While studying Taika
Oyata's system of Life Protection, what was being taught was in a
continual state of modification/improvement. This was being done (by
Taika) in order to move student's closer to how Taika
performed his technique's.
When the board announced
that the (20+ year old “tapes”) would be used as examples
of “kata standards” (for testing purposes), I was
shocked. Frankly, we haven't performed the kata as
demonstrated on those tapes,for
15+ years (?). I'm
forced to presume that
they are meaning only
for the kyu-ranks and
possibly for Shodan (testing?)
purposes. We don't know,
because the association guideline/manual hasn't been released
(yet). Again, (presumably), that manual will be released at this year's Summer Conference.
While some people will
say basic, intermediate
and/or advanced, Taika would only say technique or kata.
Much of what had been taught to student's in the earlier years
(20+ years ago), were (only) stepping stones to what he
intended to eventually (evolve into) becoming his
techniques. This was particularly true with the instruction
of kata.
What Taika had his Yudansha student's teach (to their
students) to prepare for their Shodan Examination, were the commonly
practiced manners of performing the Kata.
Once having completed
that examination, those students would rarely repeat
those kata in that particular manor again (at least for their
own training purposes, and certainly not for the
purpose of further rank examination).
At the Yudansha level
(for his student's, i.e. all the Yudansha, LOL) Taika's
manner of performing the kata (within his system) was
different than what is commonly seen amongst other
Okinawan methodologies. Taika included additional motions
(that had been demonstrated to the membership) that were
expected to be performed when practicing the kata (as well as
during any further rank examinations).
When the student had
completed their Shodan examination, they were expected to
practice all of the (taught) kata, with each of the addendum
motions that Taika had
been demonstrating/teaching.
When viewed in this perspective, it made
(more) sense that someone would spend 10 years working
on a (any) single kata.
The most common response
made (when I make this statement) is that Taika was just “making-up”
his changes/addendum's to the kata. Perhaps, but they each made
sense, each one served a purpose and
after having made
those changes, it feels awkward
(if not stupid) to do
them any other way.
IMO,
Taika was both extremely talented
and extremely fortunate.
He was fortunate to of
been provided with the guidance and instruction that he received from
two of the last
instructor's from an era
that this information was (actually) used,
and he was talented
enough to be able to expand
upon that information, as well as be able to incorporate it into
everything that he
learned and taught.
As
Taika often said, anyone
can learn kicky-punchy karate,
only the dedicated
student can learn The Life Protection Arts.
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