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The history channel documentary on IOGKF chief instructor, Master Morio
Higaonna, called "the human weapon" was shown on Television in Australia for
the first time last night.
On
the 23rd of April, Austar's FOX 8 channel featured the episode filmed on
location in Okinawa at the famous Higaonna Dojo and other beautiful sites
around Okinawa.
The series features MMA fighter, Jason Chambers and former NFL player, Paul
Duff who travel the world and study the various types of martial arts and
learn about there training methods before putting them into practice on
opponents.
Higaonna Sensei is described as "the Rocky of Okinawa" in this episode, in
which the master covers all aspects of the style, from meditation to Kata to
conditioning and a rare insight into traditional vital points striking.
Since the shows air, a lot of positive feedback has been received by members
of the community, all of whom were impressed by Higaonna Sensei's power and
spirit and who very taken by his humility and kindness.
To view the episode on YouTube please click the following link:
By:David Lambert jr
The International Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation of Australia (IOGKF
Australia) is pleased to announce a rare and exciting honor, with their World
Chief Instructor, Master Morio Higaonna, being promoted to the rank of 10th Dan
by his instructors in Okinawa.
Master Higaonna is a living cultural treasure on Okinawa and is really an
example of living history.
Higaonna Sensei was in Okinawa born on Christmas day in 1938. As a young boy he
trained with his father in another style of Karate and was immediately taken in
by what he saw and learnt. Soon after he began training with a school friend,
Tsunetaka Shimabukuro Sensei, in his front garden. Shimabukuro told Higaonna
Sensei of the immense power of Goju-ryu and that he should join the garden dojo
of Miyagi Chojun Bushi.
So at the age of 16, and with the appropriate introductions arranged, the young
Higaonna presented himself at the garden dojo of Miyagi Bushi to train. Miyagi
Bushi had since passed away but one of the seniors told Higaonna Sensei ‘Anichi
Miyagi is the most knowledgeable, go and learn from him.’
This began a life long relationship between Higaonna Sensei and his teacher,
Master Anichi Miyagi. Anichi Sensei is a direct disciple of Miyagi Bushi and
spent extensive time training with the latter in private at his home in the
legendary garden dojo.
When his mentor, Anichi Sensei’s, work took him over seas, Higaonna Sensei
decided too, to see more of the world. He attended Tokyo’s Takusoku university
and opened the legendary Yoyogi dojo.
Yoyogi would become one of the most famous and most attended dojo’s by
foreigners in the world during the 1970’s and early 1980’s. Higaonna Sensei
began extremely well known and earned the description as ‘the most dangerous man
in Japan in a real fight’.
In July, 1979 in Poole, England, Higaonna Sensei founded, with the permission of
many of Chojun Sensei’s senior students, the International Okinawan Goju-ryu
Karate-do Federation (IOGKF) – a federation dedicated to spreading the true
Karate, philosophy, and teachings of Miyagi Chojun Sensei throughout the world.
Today the IOGKF has over 50,000 members in over 45 different countries.
Higaonna Sensei now lives back in Okinawa where he has since established the
famous Higaonna Dojo and has credit for turning out such fine instructors such
as Sensei’s Bakkies Laubscher, Kazuo Terauchi, George Andrews, Ernie Molyneux
Nakamura Tetsuji and David Lambert, just to name a few.
However Higaonna Sensei received an even greater honor along with his 10th Dan.
Higaonna Sensei also received a special certificate signed by Aragaki Shuichi
Sensei and Miyagi An’ichi Sensei (both direct students of founder of Goju-Ryu,
Chojun Miyagi Sensei) that recognizes him as a student in the direct line
descended from Miyagi Chojun Sensei, and therefore the heir to the style.
Miyagi An’ichi Sensei and Aragaki Shuichi Sensei both felt that recognizing
Morio Higaonna Sensei as part of the Goju-Ryu lineage is important for the
future of Goju-Ryu being passed on to future generations.
Higaonna Sensei is a true living definition of a Master of Karate. His humility
and kindness knows no bounds and his technique and power will impress anyone,
from the most advanced practitioner to the non-training person. His courage in
the dojo to never give up and to push himself and his students that little bit
more is inspiring. His motto of “Look, Listen, Sweat†is motivating to the most
inexperienced beginner.
Recently Higaonna Sensei was filmed in a documentary for the history channel
called ‘the Human Weapon’ – which can be seen on you tube. Along with this he is
finishing off his latest book to go alongside his much acclaimed life’s work
‘The History of Karate.’ He also has many DVD documentaries and instructional
tools and is working on his newest series, ‘the encyclopedia of Goju-ryu’ -
which are available through Tsunami productions and Dragon Associates inc.
