January, 1997 Mailbag

From: Public User \ Internet: (public@uwyo.edu)
Subject: tekko kata
I just finished browsing through your web page and was very much impressed. I hold the rank of third kyu in Shorin-Ryu karate and practice with the bo and nunchuks. My instructor, O-shihan Dan Hausel, practices and teaches many weapons including the spear, tonfa and sai but I never heard of tekko. Could you give a description of the actual weapon? I am a horseman too and wonder if only the metal stirrup is used or is the stirrup leather also attached? Also, a description of the kata would be great. Thank you for any assistance.
Ernst Arnold

I'll post your letter. I'm sure, one of our resident experts will give you a detailed explanation. Kimo Wall demonstrated this weapon as well as many other traditional Okinawan weapons at last year's camp. Hopefully he will be giving a return performance this year. Perhaps you will be able to join us. GEM

Hi Sensei. Dropped into an internet cafe to use their Netscape to at least get on the chatpage, as they don't have Powwow loaded, but the necessary java class isn't ready on this system. Is there a site this must be downloaded from?

In the meantime, the proprietor of this place has a 386 SX 33mhz with 4 megs and an internal modem as well as a new battery and a Canon Bubble Jet. He wanted too much but appeared ready to haggle; I'm hoping he'll accept my Mamiya C33 medium-format in a straight trade (I bought if for $150; in mint condition it'd be worth about $450).

Saw the guy who ripped off my stuff last night on Robson Street - but there's never a cop around when you need one. I've begun putting the word out on the street that I know his face, etc., and he might as well leave BC forever unless I at least get the data in my personal directories back, if not the whole system. Turned out he only got one camera - the ME Super and its 28-80 and power winder, so I've still got my other two Pentaxes and the other lenses, as well as the serial number on the stolen camera items.

Missing the quietude (and the security) of Seton, but the economics of reality dictate where I have to be right now. I'm setting up a new webpage for Ampro Photoworkshops (www.ampro-photo.com), which should be spiffed up from its current textual humdrum in about two weeks, if you'd pay the courtesy of a visit. I've decided to include a "Hot Gear" listing of stolen goods that hopefully will become an internet-central checkpoint for used camera stuff.

Other than that, working on some ideas to generate a low-bandwidth photo gallery system; I'll let you know how successful it is, and maybe it will be useful at Uechi-Ryu online.

Wish I could be on the Conference tonight, but I doubt they'd let me install Powwow on their system. Oh well, hopefully I'll be on line on my own system by next time.

Regards (amid all the rain.....)

Mike Cleven

Subject: Fight or flight syndrome

I just read your excerpt re this. I'm interested in the study you referred to regarding police officers under stress? Do you know the name or where I can locate this study. I'd really appreciate any help on this. Thanks. Seth Flagsberg

I received this information from Van Canna, while he was researching his article on the subject of Fight or flight syndrome. Both Van and Jimmy Maloney have extensive experience in this area and I'll pass your message on to them. Meanwhile, perhaps other visitors to this site will be able to help you locate the study. GEM

I received a copy of pat McCarthy's Official newsletter and he said the following (very nice) thing about us: Angel Lemus

Congratulations to American Colleague, Sensei Angel Lemus who, only after enormous preparation and lenghty efforts, has successfully launched his new magazine "BUGEISHA". Like our friend, Wayne Muromoto's publication "Furyu" in Hawaii, so too is BUGEISHA a magazine dedicated to promoting traditional Japanese/Okinawa budo culture.

BUGEISHA will regularly feature research articles by some of the world's leading foreign experts. The premiere issue, out in december '96 features John Sells, Bruce Heilman, George Alexander, George Mattson and Rudy Crosswell. I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get my subscription. This is really an exciting time in modern karate history, as new and more reliable sources of information are becoming available, the ambiguity which once shrouded the martial arts has now been all but removed. The Int'l Ryukyu Karate Research Society is happy to place BUGEISHA on it's "recommended reading list" along with Journal of Asian Martial Arts, Furyu, FAI, Australasian, and World of MArtial Arts. Mr. Lemus can be contacted at email: bugeisha@deltanet.com.

Was browsing the web instead of chatting; found a really interesting site that actually mentions Uechi-Ryu. Have you seen this before? Is anyone you/we know taking part????

http://www.MA-Festival.com/97.htm

Amazingly, I found it via www.schwarzenegger.com

Mike Cleven

From: William Hall \ Internet: (w.l.hall@ix.netcom.com)
GEM,
All are welcome in our Dojo. If you want to see what the other half is doing, stop in for a visit.
WLH

Thanks for the invite, William. Susan and I hope to be in your area sometime in February. I'll call when we have a definate date. Hope others will work out with you when they are in the area as well. GEM

From: UechiRu@aol.com \ America Online: (UECHIRU)
To: gmattson \ Internet: (gmattson@usa1.com)

Subject: Additions to Instructor Listing:

NORTH CAROLINA:
Ray Soltis (Ni-dan - Okinawa Karate-Do Association #: 1934)
Dojo - Uechi-ryu of North Carolina
High Point, North Carolina - 910-869-9118

Thanks for the update Ray. I'll get your listing in later today.
Stay in touch. . . let us know what is happening in N. Carolina. GEM

Subject: Places to study

I'm a former student of Charles Earle in Providence. I was wondering what locations are available in Rhode Island, so that I may start my eight year old son.

We have a few locations in Rhode Island that are listed in the Uechi-ryu On-Line Magazine, under "Instructors list".
If you do not have a "browser", email me again and I'll send you a list. GEM

Dear George,
Finally joined the 20th century. Saw your web site address in Richie's tournament brochure and was just surfing around. We had a baby boy on Dec. 6 1996. His name is Nathan. He joins his brother Noah and also has red hair and blue eyes. My new address is ToDvora@aol.com. Hope you and Susan are well. We look forward to seeing you at the tournament in May.
Best regards,
Dvora Lange Callahan

Welcome to the 20th century Dvora. Nice to hear from you. You didn't include your "dojo" address!!!!!

Hope all is well with you and your family.
BTW, how about an ad for your successful Brokerage business??? You should be the "official" martial arts stock broker on the Uechi site! GEM

Greetings George Mattson, Sensei,

I have been a student of Goju-ryu since 1975 and I have a strong desire to learn more about very related styles like Uechi-ryu. If possible please send me information about any Uechi dojo near me, seminars, or other training opportunities that you may offer.
Thank you,
Michael Hayes
Anderson, S. Carolina

Dear Mr. Mattson,

Yes, I have seen most of your web site, and my poem in print. (You should have heard me shout when I saw it.) I have also seen Bill Glasheen's letter (please excuse my horrible spelling) and feel greatly honored by it, and the comments written about me. I regret that I must send this by "snail mail", but our family computer is not online. My dad found the web site at work and brought it home on disk over Christmas vacation. I have enjoyed it. I somehow disbelieve that it is really my work on the net, where friends of mine at my dojo have already found it. I am keeping up with my writing as much as possible - I not only take karate at Mike Rozumek's, but I am on the SWAT team, the demonstration team, I tutor, and I have to keep up with my homework. I have gotten into the habit of reserving a couple hours on Friday or Saturday for writing. My goal is to eventually publish a book, because my dream is to be an author and teach part time at a dojo. I am looking forward to next year's camp.

Sincerely,

Sandra Lubben
Pepperell, MA

Your poem on the Summer Camp page has been read and enjoyed my many visitors. You certainly are a gifted writer and will, I am sure, have no difficulty in finding a publisher who will appreciate your talent. GEM

George: Ron Klein has a good idea with the mirror image kata. Bill Glasheen stresses it in Richmond and makes it part of belt tests. The Seisan jump takes on a new meaning when done left sided. Going thru 5 or 6 kata each way in succession really challenges the brain. The end result is that I am comfortable performing many techniques in left or right orientation. I have yet to try any weapons kata or bunkai in mirror image but I bet it would be interesting. Perhaps Ron will make that part of the requirements for his Kobudo dan ranks.

Rich Castanet Richmond VA

George...

What a pleasure to hear from you! Sorry to hear you lost your email addresses, but glad you recovered my address. Who was the student who asked about me?

I checked the current set of letters on your web site, but I didn't see anyone asking about me. I would very much like to renew contact with anyone from the past who asks about me.

I like your web site. Lots of activity, and the amount of mail you handle is truly astounding. You do manage to bring out many different points of view on your web site, and that's an important service to Uechi-Ryu students.

Seeing Al Ford's picture brings back a lot of memories. I have one of his small oil paintings hanging in my office, and I have the large violinist painting hanging on the wall going up the stairs to my dojo. I suppose it's fitting that Al be with me every morning when I go upstairs to work out.

I've been working out solo for three years. Not another student in sight, so I spend most of my time working on the katas. It is a marvelous experience to see the promise you made in your first book about how the katas will unfold the second time around the circle actually happens in such an environment.

Each day I warm up carefully, using an exercise bike to replace running you and I used to do together. Then the regular warmup exercises, followed by three Sanchin and the full cycle of katas. Then "advanced" Sanchin, where I try to apply what I've learned from the advanced katas. The really interesting part is then applying these insights to the next few katas in the cycle. Haven't tried to do an advanced Seisan yet, maybe in another year or two. But it is a totally engrossing experience, and the high that I get as a result is most interesting.

This is not something I can do by working out once a week. Far from it. I find it necessary to work out nearly every day. Ellen insists I take off Sundays to rest and heal from the week's exertions, and business sometimes intrudes on another morning. But the results speak for themselves, in both physical and psychological health!

