Monday, December 31, 2012 by C. Michial Jones
I recently sat down with a few former dojo mates who, like me, came up under my father. We began comparing notes on what we were taught and, more importantly, the order in which we were taught it.
My father’s journey began in 1967 at the Jundokan of Indiana, which soon became the Komakai Academy of Karate. His sole karate teacher was Glenn Keeney. However, my father’s education was eclectic: he studied Aikido under the legendary Tomiki Kenji Sensei while in the Army, and he frequently trained with Phillip Koeppel and Mike Awad, both of whom were high-level Shuri-Ryu stylists.
In his dojo, my father taught a potent blend: Goju-Ryu, Shuri-Ryu (Shorei), and Aikido. As a child, I didn’t realize I was learning two distinct styles. To me, it was just “Karate.”
The “Unique Arrangement”
As I compared notes with my peers, I realized that while the core was consistent, the curriculum was expansive. My father taught me the 27 Two-Person Formal Exercises, the Tomiki Aikido sets, and a massive list of kata that bridged the gap between the “Hard-Soft” and the “Shuri” traditions.
The Hybrid Curriculum included:
- Goju-Ryu Roots: Gekisai 1 & 2, Saifa, Seiunchin, Shisochin, Sanchin, Sanseru, Seipai.
- Shuri/Shorei-Ryu Branches: Empi Sho, Bassai Dai, Nifunchin (1-3), Dan Enn Sho, Go Pei Sho, Nan Dan Sho, Kanku Sho, Wansu, Ananku, Passai Sho/Dai, Chinto, and the Pinan series.
- Kobudo: A full suite of Bo and Sai kata, including Tuse Sho No Kon and Chatan Yara No Sai.
Seeking the Remainder
It wasn’t until 1989, when I trained with a senior from the Jundokan, that I realized there were “missing” Goju-Ryu kata. When I asked my father why we didn’t have the full set, he gave me the honest answer of a loyal student: “I teach what my teacher taught me.” He explained that we were part of the Komakai System. Our lineage traced back to Miyagi and Motobu, and ultimately to Higashionna and Matsumura. The arrangement was unique to Glenn Keeney’s dojo—a synthesis of the best Okinawan traditions adapted for the American practitioner.
With my father’s permission, I set out to learn the remainder of the Goju-Ryu system. By the time I opened the Yushikan in 1994, I had completed both the Goju-Ryu and Shuri-Ryu syllabi.
The Realization of Maturity
Over the decades, as I attained various Shihan Menjo (Master Licenses) from Okinawan masters, my perspective shifted. I realized that you can learn hundreds of kata, but if you don’t understand the Bunkai (application), you are just wasting your time.
I discovered that Karate is Karate. While each Ryuha has minor technical differences, they have far more in common than they do differences.
Looking back, some might think I abandoned my father’s teachings by focusing so heavily on the Jundokan lineage. I don’t think he would agree. I didn’t abandon the foundation; I simply followed the path of the researcher. I took the “unique arrangement” he gave me and followed the threads back to their Okinawan sources. My teaching today is the result of that long journey—a tribute to the foundation he laid and the curiosity he encouraged.
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