The IOGKF Australian organization feel very privileged to have such a man as
there Chief Instructor and look forward to Higaonna Sensei returning to
Australia in the near future. Congratulations Sensei!
Anyone interested in IOGKF Australia should visit www.iogkfoz.com.
An essay by Morio Higaonna Sensei as presented to dojo instructors
at the 2007 Oceania Gasshuku in Wellington, New Zealand.
Through investigations into the history of martial arts, I would like
to consider my own path. From the wisdom and teachings of our
predecessors in Japan and Okinawa to the modern era, martials arts like
Judo has come from Jujutsu, Kendo from old style Japanese fencing, and
the Karate Jutsu of the past to Karate Do of the present, and these
martial arts were originally created for self defence but can now be
practiced today to complete one's character.
The Chinese Taoist philosopher Laozi believed that the concept of the
path represents both mind and spiritual enlightenment. I believe that to
find this realization in life, one must practice asceticism and search
with a true heart in order to live the most ideal life as a human being.
In the Karate Symposium of October 28th, 1936, which was sponsored by
the Ryukyu Shinpo Company, Miyagi Chojun Sensei was quoted (translated
quote) as saying, "I think that the phrase Karate do (Road) should be
used, rather than just the word Karate". Funakoshi Gichin Sensei and
other top instructors agreed to this statement and together consented to
apply the word Do when referring to Karate, to create the title of
Karate Do. Keeping this in mind, I want to reflect on why Miyagi Chojun
Sensei chose the name Karate Do, and what lead up to the change not only
in name but concerning martial arts in general in Okinawa.
In 1933 Miyagi Chojun Sensei wrote a summary on Karate Do for a
lecture that he presented. In this Karate Do summary there are many
quotes (roughly translated) that refer to Zen in relation to martial
arts and life. It explains that "Karate Do is an abyss, and it is
grasped through deep thinking and understanding as is martial arts in
general". I determine this belief as the union of Zen and Martial Arts
ordered by the mind and body, which will help me concentrate on the
pursuit of true martial arts in my own life.
During his life, it is believed that Miyagi Chojun Sensei focused a
great deal on the ascetic practices of Zen meditation in his pursuit of
self, and to aid him in his training of character completion. Through
his severe training in martial arts coupled with the ascetic practices
of Zen, I feel that Miyagi Sensei was able to strive towards his own
realization and true path in life. He was a true martial artist that
only focused on this way of life, lived according to this way, and did
not stray for the duration of his life. The spread of Goju Ryu around
the world is just a testament to the art and way of life that Miyagi
Chojun Sensei was able to pass on to all the future generations.
In regards to his kata, Miyagi Chojun Sensei's ability was hard to
describe in words, as explained by his students, and his application of
hard (Go) techniques were like a thrust of incredible power in an
instant, while his soft (Ju) techniques could transition from whipping
movements to sticky (muchimi) movements with great timing, and this
application of muchimi would allow him to stick to his training partner
with great strength. It was said that watching these performances was
like watching a beautiful artwork in motion. Through his extreme and
difficult training in life Miyagi Chojun Sensei came to reach the Truth
(true path) of martial arts, and has in return left the art for the
world to practice with his teachings.
At times when Chojun Sensei would talk to a disciple he would tell
them that "One must polish their character and become one with nature,
to understand true karate", and also, "The martial arts are one with the
universe". Often he would travel north to Kunigami for training, where
there are many mountains and an equally plentiful amount of greenery and
nature. During these trips, Miyagi Sensei would immerse himself in the
nature of the mountains and the sea off the nearby coast, and it is
believed that he also meditated in the midst of the nature around him.
Miyagi Chojun Sensei was a seeker of Truth in search for the correct
path, and in closing, I believe that the ideal path in life for a
martial artist is sought only through dedication and severe training in
all aspects of Kata.
The path to true Karate Do is far away.
With belief in our teachers and ourselves, we must progress step by
step with passion. In closing, consider this advice.
Morio Higaonna
By: Bakkies Laubscher Sensei – 8th Dan, South African Chief
Instructor
from EGKA website
When someone asks you "do you have any hobbies?" and your reply is " study
karate", their response is usually in the form of a flood of questions.
Here is a list of questions and answers regarding the subject of karate.
The general public's perception of karate is often very misleading and
incorrect as a result of sensational press, television and movie
animations/projections. This often leads to a sense of disillusionment after
the first karate lesson. It remains a great pity that the commercial value
of this magnificent Martial Art is so often exploited at the expense of the
general public by opportunists or poorly qualified instructors.
Karate, (the name being a combination of two Japanese
Kanji
characters 'Kara and Te"), literally means 'Empty Hands'. It comprises of an
unarmed combat system wherein the body as a whole is trained and developed,
along with deliberate mental 'toughening' to develop aspects such as
tenacity, will-power, concentration and self discipline.