Your three books and the video are all I have for instruction up here, and they are a good way to refresh myself on the fundamentals as I try to uncover the hidden parts of the Uechi-Ryu system. A most interesting challenge, in every sense of the word...

Take care, and the best of everything to you in the new year!

------------------
Harry Brawley

Remember when we used to talk about students of ours who were 60+ years old and who were in great shape because they studied Uechi-ryu? Now we can talk about ourselves! Its nice to hear from you. Stay in touch and stay healthy. GEM

Mr. Doss requested membership in NAC. I asked him to submit some background information about himself and his dojo. Our membership committee decided to create a special "Associate" Membership, based on the following correspondance which I hope you will enjoy. GEM

Dear Sir,
Many thanks for your kind letter. I am teaching Karrate in the Little Lillys English School as per Urechi style. I am a retired person and I do this for the above school students without charging any fee. I do this to popularize this art and I have devoted my entire life for this great art. I get a small pension with which I am able to sustain my famiy who support me in this hobby of mine. The school gives me all the encouragement and necessary help to popularize this great art.It is my wish that you take me as your member and help me to popularize the art further. My bio-data is as follows: 1.) Glori Doss S. 2.) c/o Little Lillys English School, 201, 2nd main, Mahalakshmi Layout,
Bangalore-560 086 INDIA. 3.) E: Mail lillys@giasbg01.vsnl.net.in 4.)
Age: 42 years; Male. 5.) Qualifications: MA [Political Sciences] 6.)
Karrate:
Rank: Black belt 5th dan[godan] [Awarded by Ricki Wong, Grand Master International Karate Academy, Box-99 Kuala lumpur Malasia] 7.) Experience: 20 years. 8.) Teaching Experience: 15 yrs. 9.) Life member of international karrate academy LM14001/95. 10.) Presently working independently as karrate Master.
Sir, I would be happy if you could extend affiliation to your esteemed organization.
Thanking You,
Yours faithfully, Glori Doss.

Dear Sir,
Thank you very much for your kind letter. Yes I do agree that my style is presently different from yours. However I still need some help/encouragement from you. I had visited your web site as advised and took some time to come to the conclusion that: 1.) Of all the sites on Internet, only yours is `friendly' & beckoning. 2.) Your style is totally new here in these parts.

Hence, I am prepared to learn your Uechi-riyu, right from scratch, if need be and teach kids here. As I already know a little about karate, I shall quickly learn provided I get a video cassette in english from you. I would like to know how much money I have to send you for the cassette. I need your mailing address also. I would be greatful if I could receive from you the associate membership and the symbol of your Institution, so that I may be allowed to use them on letter heads etc.,

If you have any images.jpg in your gallery about Uechi-riyu fundamentals or text matter on introduction etc., I shall request the school staff to download the same from your web site. The school has greatly helped me to be linked to you who I understand is like minded and share the same heart-throb > karate!

Thanking You, Best regards from the Garden City, Bye!
Glori Doss.

Dear Sensei Mattson,

I have a few questions with regards to this years summer camp.

The first one is, Could you please send me a sheet outlining the dates costs
of the various packages etc that I may pin up in the dojo in order to arouse
some interest.
The form on your website to register on screen isn't in a format that I can
print.

A list of who may be attending as instructors this year.

I think thats it for now.

Should be at least 5 coming from our dojo this year, maybe more.

Sincerely,
Marco Di Giosia

Thanks for asking Marco. Quite a few Canadians have been asking about camp literature. I just completed a USA mailing and am planning one next month for Canada. The prices are the same as last year. Most of last year's teaching staff are returning along with many new and exciting instructors. Last year will be difficult to top, but I'm going to try. GEM

From: MCDON5@aol.com \ America Online: (MCDON5)
To: gmattson \ Internet: (gmattson@usa1.com)

Subject: long time, no hear from

Dear George,

It's been a long time but surfing the net I came across you. Hope everything's going well for you and yours.

I'm in San Diego now. I've been here since transferring from Okinawa in Jul94. I'm still in the Marine Corps (Master Sergeant, 22 years of proud service). I'm now trying to decide if I should hang up the Marine uniform or take ANOTHER tour back to Okinawa next summer. I've been lucky, the Marine Corps has already offered me 13 years on Okinawa and I can now take another 3 years if I want. It's a tough decision because I'd like to get on with my life (whatever that means these days). Any input?

I'm teaching private lessons out of my garage. I don't want to open a "commercial" dojo yet. Everyone out here wants 3 year leases and I don't know where I'll be in 1 year.

I'd like to hear from you if you have time.

Sincerely,

Jerry McDonald

What a pleasant surprise. Good to hear from you Jerry! Funny... just this Saturday in class your name came up. I'm working on another article for Bugeisha Magazine and told my class how interested the public has become in us "old timers" and how the magazine wanted me to continue writing about my early training and teaching. I explained that I was quite a "clutz" back in the 60s and 70s, only beginning to "mature" in Uechi-ryu in the 80s. I then mentioned that one day a certain military person would be back to blackmail me with early movies of me doing kata and how that event would end my hi flying reputation with the public!

Anyway. .. . in spite of the blackmail threat, I am most happy to hear that you are doing so well.

Another long standing military vet, Mark Brelsford, has retired from the Marines and settled down in Rhode Island recently. Hopefully you do the same one of these days.

Keep in touch and let us know what you are doing. GEM
(I'll post your letter in the Jan Mailbag, so your other friends will know what you are up to.)

Dear George,

Thanks for such a quick reply. It's nice to know that old friendships - true friendships, never die.

I've been watching the developments of the situation on Okinawa and for that matter in the U.S. "from a distance". One of these days I'll speak up, that's if anyone is interested in my humble opinions. Some tough, may not want to hear it so I'll wait and let reason sort it out. It always seems to happen.

If any of your students or associates come out to sunny San Diego please have them drop me a line. You know me, I'll do Sanchin with anyone.

Sincerely,

Jerry McDonald

As one of the Uechi-ryu pioneers in North America, your opinion and comments are very much appreciated. Please send a telephone number that I can list, along with your name and city. We just received a request for a dojo in San Diego. GEM

Sensei Mattson,

One of our junior students, an 11 year old young lady-green belt, is moving with her parents to Hyannis Port and asked us to suggest a Uechi Dojo there (or closest one). I looked on your list but not knowing the lay of the land there, I have no idea what is where. Look forward to your response so I can pass it on.

Best Wishes,

Randy Danielsen
Uechi Ryu Karate Association of Arizona

Check out Art Rabesa's dojo in Falmouth. Art is a 7th dan and a legend in
Uechi-ryu. His telephone number is listed in the Instructor's section.

Best to you and all your associates in Arizona GEM

Subject: Uechi-Ryu World Championship

Mr. Mattson,
How are you? I hope this finds you and your family well. How's the weather. Lots of snow and cold here in Michigan.
I was wondering if you could send me some information on the Uechi-Ryu World Championship rules, etc.
I have at least two students who are planning on competing. They have already taken the Michigan State, Regional, National, and Junior Olympic titles, and want to see how they compare with the rest of the Uechi-Ryu world. Please send me this information as soon as is convenient for you.

Thank You.

Sincerly,

Richard Lambert

I'm fine Rick, thanks.
If you have internet capabilities, please look up the tounament information on www.uechi-ryu.com
The rules are described in full detail. A summary sheet of the rules, plus applications are being made up now. I'll mail them to you when ready.

I'm sure your students will do very well at the tournament. Looking forward to meeting them. GEM

George... What wonderful news from Okinawa today! I look forward to the
greater growth that comes from diversity. Paul Giella

Dear Bugeisha Fans,

This is an update to let you know what's up next.
First of all thanks again to you all for your tremendous support.

Issue #2 is in the works and it is going to be great!

We have some of the same authors in Bugeisha#2 but I thought I'd give you a sneak peek at some of the new martial artists on board:

1) Mark D. Bishop: Author of teachers Styles and Secret Techniques ands Zen kobudo doing a multipart article on Okinawan Kobudo

2) Our very own Rick Clark will be doing a regular department on Pressure points and other related topics

3) Kim A. Taylor: An Iaido practitioner and editor of the Iaido newsletter will be doing full feature articles on the subject and a regular department on philosophical issues

4) Bernie Weiss and Abbas Daneshvari (a most excellent Shotokan technician and a true gentleman) will be co-authoring a Shotokan related article

5) Don Warrener: has supplied an article from a direct translation of an original book by the founder of Wado Ryu Hironori Otsuka

6) Pat McCarthy: An article on Shinken Taira and Kobudo

7) John Porta: article on masanobu Shinjo and Gojuryu

8) Alan Dollar: article on Uechiryu conditioning for special strikes (those nasty toe kicks they do so well)

9) Finally yours truly will be doing an article on the SHorin-Ryu Naihanchi (Tekki) kata and some of it's bunkai and technical aspects

Remember all of the above are NEW people, we still have most of the authors that were featured in the Bugeisha premier issue.

Stay tuned for more,

Angel Lemus
bugeisha@deltanet.com

George:

Home from work today-snowed in- 4 foot drifts blocking the drive, road is not plowed and the neighbor’s have their tractor out trying to clear the way to their barn. Somehow the initial anxiety about not being able to get to my office and complete a new research strategy is relieved by the over powering magnitude of this blizzard. Anyway, back from the research symposium in Utah (and another blizzard), ready to start the new year. Of course my first task is to check out the On-line magazine. Wonderful letters! I am very pleased to see that the other Uechi schools in Michigan are using the forum as a source for communication.

Congratulations to Susan Owen whose report comes as no surprise-she is an excellent and dedicated martial artist. It is great that she had such an opportunity to showcase her skills.

