate. At the end of the
three day camp Sempai Jim successfully graded for the
rank of Ni Dan in the Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan. Well done Jim - and
congratulations from all of the Victoria students.
Maezato no
Nunchaku
During a solo performance
of her nunchaku kata Sempai Colleen Nicholson could
always be seen in an excellent stance. Here Colleen is
getting set to start moving forward into one of the final
moves of the kata.
Kobudo
bunkai
Just prior
moving on to the sai kata, Chiken Shitahaku no Sai,
Sensei Tamayose and Sensei Nicholson did a demonstration
showing some of the bunkai applications that would apply
to Maezato no Nunchaku.
Everyone
got a turn
Tamayose Sensei, through
out the weekend, made sure that each and every student
had the opportunity to demonstrate what they had learnt
in front of their fellow students. Sempai Katharine Kaye
always made a point of working on good form when ever she
was selected.
- Just so
- In the afternoon of the
second day Sensei Tamayose once again spent time with
each group of four, this time it was to make sure that
all of the important aspects of the sai kata, Chikin Shitahaku
no Sai, were adhered to. Nothing escaped his expert eye and all of
his instructions were very detailed and specific.
-
- Sai kata
- With his years of dedicated
training behind him Tamayose Sensei made every part of
the sai kata he demonstrated look both powerful and
smooth. To my left Sensei Colleen Nicholson shows good
form during on of the many, many times we followed Sensei
Tamayose through Chikin Shitahaku no Sai. Mo ichi do was a
common phrase indeed.
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- An
autographed bo
- After the
training was over Sensei Tamayose very kindly took the
time to sign everyone's bo with the their name, the date,
and name of his organization. I know that all of the
students in attendance appreciated the gesture.
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- At the end
of it all a grading
- At the end of the camp
several students took the opportunity to grade in front
of Sensei Tamayose, and Sensei Nicholson. The ranks being
sought ranged from brown belt to Ni Dan and each student
knew in advance that very few mistakes would be permitted.
A minimum score of 70.0 was required in order to pass.
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- A good
score
- All of the
students who graded at this years Parksville summer camp
passed successfully which had not been the case earlier
in the week at the grading that had taken place after the
Vancouver seminar. Here Colleen Nicholson receives the
results and her point score from sensei Tamayose.
Congratulations to all of those who graded.
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- We can't
wait until next year
- Thank you
Sensei Tamayose for your time, and your knowledge. Both
are greatly appreciated. Once again, as in past years, every
student left the camp with a real appreciation for the
skill and knowledge of this very talented, very humble,
and very generous man.
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- Part the
clouds - see the way.
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- "The
objective of kobudo is to contribute to the evolution
- of the
human spirit through physical and mental training."
- Sensei
Peter Lindsay
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