Various styles or schools or systems of Karate have developed over the
years, each emphasising a different approach to Karate training, mostly
depending on the personal preferences, qualifications and abilities of the
Teacher or '
Sensei
Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate is primarily taught by this association as a
traditional 'Martial Art' of self defence, along the traditional lines
developed over centuries.
-
What are Karate 'Styles' and what are the main differences?
Karate developed in different schools in China and later via the Ryukyu
island of Okinawato mainland Japan. These variuos schools emphasized
different aspects and concepts of fighting, mainly in the preparation of the
body and mind for effective fighting techniques.
In time, many breakaways by senior and junior students from these schools
would happen. The reasons for these breakaways would range from personal
differences, politics, the death of the Master, or Head, of the specific
school, or various other reasons.
During the previous century, qualities such as loyalty, humility and respect
were binding factors amongst practitioners, and fragmentation from existing
schools was rare, but in the last decade, it has increased to huge
dimensions. With the popularisation of karate in the west, it has become
common practise to 'branch off' on one's own - caused by the total absence
of the original martial art values of loyalty, integrity, sincerety and
endeavour.
Numerous 'mutations' from the original styles (and many totally 'out of the
blue', with no connection to these styles at all) have developed. Very
little of these could be regarded as improvement on the originals, and the
result is that a once lethal fighting art is fast becoming watered down -
mainly due to 'unqualified' or unskilled teachers, presenting something that
they have very basic or none at all, knowledge of.
Another threat to traditional Karate is the emphasis on teaching Karate as a
sport. If it is taught primarily as a self-defense, it is possible to adapt
it to a sport, but taught mainly as a sport, it is not possible to use it as
a self-defense.
-
How many styles are there and which style is the best?
There are literally thousands of styles nowadays. The original styles, with
their founders, as they were approximately sixty years ago, were the
following:
Okinawa
Goju-Ryu - Chojun Miyagi Sensei
Shorin-Ryu - Chosin Tomohana Sensei
Shorin-Ryu - Nagamine Shoshin Sensei
Uechi-Ryu - Uechi Kanbun Sensei
Shotokan - Gichin Funakoshi Sensei
Wado-Ryu - Hironori Otsuka Sensei
Shito-Ryu - Kenwa Mabuni Sensei
Goju-Ryu - Chojun Miyagi Sensei
From these styles and sometimes as a combination of these styles, the
following well-known styles also developed: Kyokushinkai, Goju-Kai and
Renbu-Kai.
A STYLE OR ORGANIZATION IS NO GUARANTEE FOR QUALITY - THE ONLY GUARANTEE IS
THE TEACHER!
-
How does one choose a good schoolof Karate?
1. Go and watch a few classes being taught. Observe the state of discipline and
the way in which it is applied - as a motivation or as punishment? What are the
measures taken by the instructor to prevent possible injuries? Small things such
as punctuality, uniformity of dress, discipline on the floor by the instructor
etc.
2. Some schools send a senior instructor around at the beginning of a term or
year to impress new members, but, thereafter, junior instructors teach the
classes. Ask the Head instructor about this.
3. By making a few inquiries regarding teaching fees, you will soon realize
whether it is a pure commercial setup or a school with a realistic tuition fee.
4. Ask for the qualifications of the instructors - are they mere Karate grades
or has any official sports coaching courses, first aid courses etc, been
attended?
5. Look at the track record of the school - How long has it been in operation
etc. Trophies on the wall are no guarantee that all students of a school are
accommodated equally.
-
At what age can one start?
We accommodate students from Peewees (pre-school) to 100 years old! One can
start training at any age - we simply adjust your training to your age and/or
physical condition. The best age to start is from school going age of 7 years.
-
What about physical handicaps, injuries, or health problems?
Karate will usually improve most of these conditions if care is taken and good
communication exists between the teacher and the student. Persons with handicaps
could possibly progress slower than their counterparts, but self-defense
training can still take place effectively. If you are not sure, first consult a
physician.
-
How long will it take to obtain a Black Belt?
For juniors, it is possible to obtain a Junior Black Belt at ages 14 or 16 after
a minimum of six (6) years training in Goju-Ryu. For seniors, the minimum age is
18 after a minimum of three (3) years training.
On the issue of frequency of gradings, it is sensible to compare it with school
exams. It is impossible to progress through more than three gradings per year
without watering down standards and dropping requirements for progress.
-
What is the highest grade?
The head of our organization,
Sensei Morio
Higaonna, one of the most famous current Karate Masters, aged 66, is a
9th Dan Black Belt and has been practicing the art for more than 55 years.
In other styles in Japan and Okinawa, there are many awards of 10th Dan. In
the western world, there are numerous so-called 10th Dan Masters.