On to other matters: I was asked by local educators, if I could present a seminar on the positive and negative aspects of martial arts training for at risk students. I do have a file of professional research papers on the subject, however, nothing speaks better than experience. I’ll post this question on MASTNET but am curious as too the experiences of those of our membership who are educators, counselors etc. who may have been asked to make similar presentations. The outcome of this presentation could be a collaborative project with the local education community to incorporate elements of our self-defense and adaptation of Steve DiOrio’s Virtues Over Violence Program into their work with at risk students. (The description of Steve’s program has been very well received.) I see this as a way for our schools to satisfy the "community service" portion of our Mission Statement.

We have completed the contract with the Kalamazoo Adult and Community Education Program. We will be instructing two six week courses on Women Only Self Defense, with the possibility of establishing an ongoing program in women’s martial arts (taught by Susan Edel-Newell, Yondan and Kathie Klein, Sandan). This class will meet from 6-7:30 at Millwood Middle School, in Kalamazoo, Michigan Wednesday evenings. Interested parties can contact me for details (you must register with KACE to be admitted). Several women who completed the 20 hour advanced Self Defense Course will be assisting. (I thank Faye Baker,President of the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists and Elizabeth Kennedy,Head of the American Women’s Self Defense Association, for their help and encouragement with these programs!!).

Kobudo Program: We are putting the final touches on the proposal and will have a "final" draft to you this Spring. Our goal is to have the draft into the hands of a NAC committee before the camp this summer. I apologize for the length of time it has taken me to come to this point with this project, but life is very much with us, and the distances between the various dojo consume much of my time. Anyway to Bill Glasheen and Rich I am working on the proposal----really.

The new topic additions to the On-line magazine are excellent.

I do have a question of the week for you. "Our kata are right-side dominant. I have my students perform many "basics " both right and left side, do mirror image kata and practice kobudo kata off both sides. I feel it is important to balance as much as possible both right and left sides of the body. (I presented this question once and received the reply-"Have you ever known of a left handed Samurai?" "No, haven’t met any lately…" ) Anyway, is this a concern of others and if so what training methods do you use?"

And finally, I received a very nice note from Gordi Breyette and Higa Sensei with the notice from the Okikukai. I am looking forward to seeing how things develop this year-it should be interesting and we all need to keep an open mind.

So from the snows of Michigan (which we are sending your way) take care!!!

Best Wishes to All


Ron Klein

George

What do you think?


>From: "JOHN E VIDUMSKY"
Bill
......... Also - I recently discovered that there was a Shaolin temple at Fukien. Is this the temple where Master Uechi studied? George's book mentions the "central temple at Fukien". The Shaolin Temple at Fukien was the second largest (of five) after Honan, and was burned down during the Boxer Rebellion. The Southern Praying Mantis, Snake, Dragon, and Wing Chun Systems were all developed here. Very interesting if Shushiwa was a Shaolin.
See you soon.
John

Our group discussed this subject at length while in China in 1985. Bottom line. . . no one knows for sure. Although our Chinese hosts did not elaborate, it is my understanding from research work done by Alan Dollar, George Chapman and John Spencer, that Shushiwa and Kanbun were engaged in political activities not sanctioned by the government. It is understandable why their names are not inscribed on a plaque or in records describing their background! I'd like to hear what other researchers might have to offer on the subject. GEM

George:

I'll be conducting a series of seminars at the Okinawan Karate Center in Wilton Manors Florida Jan. 31 through Feb 2. Friday evening Jan. 31 "Uechi kata: interpretations and applications." (Body mechanics, sequential striking, sequential bunkai)

Saturday, Feb 1. late morning-early afternoon: "Women Only Self Defense Workshop" (a summary of our twelve week certification program)

Saturday, Feb.1 Afternoon and Evening: Applications of compliance control from Uechi Kata.

Sunday, all day: Okinawan Kobudo (sai, bo and tonfa), we will continue with training and information leading to dan certification in Kobudo.

Cost: donations, no set or expected fees will be charged.

Please call:
Okinawan Karate Center
2717 N. Dixie Hwy.
Wilton Manors,FL 33334
(954)-566-3008

Ron Klein

Subject: documentary filming in japanese ryu

Dear George,

we are a British film company making a documentary series on the history of warfare for Discovery. We want to extensively feature the Japanese martial art tradition, and will be filming in Japan. However we are experiencing a lot of difficulty in getting information on ryu in Japan. We were particularly interested in contacting the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, the Maniwa Nen Ryu, and the Yagyu Shingan Ryu. Do you know anything at all about these ryu, for example roughly where they are in Japan? Do you know of any organization in Japan which might be able to help us locate them?

Lucy Allwood

Sorry, but I cannot help you. However, I'll post your request on the Uechi-ryu website. We get quite a few martial artist visiting and one might have the answers you are looking for. I will also forward your post to a friend on Okinawa who has great resources in this area.

Good luck with your project and keep in touch. GEM

Subject: Greetings from St Charles, IL

Mattson Sensei,

As a relative new comer to the Internet I have found your sites very interesting and informative. I am a student of Ihor Rymaruk. I have relocated to the Chicago area - St. Charles to be exact. Since there is no other Uechi training to be had out here (I'm sure you've heard that David Kahn closed his school last fall), I am running a "club" of my own with the guidance and support of Rymaruk sensei. For anyone who might be travelling through this part of the Midwest, I can be reached at (630) 443-1796 (hm) or (847) 468-2211 (wk). I currently have about six students with whom I train regularly and visitors are always welcome!

I should also mention that I travel a great deal through my job and have found your list of world wide dojos extremely useful. I was amazed to find Uechi dojos in places that I had been travelling to for quite some time and never knew they existed. Now your list and my Gi are constant travelling companions. I'd be honored if you would add my name and number to the list. And by the way, I noted that the phone number given for the Amsterdam, NY dojo is incorrect. It should be (518) 842-9299.

Thanks very much.

Keith M. Marcott, Shodan
Dragon, Crane, & Tiger Karate Club
5N161 Shady Oaks Court
St Charles, IL 60175

Congratulations on your new Uechi-ryu dojo, Keith!

I'll be very happy to post your listing and publish your letter. I get lots of requests for dojo in the greater Chicago area and am pleased to add yours listing to our growing Uechi-ryu family. Also thanks for the telephone correction.

BTW, David Kahn still teaches in the area and Brian Boelke has a dojo in the Chicago area as well. Look them up and get together for a workout.

Keep in touch. Perhaps we can get together the next time I'm in Chicago. GEM

Ran across your atricle about body conditioning. Valid stuff.Karate has transcended to something far less than what it was even one generation ago. There are lots of aspects than have been altered that directly affect the arts of today. As soon as we try to make karate something other than what it is, a means to defend one self, it can't be helped it's changed.In my humble opinion for the worse. All this talk about about "hidden techniques" in kata. You can't convince me the Okinawan farmer of 200 years ago, daily training to preserve his family had any "misunderstanding" about what kata was all about.

It's not a tough path to see but a bitch to follow!
Tom Files

Thanks for the letter, Tom. All conditioning should develop confidence in the student along with strength, speed and power. "Testing" is not, nor has it ever been, part of the conditioning process! Greatly misunderstood, by many teachers. . . unfortunately, some of them are Okinawans.

Regarding "hidden" techniques: Granted, Uechi-ryu is a very deadly system. Every technique is directed at "targets" that potentially could kill. There is nothing subtle or hidden about these movements. However, according to Ryuko Tomoyose, the kata in Uechi-ryu (which are Chinese in origin) do contain moves that have multiple applications. There are obvious applications which can be seen and used by most black belts. . . then there are "hidden" applications, which will only be discovered under conditions of "extreme" danger. . . using different reactions then are used under non-threatening situations. I've personally experienced such "discoveries". . . a movement that I've always used as a attacking move, becoming a simultaneous block/attack under an actual "real" attack.

I'm not making a big deal out of this phenomenon. . . only passing on information given to me by my teacher . . . for historical and general interest purposes.

I'm planning on exploring this issue more in the On-Line Magazine. . . and hope you will join me in the discussion. GEM

Hi George-

Do you know of any Uechi Schools on mainland Japan? If so, could you provide me with a list. I will be moving to Japan in September and would like to work out there.
You may reply to AHSESQ@AOL.com


Thanks

Rob Schulman - from the NY Uechi club.

Yes, there are Uechi clubs on the Mainland of Japan. You can email Gordi Breyette. (name and email is on the "Instructor's Page' of the Uechi on-line magazine:
www.uechi-ryu.com

If you do not have a browser, email me and I'll look up the info and get back with you. GEM

Sensei Mattson,

I am a student of Sensei Shinjo Kiyohide. I lived in Okinawa from December 1984 until September 1986 when I first began karate at the dojo in Kadena. Since returning to my home in San Diego, CA, I have visited Okinawa on two occasions.

I have not kept active with karate since I have been unable to find a Uechi-ryu instructor in San Diego. I am now 42 yrs old and would like to start back with karate and would like to get my three sons involved.

Can you recommend a high quality instructor of any style that we might train with in San Diego? I would like to capture for my sons the true essence of karate to the extent possible.

Thanks for any help you might be able to offer. I have heard much of you while in Okinawa. I remain in frequent communication with Tanahara Seisho.

Sincerely,

Dave Bylund

I'm not sure there are any dojo in the San Diego area. I have a very good friend and student who practices in Del Mar, Calif. Paul Haydu, (tel 619-481-0145) and a small group of dedicated Uechi seniors, practice together regularly. I know they would welcome your participation whenever possible. When I was last there, I flew in to the SanDiego airport and found the drive to Del Mar to be fairly close.

Hope you can make our Summer Camp. (2nd weekend in Aug) In any event, check out the On-line Magazine (www.uechi-ryu.com) and participate in some of the forums. GEM

My name is Dwaine Urquhart. I am a 3dan Uechi-Ryu Shinkokai. I studied and received my 1dan in Oroku, Okinawa from Sensei Takenobu Uehara in 1967 while in the US AirForce. I have had dojos in Panama City, Fl, Las Vegas, NV, Anchorage, AK and now have my dojo in Kent, WA (a suburb just South of Seattle). Please add me to your instructor's list. My address is: 26424 148th Ave SE, Kent, WA 98042 Phone # (206)631-9540. My E-Mail address is: D4292@aol.com.

Thanks for the letter and information. I'll publish your letter and instructor information on the webpage. Is anyone teaching Uechi-ryu in Panama City Las Vega and Anchorage any longer? Welcome aboard the internet. Hope you will become an active participant in both the On-line Magazine and activities such as the Summer Camp. Would very much like to meet you someday soon. GEM

Subject: Reply to your request for more info

To my knowledge there is no UechiRyu instructor in Panama City, Fl. I left there in 1970. In Las Vegas most of my former students transferred to Issinryu when I left in 1973. As far as I know, there is no one teaching UechiRyu there. Also the same in Anchorage. I left there in October 1987. I have former students there but none of Instructor rank. What is the secret of getting into the Dojo Roundtable? I registered yesterday but access was denied. Thanks for any help you can offer.

Thanks for your fast reply. Did you see my answer to another letter regarding the Dojo Roundtable Forum? Its in the January Mailbag and is quite detailed. If you still have a problem getting in, email me and we will try another route.GEM

please visit http://www.mygale.org/08/shoto and if you like it, maybe you can add a link from yours pages ?
bye
Marc Savall
Laboratoire d'informatique PSI-LIR INSA de Rouen Place Emile Blondel 76130 Mont Saint Aignan cedex savall@lirinsa.insa-rouen.fr

I'll check it out. Thanks for thinking of us. GEM

Sensei Mattson,

Gary Neel no longer actively teaches at the Elkhart Indiana Dojo, although he is considered the head instructor, he still visits and administers testing. Gary has returned to Florida and opened a Dojo there. He turned the dojo operation over to Marc Snodgrass, NIDAN. The dojo is at the same location but is now known as the JimTown Okinawan Karate Club, 28766 C.R. #20 Elkhart, Indiana 219-522-9775. Gary may be contacted @ Gary Neel, 824 Brunnell Parkway, Lakeland Fl, 33801 941-667-0042.

Thanks for the update. I'll the changes to our "Instructor's Listing". Keep in touch. GEM

Dear Mr. Mattson
My name is Susan Owen, and I study Uechi Ryu in Battle Creek Michigan under Sensei John VanDeLaare. I recently e-mailed you to let you know that I had been chosen to represent the US at an international tournament in Mexico. I just got back with a fourth place finish in sparring. I am awaiting the results of weapons and kata divisions, which will be mailed to me shortly. I recieved a large number of complients from high ranking martial artists who were there including Mr.Fred Absher, Mr. David Flores, and Mr. Shane Absher. There were a great many people who had never seen Uechi Ryu before, and were pleasantly surprised at our forms. One comment that was given to me to pass along to my Sensei, and I am also going to pass it along to you was that I had done him proud. I also believe that meant I had done Uechi Ryu and the NAC proud. I will e-mail the rest of the results when I recieve them. If you wish to contact me, my e-mail address is kb8ydn@juno.com .
Yours in the arts,
Susan Owen
Nidan

We are all very proud of you Susan. Looking forward to receiving the complete results of the event. GEM

Sensei Mattson,
I think the new Ad system is a nice addition to the site. It's good to see my friend Fedele is the first to make use of it. Keep the innovations coming.
yours in Spirit Barry.

The only way to maintain a professional site, with the very latest technical innovations, is to have advertisers/sponsors. Anyone out there who would like to participate. . . please call. GEM

I am looking for any information about instructors in the Charlotte, NC area. Was orginally one of John Carria's students in Arlington, VA, and have had difficulty continuing training. Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you.

Jennifer Brown
You might also try posting your inquiry to the "Dojo Roundtable" Forum. There is a topic "Looking for a dojo, instructor or friend". GEM

Dear George,
I hope your time away was pleasant. I have been away myself since 12/20, but now I'd like to take you up on your offer to advise me on recruitment of students. Walk-in registration at Cornell is 1/17/97. I need at least 10-12 students to sign up. I've already put some flyers up on campus, but that's a pretty diffuse strategy, between the size of the campus and all their posting rules. I look forward to hearing from you, and thank you for your help.
Jay

Great subject for a Point of View! topic Jay. I'll begin one with your letter requesting information. If I remember correctly, there were a couple of other requests like yours in the "Dojo Forum" section. You might want to check it out. GEM

Hi George.


Now that I got my scanner I am having so much fun. Enclosed is a picture of what a real cat stance looks like..... this is Jake only a memory now.

hello Susan

Steve

Good morning George,

This web site is really well done. You and whomever else has assisted on it have put together a top notch site.

It is fast, easy to navigate and beautifully illustrated. It is obvious that the site is visited by some very savvy users as well as martial artists.

Just one other quick comment, since it concerns my friend Fidele. The window in which his name appears as a sponsor is somewhat low and his entire name cannot be seen.

Thanks for the site. It is a pleasure to be able to visit here.

Chuck

I can see the full set of images in their entirety using both Netscape and Explorer. What browser do you use? Anyone else having difficulties viewing any part of the site? GEM

Subject: Good Job

George,
I think you have done a good job on your WEB site. I wish the best in the New Year.
William Hall
Florida Institute of Martial Arts Inc.
125 S. Dixie Hwy, Lake Worth, FL 33460 561-588-0369
Locations also in Tallahasse and Boca Raton.

Thanks for writing William. Hope to see you next time I'm in Florida. I wasn't aware of your Lake Worth and Boca Raton locations. I've included your Lake Worth location in the "Instructor's Page", but will need a telephone number for your Boca Raton location. GEM

Dear Mr Mattson,

I am a martial arts practitioner living in Singapore. I have read about and seen a video recording of the style you are teaching, Uechi-ryu Karate. Unfortunately, this system has not been introduced to Singapore. I would love to learn more abt Uechi-Ryu Karate, as this is one of the styles that retains the traditional katas and methods of teaching. It would be appreciated if you mail back with some information and also where I can seek instruction in my Country. Thank you.

Desmond Andrew Han
Check out the Uechi site (www.uechi-ryu.com ) for lots of current information on Uechi-ryu, including a complete listing of Uechi books and tapes. Check out the instructor list as well. Let me know how you are doing with your quest to learn Uechi-ryu. And if possible, visit us this Summer for our annual camp and martial arts festival . (2nd weekend in Aug). GEM

[Note: this email was sent to me on another list, but since one of our guys (Ron Klein) answered it, I thought you might check it out. GEM]
Hello everyone. I hope you can help me. A friend of mine trains in a dojo in Glenside Pennsylvania and he lives in Oreland. Both of those towns are right outside Philadelphis. At the present time, he has been training in that dojo as a condition of his job, so to spea He is a private investigator and frequently finds himself in the worse places on the face of the earth encounteing violence and seedy characters all the time. The gojo he goes to stressed a lot of street fighting, weapons, jujitsu and so on. Very little karate. I have no idea as to what sort of style if any they claim to have.

In any event, my friend is not terribly happy at this place. He has to continue to go there about once a week to keep up his jujitsu training, but his roots were in shotokan, more than 10 years ago. He is not necessarily looking for a shotokan dojo, although it would be his preference. He is looking for the kind of sensei and atmosphere like we have in our own dojo. A very traditional dojo, where the sensei is kind, patient, gentle,consisdent in attendance and training, where they may do some metidation before and after class, and where the emphasis is on the art of karate, and not the sport.

Athough my friend has given me the address and name of his dojo and his sensei, I thought that it would not be appropriate and rather disrespectful for me to mention it at this point, as I don't want to offend anyone and I don't know if his teacher is a cyberdojo subscriber!!!

He (my friend) is also having problems with the sensei's behaviour outside of the dojo. This sensei is trying to very persistensly preach his religion to my friend and this is really annoying to him. But my friend and the sensei have become friends and he doesn't know how to approach him to tell him basically to keep his opinions to himself. It is a difficult situation. Regardless of this problem, my friend still wanted to find the traditional dojo I describe above.

If any of you can offer some helpful information, I would certainly appreciate it. Remember, although my friend's preference would be for shotokan, he will gratefully take any of your leads for other styles.

Thank you for your reply..

Respectfully

Christine Weltscheff

Just a suggestion. I realize that the person is looking for a traditional dojo, but with the more applied requirements cited earlier in the note he may be better served by looking up one of the more pragmatic schools. There are few "traditional" schools that can also satisfy the requirement for dealing with the "worst places on earth....violence...seedy characteris." I would recommend for a start contacting Elizabeth Kennedy at Modern Warrior (and Exec. Director of AWSDA) at AWSDA@nais.com She can probably recommend someone in his area. I'd also still check out a traditional school, but be aware that there are not a lot of traditional/pragmatic dojo. Many of us who incorporate a "self-defense-compliance control" element in our traditional instruction had to seek such training at a variety of schools, different arts and seminars. For someone who goes to the "worst places" I surely recommend a jujitsu like art...
Just an opinion.
Ron

Happy Holidays Sensei and Susan,
In reguards to the instructor list, my phone number has since changed. I can now be reached at 413-442-3169 or on my pager at 1-800- 994-3525. Thank you, great looking web site. Look for me in the upcoming action adventure film "Red on the Blue" due out spring/summer '97 and the Discovery channel "Hollywood's Greatest Stunts" this month.
Best wishes and good health,
Rob Buckland
Good luck with your movie career "Buck". All that hard work is beginning to pay off. GEM

Dear George:

I think your "Special Needs" page is a great idea... I remember assisting Bob Campbell, and Ed Huff many, many times, as well as teaching many classes along with Raymond Stemmell... It was a great learning experance for me.

I have contuined to teach many "Special Needs" students over the years. I have always used the teaching style You, Bobby Campbell, and Ed Huff taught me... I would like to give you a LONG OVER DUE...Thank you. For teaching me how to work with these special people. They have more heart and determination then most people I have ever met....

Take Care: Jay Salhanick
Lets have an article about your experiences in this area Jay. GEM

We are pleased to announce that the INTERNATIONAL KARATE KOBUDO FEDERATION (IKKF) WEB PAGE is up and running. Our URL is http://www.enter.net/~ikkf/.

Please stop by and visit our IKKF Web Page at your convenience. Let us know what you think of it and how we may be able to improve it.

Take care.
CBH
C. Bruce Heilman
Email: "ikkf@enter.net"
Web Page: "http://www.enter.net/~ikkf/"
Reading, Pa. USA

Thanks, Kathie & Ron for the invite to your dojo! Send me your e-mail address so we can correspond and keep in touch about various seminars around Michigan.

This note goes out to other women, too. I'd love to hear from you regarding your training, experiences, etc. What has helped you the most in training? What do you like about Uechi-Ryu? See the dojo roundtable on Bill Glasheen's question ... "Why do women train in martial arts?"

Jackie Olsen

Aloha,
I just wanted to drop a quick note, to say that this is great to see Uechi Ryu on the net. I studied in Pembroke Ma. My Uechi Ryu years were the best I ever had. I'm sorry to say that I have not kept it up. I now live in Hawaii and there is not one Uechi Ryu Dojo on the islands. The only style that I have found similiar is Goju Ryu. Nice to see Uechi Ryu still out there.

Keep up the good work. Stephen

Thanks for the note Stephen. Check the "Instructor's" page. There are Uechi instructors there! GEM

Subject: Uechi in Holland?

Dear Mr Mattson,

I'm a 1st Dan Shotokan karateka and kobudoka from Holland. I've grown rather interested in the Uechi-ryu style. I was wondering if there were any dojos in Holland where this style is taught. Could you help me out on this? Also, could you suggest some books I could read to get some idea of what Uechi-ryu is?

Thank you

M. van Steensel, MD

Thanks for your letter and interest in Uechi-ryu. All the best books on Uechi-ryu are listed in the "Books and Product" section of the Uechi website: "www.uechi-ryu.com".
If you don't have a web browser, send me email with your regular mail address and I'll send you a complete list. I highly recommend my new Dynamic Uechi-ryu tape on the basics as a complete introduction to the "heart" of our style. Also, for an "overview", you might consider the "complete" Uechi tape. A good intro book is the "Uechi-ryu Karate do". . . the most popular book on the Uechi system. Keep in touch. GEM

I just thought I'd throw in the time schedule for Dave Moyle's (Escanaba, Michigan dojo) "women only" classes mentioned by Ron and Kathie Klein.

Our classes meet Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7:30 - 8:30 PM. Greetings to all from the cold north!!

Sandy Chapman

George:

Just a brief note to respond to Bill's clarification of the DNA cloning issue. There is a real danger in this and I want to caution anyone thinking about submitting a sample to the Italian company Bill referenced. The story is this. While I was a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a notice appeared in the scientific literature about a sperm bank in California that was collecting aliquots of semen from those who had incredible intellectual or physical achievements (Nobel Prize winners, superior athletes etc.).

As a joke, so the story goes, a response was sent in the name of a very famous scientist, whom I will call Dr.X. Dr. X's stationary and good office was used to send an aliquot of very healthy bull semen to the company. A letter of receipt was received by Dr.X, who, as far as we know, remains puzzled to this day. The sample should have been rejected (and maybe it was).This incident suggests that quality control based on morphological characterization in addition to biochemical analysis was lacking.

Thus a word of caution to the martial arts community-investigate before you undergo any sort of martial arts related gene therapy.

On to other matters:

I just finished the latest issue of Journal of Asian Martial Arts: it is a very scholarly and high quality journal that I recommend.

I also recommend the website for the Hanwei Wushu Society (hanwei@hanwei.com) they have several issues of their News Letter posted and there are some very interesting articles on the Chinese martial arts and other topics.

Congratulations to Bill Glasheen and his group on their pending move into a new facility. I am curious as too the type of arrangements Bill has made (advice, liability issues, programs, contractual arrangements etc.). Our dojo has been approached by a group wishing to sponsor our setting up a traditional martial arts dojo or "institute" in the area. I would like to have some idea of what others have done (successes and failures).This would be a very significant step for us and I want to be cautious.

Thanks

Ron Klein

Hello Mr. Mattson & Happy New Year!

Can you please add my name to the list of instructors (Shohei Ryu)?

I guess it would read:
Michael Ham: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada: (905) 308-0310


Thx.
Mike.

Subj: If Viruses were funny...
Date: 97-01-04 21:37:31 EST
From: Anaise (forwarded by & thanks to Steve Banchick)

BEWARE OF NEW VIRUS OUTBREAKS!!

Oprah Winfrey virus: Your 200MB hard drive suddenly shrinks to 80MB and then slowly expands back to 200MB.

AT&T virus: Every three minutes it tells you what great service you are getting.

MCI virus: Every three minutes it reminds you that you're paying too much for the AT&T virus.

Paul Revere virus: This revolutionary virus does not horse around. It warns you of impending hard disk attack -- once if by LAN, twice if by c:>.

Politically Correct virus: Never calls itself a "virus", but instead refers to itself as an "electronic microorganism."

Right to Life virus: Won't allow you to delete a file, regardless of how old it is. If you attempt to erase a file, it requires you to first see a counselor about possible alternatives.

Ross Perot virus: Activates every component in your system, just before the whole dang thing quits.

Ted Turner virus: Colorizes your monochrome monitor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger virus: Terminates and stays resident. It'll be back.

Dan Quayle virus: Prevents your system from spawning any child process without joining into a binary network.

Dan Quayle virus #2: Their is sumthing rong wit your komputer, ewe jsut cant figyour out watt!

Government Economist virus: Nothing works, but all your diagnostic software says everything is fine.

New World Order virus: Probably harmless, but it makes a lot of people really mad just thinking about it.

Federal Bureaucrat virus: Divides your hard disk into hundreds of little units, each of which does practically nothing, but all of which claim to be the most important part of your computer.

Gallup virus: Sixty percent of the PCs infected will lose 38 percent of their data 14 percent of the time (plus or minus a 3.5 percent margin of error).

Terry Randle virus: Prints "oh no you don't" whenever you choose "Abort."

Texas virus: Makes sure that it's bigger than any other file.

Adam and Eve virus: Takes a couple of bytes out of your Apple.

Bobbit Virus: Removes a vital part of your hard disk then re-attaches it (but that part will never work again).

Congressional virus: The computer locks up, screen splits erratically with a message appearing on each half blaming the other side for the problem.

Airline virus: You're in Dallas but your data is in Singapore.

Freudian virus: Your computer becomes obsessed with marrying to its own motherboard.

Public Television virus: Your programs stop every few minutes to ask for money.

Elvis virus: Your computer gets fat, slow and lazy, then self distructs only to resurface at shopping malls and service stations across rural America.

Ollie North virus: Causes your printer to become a paper shredder.

Nike virus: Just does it.

Sears virus: Your data won't appear unless you buy new cables, power supply and a set of shocks.

Jimmy Hoffa virus: Your programs can never be found again.

Congressional virus #2: Runs every program on the hard drive simultaneously, but doesn't allow the user to accomplish anything.

Imelda Marcos virus: Sings you a song (slightly off key) on boot up, then subtracts money from your Quicken account and spends it all on expensive shoes it purchases through Prodigy.

Star Trek virus: Invades your system in places where no virus has gone before.

Health Care virus: Tests your system for a day, finds nothing wrong, and sends you a bill for $4,500.

George Bush virus: It starts by boldly stating "Read my docs...No new files!" on the screen. It proceeds to fill up all the free space on your hard drive with new files, then blames it on the Congressional virus.

Denver Broncos virus: Makes your 586/166 machine perform like a 286/AT.

L.A.P.D. virus: It claims it feels threatened by the other files on your PC and erases them in "self-defense."

Oral Roberts virus: Claims that if you don't send it a million dollars, its programmer will take it back.

Sensai Mattson,

Thanks for getting back to me. After I sent you my E-Mail, I did browse the net and contacted Sensai Leyn Burrows, his Dojo is in Ridgewood, NJ. Again, thanks. Semper Fi.
Joseph R. Rubin

Leyn is a great teacher. Happy to hear that you made the connection. Keep in touch. GEM

Subject: "Roundtable Dojo"

I am studying Uechi Rye with James Thompson in Kalamazoo. I've recently discovered the internet and am wondering how to get into the "Roundtable Dojo" Do I need to obtain a password? When I try to visit I am unable to get in to some interesting looking areas. I am sure I am not understanding the registration process. Registration info would be appreciated.

Lots of people have difficulty understanding how to get into the Forum. I just came from the "Dojo Roundtable", where I registered as a new user.

The process goes as follows:
1. As a new user, you must go to the bottom of the page and click on "Registration Desk".

2. Fill out the top half of the form. (bottom half is optional)

3. I suggest you use only lower case letters, since the "log-on" process is case sensitive.

4. Click on the "OK' button to register.

5. You should get a success message, or an error message with the reason for failure. If failure, back out of the page, using your Browser's "Back" button.

6. When you get a "Success" message, you have the option to Log on. You must enter your user name and password exactly as registered.

7. If all else fails, use the "General User" restistration which I just entered:

user name: generaluser
password: general

IF this doesn't work, contact me.

Good luck and see you on the net. GEM

George

Ususally I'm the typical male (and typically trained academic) and try to figure things out myself instead of asking. However to this day I cannot find the proper context for SOKE to figure out what it means. So what does it stand for and who does it represent?

Thanks.

Bill

I'll let one of our authorities on the subject answer this one. There are lots of "common" usages. . . generally meant to represent the "founder" of the system or the senior representative of a system as appointed by the founder. GEM.

It took some doing, but I managed to find a place in Mission with a scanner. It's a small town, as you know, and pretty far removed from the cybernetic whirl of Vancouver and Seattle despite its proximity. I was lucky - 75 cents a scan at 4 pictures per scan, compared to at least $5 a picture at Vancouver walk-in joints; the guy also fiddled with the contrast, etc. for me for free - aslo lucky, as my computer won't currently handle the screen resolutions necessary.

I've broken the sending up so your server (or your own e-mail program) won't filter them out for being too large; so you have a big stream of e-mails following that have rudimentary texts to accompany the image files. The text bits will be the captions, although in most cases you'll know who it is and what's going on. I've also included thumbnail files created by my image conversion tool in case you can use them; they're in *.THN format, which may or may not work in HTML. I think it's a rudimentary GIF; the program I used to make the thumbnails is called Graphics Workshop and is available at http://www.mindworkshop.com. It's meant as a tool for (among other things) web conversion, so I imagine the thumbnails may operate OK in browsers. They also have another really useful tool called GIF Construction Set which is for (among other things) speed-creating GIF animations. Like making the Uechi symbol on the main page "whirl" for example.

As you can see, the first images attached are the ones of the morning sanchin you wanted. I hope you're not disappointed - photographically they're interesting, but I know you probably would have liked something from closer up; they have a nice atmosphere, though, showing Buzzard's Bay and the beach as they do. I woke up late that last morning and wouldn't have made it down to the beach in time to take the pix unless I'd showed up in my undies. I shot from my dorm window using your 200 mm telephoto (which is why there's _that tree_), but could have used another 50-100 mm in lens length. These were scanned at 2400 dpi, so you may be able to enlarge them significantly without losing much detail; I left them at full scan-size for compositional reasons. There's a slight difference between sanchin.jpg and sanchin2.jpg - in one they're in full sanchin, in the other most of them are thrusting. I feel a bit like Goldlilocks - these are from too far away; the one you've already posted is from too close; there's none "just right".

The rest of the pictures will come in no particular order. They were selected from the contact sheets by whether they looked good or not photographically, with an eye as to who was in them and for representing different aspects of what summer camp is like. Some of them are from 1995. I see now _who_ I missed getting picks of - the White Crane Master, Jack Summers, Buzz Durkin, etc.; didn't know who they were until it was too late to get pix. I also missed getting Nestor and Kanji doing Dan Kumite together (I was in the class and was too busy watching, if you know what I mean) - but I have a feeling someone got that on video. I'll know better next year about what to shoot and who (so to speak), and will lug my gear with me even if it _does_ mean hassling with airport x-rays; I've got a couple of motor drives, which helps for making available the _best_ frames in action sequences.

There's also a couple of colour pix of the Bridge River Canyon, which is that deep gorge you had to drive through the bottom of to get to the pass over into Seton. Amazingly, the recent blizzard did _not_ cut access over the mountain _or_ along the "high-line", although the whole region from Pemberton and Lillooet outwards was isolated. The Fraser Canyon (via Mission-Hope-Lytton on the old TransCanada) was avalanched in 250-300 places over a fifty-mile stretch, with debris up to 20 metres deep, cutting off the canyon communities completely. Seton and Lillooet escaped the worst of it; Oregon and Washington are still reeling in the aftermath. Anyway, as for the canyon pix, the peak on the high right in canyon1.jpg is the summit where the microwave is above Seton; Shalalth is immediately behind and _down_; the cliffs in both pictures are at least 3000 feet high.

Again, really sorry for not being able to get this back to you sooner. Being stuck in Seton without a photolab (I always process my own b&w) was one problem; and then not having a scanner at close hand was another. Once I got to the city and had some prints made, all the scanners I thought I had access to were out of commission, on loan, or otherwise unavailable. Excuses, excuses.....more pictures yet to come, anyway, and watch your mail for contact sheets and 8x10s sometime this month.

Yours truly,

Mike Cleven
Iron Mountain Creative Systems
mcleven@direct.ca
ironmtn@bigfoot.com

PS There's one more picture I had ready to be scanned; it must be on the desk at the computer store I had these done at. Watch for it in the next couple of days - it's Senseis Maloney and Van Canna with Clayton Hickey, Chris Delorey, and Mike Dunphy, taken at the 1995 camp. Buncha tough lookin' dudes....

Check them out. GEM

As I have probably communicated before, we will soon be moving one of our Health Club affiliated schools to a spanking new location. They are throwing the steel up now as we speak. When I first moved to Richmond and researched the scene, I placed my bets on two Health Club organizations in the newer side of Richmond. One of the bets is paying off; the owner of a chain of 4 clubs is moving the "temporary" location to a promised new facility. This guy got written up in the local business journal as being one of the more successful businesspeople in the past few years. They are building a "martial arts room" for us in the new facility. It will also have weights, aerobics, basketball, racketsports, swimming, tanning, juice bar, etc, and will be adjacent to a brand new double ice rink facility that will serve as both a public facility and a practice rink for the local successful minor league hockey team. Location is right near the intersection of the beltway (295) and the major east-west interstate through Richmond (64). And my new house is right off another exit of 295. UVa is on 64. And all you northeasters know I95.

Anyhow we are part of the advertising package in the trailer near the facility being built, and I'd like to have the code as a handout for all to view. With the added attention we will be getting, it's a good time to make damn sure we are doing things right.

Nice when the planets line up like that!

Bill Glasheen

George:

Just a short note to say Hi to Jackie Olsen!!!! We saw her question regarding women in Uechi-ryu. I wanted to mention again our NAC's affiliation and support of the Pacific Association of Women Martial Artists, American Women';s Self Defense Association and also the National Women's Martial Arts Federation. We encourage women in Uechi-Ryu to check out the web sites for these groups and contact them about their women's programs. They have excellent Newsletters and a wealth of information about women in the martial arts.

In addition: Three of the Uechi-Ryu Karate Dojo in Michigan now offer at least one women only class each week. I don't have the schedule for Dave Moyle (Escanaba, Michigan) or Rick Lambert (South Haven) but our Women Only classes are Monday 6-7:30 beginning January 6 at the Shinwa Dojo. The Women only Self Defense class will shift between the Dojo and the Millwood Middle School in Kalamazoo on Wednesday evenings (call 616-375-3073 for information).

Jackie-stop by we'd love to see you again!!!!!

Sincerely,

Kathie and Ron Klein

I posted this letter in the Cyberdojo, I wanted you to read it also for you are part of the reason for Bugeisha's success.


Angel Lemus
Bugeisha Editor


Dear CDers,

As most of you know by now and have the proof in your hands, Bugeisha is out and alive. I cannot tell you how exiting the responce has been from all of you. I have not heard a poor report card yet from anyone.

It's great to see that Bugeisha has been positively accepted as a GREAT magazine that delivers what you have all been thirsty for! But on a sidenote I have to say that there is something even more exciting to report, that is a phenomenom that is happening. The only words I can say to describe it is the term "Martial Arts Revival" or re-birth of the Traditional Arts, Philosophies and ways. The feedback indicates this to me. I have heard so many that have either emailed or personally called me by phone to talk not only about the magazine but to express a sence of excitement about martial arts that seemed to have been dormant inside of them. They seem like little kids that have found the long lost teddy bear of their youth and all of a sudden it brings to them the memories and excitement of youth and vitality back into their lives.

This is what is most rewarding to me. If Bugeisha is responsible for any of this then I can say that we have done something that has surpast our expectations way beyond our original goal. This is a plus, an extra boost to continue (as planned) to bring you the best magazine out there, period! The spirit of the martial arts is not only about physical combat, it is mostly about the development and perfection of the human character, I can honestly say that Bugeisha brings that out not only in myself but in everyone it reaches. It has become a vehicle to relay the possitive message of the Arts as it should be and has been intended all along.

Thanks to you all for your support, and keep those emails coming in. On behalf of the folks at Kemco and Bugeisha I wish you all a Great New Year and may 1997 bring us all together even more. Live Long, Prosper and keep punching!

Angel Lemus
Bugeisha Editor

George

It has come to my attention that Ron was in search of some DNA for future karate gene R&D, and had mentioned my name as a tissue sample candidate.

I would like to bring to Ron's attention the story of Harley Davidson. Back in the seventies AMF and others just about killed the company by putting heavy emphasis on mass production and little on R&D. Before the company was completely slain by the Japanese economic juggernaut, the employees bought it themselves and transformed it into what the company is today. Clever business acumen led them to their philosophy of competing through making a low production, high quality, niche product. Back in the sixties and seventies the average rider may have been a Hell's Angels pusher of crank or a masochistic mechanic who might brag about the "wet spot" his bike left in the garage. Today the average rider is someone of considerable wealth who is interested in a high quality piece of Americana.

So to Ron and others who may be interested in mass producing my high quality (sic) DNA for consumption by the masses, I have this to say. My philosopy about my karate prowess is the same as Harley Davidson's for motorcycles. I may not be the fastest, I may not be the strongest, and I may not be the most dependable, but I look good, I'm limited edition, and the sounds I make while practicing are one-of-a-kind. And besides, my wife will probably have stock in Genetalia if she catches my DNA anywhere but at home.

Bill Glasheen

George:

Though you may find this of interest

Ron Klein
++++++++++++++
Subject: Re: Thank you
Author: UechiRich@aol.com at INTERNET
Date: 12/23/96 8:28 PM

Just today at work our corporate office sent out the annual reminder that all employees must review and recommit to the corporate 'code'. As I read through it much of the meat of the NAC work is apparent in the long lived rules at GE as they pertain to the ethics of business. Watching the discussion on George's web site I read a great deal of inputs and comments on what if's and hypothetical situations. Our corporate code concludes with the statement that all situations cannot possibly be covered specifically by the written code, but that if one understands and follows the intent of the code , which is what we annually reaffirm, we would be assured of doing the right thing. That, I believe, is what we and NAC are striving for.

Happy Holidays! Rich Castanet Richmond, VA

Dear Sensei
Greetings from Cape Breton Island,N.S. My name is Gilbert MacIntyre, I am a yondan with the Sydney Dojo. I enjoy the site and hope to contribute from time to time now that I am on line. Happy New Year .

yours truly
Gilbert MacIntyre

gilmac@highlander.cbnet.ns.ca

Subject: A Little Advice?

Hi!

I am a newcomer to both your webpage and Martial Arts. I have only been training 3 months. I have just completed my first belt test. My question comes from my personal background. I am a Christian and am having some conflicts with the idea of pursuing "truth" through Karate. I don't know if this is the proper place to ask this kind of question, but I was hoping that you could direct me to someone who could help me explore this issue. I really enjoy Karate, and hope that I can benefit from it as a part of my personal development. Thanks for any help you can give me!

Lisa Nance

Lisa:
I believed you answered your own question. You should look to your religion for the "truth" that only religion can provide and "personal development" from your karate. I'm not much of an authority on religion, but there is no reason for your karate training to interfere with your religion, or religion with your karate. If your karate teacher presents the martial arts as a religion or religious experience. . . run, don't walk, to another dojo!

Let me know how you are doing. And have a wonderful new year.

George: I noted Adam Versenyi's recent letter regarding Uechi dojo in VA. There are quite a few clubs and dojo on the I 95 and I 64 corridors in the Richmond, Charlottesville, Washington area. Bill Glasheen and the Richmond crew love to have visitors. We occasionally get together with Nestor Folta of D.C. and are planning to make a regular schedule of it. The UVA club is doing well and Mark Roscoe has a great dojo in Fredericksburg. Outside of summer camp, the best karate gatherings I have experienced is when we have visits to or by other practitioners. If Adam cares to visit I can be reached via the internet as UechiRich@aol.com. Richmond would be about a 3 hour drive, DC area 5 hours.

Also, Ron Klein's note has inspired me to move ahead faster with a patent for Biomechanical Budo. I work in the Motor and Industrial Systems business at GE and we have developed extremely high speed, high horsepower motors in very small packages. Also, the control systems have responses of 150 radians or better. Combining these systems with the knowhow of our Medical Systems business and Transportation business we are creating implantable devices capable of improving human performance. Just think, a martial artist as powerful and fast as a 6000 horsepower locomotive. All we need to get started is a volunteer with a quick mind.... Ron? We could create Loco-Kun-Do.

Best regards, Rich Castanet Richmond VA

Dear George:

I would like to wish you and Susan the very best in the new year...

1997, will be the very best year for the NAC, just watch...... WE are all working togather, no against each other. That is the key .....

I wish you, Good Health, Happyness, and Enjoyment....

Jay Sal

I'm with you Jay. . . lets make '97 a wonderful year for Uechi-ryu. GEM

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS.?

Hello there people;
I know this is not an e-mail that any of you might have been expecting. I am doing this because you all know me in some way or another. Some of you know me in person, and some of you know me because you have talked to me or listen you me give you directions on how to use this thing called "the internet".

You see folks, this internet thing is relatively new to 100 million people in the United States alone. And not many people know how to use it or have a concept of what is going on. The purpose of this e-mail is to give you a little beat of advice to all of you internauts out their in what to expect for the next year. I blew off the dust on my crystal ball and these are some of the things that you will be seen in the near future.

You must expect to see that thing called JAVA on over the net. Well, what is Java? Java is a new programming language that was developed specifically of the WWW. If your browser ( netscape or explorer ) does not support Java, you are going to miss a lot of cool stuff the net will be displaying in the web pages. But, how do you know if your browser are able to use Java? Well, it is very simple. You need to get the latest version of either browser. If you have the latest version of internet explorer or netscape navigator, then you are in good shape. if you don't the go here:

http://www.microsoft.com/ie => for internet explorer ftp://ftp13.netscape.com/pub/navigator/3.01/ => for netscape navigator

I need to let you know that Microsoft just released I.E. 3.0 for win 3.1. The browser looks just like the version in windows 95. For those of you who just got a copy of navigator, I got news for you. The Navigator 4.0 is just around the corner. YEP!!! Netscape is about ready to release its new browser. And guess what? Microsoft has also been working in the I.E. 4.0. Folks we are talking about one the principles of the American economy. That is...COMPETITION. YEAP!!! I need you to understand that this competition is not going to end anytime soon. You must expect to see a new browser at least once per year. What does this mean for the internaut like you and me. Well, for those of us who had been using the net for over two years, is that we will have a new toy with the latest tricks and horns for good web browsing. What about the new user? A big confusion on what browser to pick.

Well, you see, this browser war between this two companies is due to all the new technologies that the net has gone through for the past two years. Two years ago there were no animated gifs, or CGI and Java was not in the picture either. It is because of this reason that some of you called me and told me that when you are surfing the internet and get to a certain point, your browser just freezes or crashes. Well, boys and girls, it is because your browser found some JAVA or CGI in a web page and does not know what it means. You can fix this by getting a new browser.

Another reason you want to upgrade to a newer browser is also because the net will be fill with the thing called JAVA. You will see Java to the left, Java to the right, Java everywhere. The Java programming will be so big that you will be listening songs about Java. My crystal balls tells me titles like 'I got friends in Java places' , 'Java all night long' , 'My achy breaky Java'. Also new group names will be coming up 'The JAVAlins' , 'Java and Dunn'. New quotes will come up 'In Java I trust' , 'The Java dream'. Well, I hope you get the idea. Hey, I will be putting Java in my personal site. http://www.goodnet.com/~themaxx/ If you haven't been there, you are breaking my 'Java' heart.

Also, 1997 will be the year of the busy signals and internet gridlock. When the internet was originally created, it's purpose was for governmental use. Mainly, the net was created for national defense and military use. This was some 30 years ago. Those guys never once crossed their mind that 1 billion people will be plugging their computers to the net. The original blue print was for military use. Well, twenty five years later the World Wide Web was borned, and a massive number of people trying to get on the internet road. Well, the net is not able to handle 200 million people at once. It is just simply too much. Let me give you a little scenario that I give a wonderful lady by the name of Trish.

I need you to picture yourself driving on the highway. The only problem is that you can't do the speed limit because of all the bumper to bumper traffic. You are moving at a fast rate but the speed that your car is able to do is not obtainable because of all the traffic. Also, while this is happening, there are construction workers trying to make the road wider so that there are more lanes for the traffic. This is what is happening in the net right now. There is so many people that the traffic is just HUGE!!! I am very surprise to just have a few computer burned up their hard drives due to the high demand on the machines. With the amount of traffic going right now I was expecting a lot more machines breaking up. But luckily only a few have had bad luck.

Because of the computers burning up is that some times you have or will be experiencing some problems connecting. A lot of times what the engineers do is shut the computer off and then restarted. This process takes like 10 minutes but the network that computer was managing will disconnect from the internet. Folks, I need you to understand that this problems have been or will be experience everywhere you get an internet connection. Just to give you a small example the folks in AOL have had their whole network down for a day or so. That level of outage has not been experience in the net but some sectors of the network have.

Also, you will be seen a lot more of web advertisement. Specially the type of advertisement you don't want. In this case you need to reply to the author and let them know that you don't want their advertisement. Also, if that individual is with MCI them you need to call MCI and tell them about that user. Then that user will be watch and then the account will be close. This type of individual are call spammers and they send what is called spam e-mail. This is the type of e-mail not wanted by anybody and they usually send like 10 to 200 e-mails at the time. This causes a lot of problems for the already over worked computers. So, there you go.

Well, folks I know I have not been able to answer all the questions that you may have. However, this e-mail will give a good idea of what to expect from the internet for the year 1997. As a last word America, take care, watch out because this coming year is going to be a jungle out there, get a good browser, and come to my web site to see my diary.

This is Max Calvo from Phoenix Arizona wishing you a great holiday season and a fantastic new year. BYE BYE.


Thank you for been part of the information revolution and God bless.

==================================================
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistance. Talent will not; there is nothing more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistance and determination are only omnipotent.

mc4pc@goodnet.com
****** Max Calvo, Phoenix Arizona 1996 ******
Thanks to Steve Banchick for forwarding this interesting article. GEM

Hi George,
Greetings from Canada. Just wanted to let you know how much I admire your site. It's an inspiration to me to try harder on ours. I'm thinking of ordering the 33rd Anniv. tape. Did any Goju Masters take part? The Yagi family talk respectfully of Ueichi Sensei. The last time that I was there (March' 96) Master Meitoku Yagi showed me his picture with him in the dojo photo album! Please visit our site and tell me what you think. http://www1.kingston.net/~goju/meibukai.html

regards,

Carl A. Wheeler
President
Meibu-kai Canada Headquarters
Dundas, Ont.
Most of the still living masters demonstrated for this tape. I'll check my other tapes as well... and let you know if I have other Goju demonstrations recorded. Thanks for the kind words about the site. Your participation is invited. . . after all, Goju and Uechi are from the same family tree. I'll check out your site and create a link from our website. GEM

My name is Steve and I am 17 years old. I have been taking an informal Uechi class for about four years. Our school (in south Florida) was not very large and our instructor was an honest man who put little, if any, emphasis on the class fee. Because of lacking rent money for a dojo, and disagreements with the people we were renting from, our class is in a lapse and we have nowhere to train. I was wondering if you knew of any place i could contact to see if there is any other Uechi school in my area. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Steve. Sorry to hear about your dojo. This is a common problem among small dojo owners. . . trying to be traditional without being a good business person! You didn't give your location, so the best I can do is tell you to check out the "Instructors/Dojo" page on the Uechi website: "www.uechi-ryu.com" or call Richard "DJ" Lippner in Wilton Manors (Near Ft. Lauderdale) at 964-566-3008. I teach at "DJ"'s dojo when I visiting Florida. Hope to see you there.

George:

I have been giving more thought to a Budo based genetic engineering company-fortunes are to be made! I am concerned however. I have associates who study Martial Arts and work for a number of different biotechnology companies. The most aggressive of course is Genetech. Hopefully the Asian biotech firms will not get wind of the idea to clone and express Budo genes and their corresponding alleles in North American 90lb weaklings. One can imagine the formation of national syndicates of genetic engineer-martial artists. They would create new styles that would have such names as Ken-Gene-Do, Gene-Te-Do, Gene-Kill-kai, or perhaps with the slogans: "A better Ryu for You, through Bioengineering." "Get mean and use our gene." "Let's help your focus-inject this cloned locus."

I know you have seen the ads for the new line of sparring gear-Raptor-the stuff with the lumps and bumps of some youthful-blemished lizard. Imagine, the ultimate, fanged, bumped and lumped, fighting champion.

We will have to compete with the Italian National Genetic Engineering Consortium: Genetalia, Unlimited, who have one of the most agressive programs for cloning Macho genes in the world.

Think about it?

Anyone out there want to donate some high quality DNA? Where's Bill Glasheen when you need a tissue sample?

Take care

Ron

Happy New Year!! (Well, almost)

Just received Alan Dollar's History of Uechi-Ryu Book. What an exhaustive study on our style's lineage! I am really enjoying this book. I heartily recommend it to anyone seriously studying the art.

Perhaps you know ...... what about "women in Uechi-Ryu"? Any books on that? (Other than what's in your Black Belt Test Guide Book?) Culturally, I understand why women aren't featured. But the times have changed. And I know that there are many of us out there.

Just a thought ...

Jackie Olsen
Uechi Ryu Karate-do
Kalamazoo YMCA

Thanks for the letter Jackie. . . Although we have many gifted women in Uechi-ryu, none have published a book. Perhaps you will be the first!! GEM

Dear Sensei Mattson,

Thanks for your kind words, and it was GREAT talking to you!

Yes, the computer is up and running again, and this time I'm ready for anything (well, almost anything). I too am feeling much better -- thanks -- but will keep this nagging cough for a while -- sorta got used to it, hate to see it go <G> .

1997 will be an exciting year for karate here on Okinawa -- I'll try to keep all informed as best I can, when I get details!

Best to all for a safe, happy, and prosperous New Year!

gordi

Dear George,

Just a quick note to let you know how much I've appreciated receiving your newsletters and to let you know that my correct snailmail address. While I haven't been teaching since I moved to North Carolina, theatre work, teaching at the university, and raising two children have been all consuming, I've enjoyed keeping up with Uechi via the newsletters. Now I see there's another avenue via the Web! I was surprised to see that there are two Uechi dojos in Argentina, for example. I'll have to check out the one in Buenos Aires the next time I'm there. My specialty is Latin American theatre and I travel to the region with some regularity. Now that I have tenure at UNC and my girls are getting to the age where I can start teaching them martial arts, I plan to dedicate more time to my own training again. I was interested to see that there are active schools and/or clubs in various Virginia locations that I might be able to visit. Any news of any other isolated Uechi practitioners in North Carolina, specifically in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill area?

Best wishes for the New Year!

Adam Versenyi

Greeting Sensei Mattson
First allow me to introduce myself. My name is Dave Hayward and I am a
Godan in Uechi-Ryu/Shohei-Ryu. I have been training since 1974, My
original instructor was Peter Gooding, a student of Robert Donnelly.
Sensei Donnelly's instructor was one of your students Sensei Athi Kaend.
My Dojo is in Whyalla South Australia, a small industrial town on the
Western Shore of Spencer Gulf.
Over the years your books particularly "Uechi-Ryu Karate-Do" has been a
constant inspiration, and some thing I have used to turn to when I didn't
feel like training. I've probably gone through about five copies of
this book, having loaned it out to students, who didn't return it.
I am looking forward to next year when I will pay my second visit to
Okinawa, for the world Tournament, although I expect things to be vastly
different from when I was last there in 1980.
In April of this year we are also hoping to sponsor Sensei Yonameni to
Australia, I can still feel the bruises from the Koza dojo, so I think we
are in for some tough training sessions.
Well thats about all for now

Regards Dave Hayward

Dave: Thanks for your letter. I appreciate the information regarding the history of Uechi-ryu/Shoheiryu in Australia as will the many students and teachers who follow the Uechi-ryu website.

I've been following the publicity surrounding the Okinawan Championship. Even included a page on our site with information about it. There was quite a bit of controversy relating to the "pre tournament" and next year's event should be even more controversial. Be careful and good luck!

Yonamine Sensei is a wonderful person and a gifted martial artist. We have had the privileged of having him at our Summer Camps many times. Please give him my best regards when you see him next.GEM

Hi Sensei,

I finally got online today and I thought I should let you know my email addr. I don't have a home page yet but will have one up before end January. I hope you and Susan had a great Christmas. Happy New Year. All the best in 97.

Bub Pelham
Karate@ns.sympatico.ca

Welcome aboard Bub. Let me know your new website address and I'll link it to the Uechi On-line magazine.

Have a wonderful, healthy and happy new year. GEM

Subject: Local Dojo

While stationed with the 3rd Marine Division, Okinawa, I studied under Shinjo-Sensai and his son Kiyoheda at their Kadena Circle Dojo. Could you please advise on the location of Uechi-ryu school(s)close to my home, West Milford, New Jersey. I would appreciate it very much.

Thank-you.
Joseph R. Rubin \ Internet: (usmcsgt@warwick.net)

All my contacts are listed on the "Instructor/Dojo" page on the Uechi website: www.uechi-ryu.com If you do not have a browser or internet connection, send me another email and I'll get a list for you. Have a wonderful new year and stay in touch. GEM

Sensei,

I tried to put this on the publication page, but it wouldn't let me. I don't know if you've had a chance to view these tapes, (Alan Dollar's Training Tapes) but I would highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys seeing old tapes of Okinawa for the most part. I only wish that more people who experienced the "old" days and took video of them would share them with the rest of the Uechi community. I love to see these tapes and share them with my dojo.

Just one man's opinion.

Yours in Budo,

Mike

Your mentioning on the "What's New" page about finding the video tapes, of the 1984 trip to China in search of Uechi-ryu's roots, reminded me of some questions I have been meaning to ask you. The following info is copied from a chronology that appears on the Brandon (FL) Shubukan Uechi-ryu web site:

"1897...Kanbun...comes under the wing of Shushabu..."

"1966...Kanei, Ryuko, and other members of the Uechi Karate Association visit Taiwan and meet with Chinese kenpo experts to discuss the origins of Pangainoon. As a result, it is mistakenly believed that 'Shusshabu" was a variant pronunciation, due to differences in local dialect, of 'Shushiwa', a famed kenpo teacher from Fuchow."

"1984...Kanei, Ryuko, Kansei, and other members of the Uechi Karate Association visit Fuchow City, Fukien Province, China to retrace Kanbun's life there and the origins of Uechi-ryu. It becomes apparent that Shusshabu and Shushiwa were different individuals."

Admittedly, I have not contacted the maintainers of the Brandon web site to ask them, but the chronology seems to say that: Shusshabu and Shushiwa were two different people, with Shusshabu being the teacher of Kanbun; the 1984 trip proved that Shushiwa was not the teather of Kanbun; and Uechi dojo should not display pictures of Shushiwa as Kanbun's teacher. What is your opinion/knowledge of this apparent contridiction? I know that within Uechi-ryu, the name of Kanbun's teacher was once spelled something similar to Shusshabu and that Kanshiwa was once spelled something similar to Kanshabu. How did the name Shusshabu get introduced into Uechi history? How did Shushiwa? Do you think they are the same person? Does the Uechi family? Is there any evidence that Shushiwa was not Kanbun's teacher? Could Shushiwa truly have been the great master of Pangainoon that Kanbun found considering he was only four years older than Kanbun (i.e., about 24 when they met)? Just some thoughts/questions that I could use some enlightenment on. Thanks.

Glenn Humphress
th20405@ltec.net
Lincoln, NE

I'll give some of our other resident scholars an opportunity to answer these very interesting questions. GEM

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