February 18, 2026 by C. Michial Jones
In 1977, the rules of the Komakai were clear: you wore a white gi. Period. My father and Keeney Sensei maintained a strict adherence to that Okinawan standard. In all the years I trained with Mr. Keeney, I believe I only saw him in a black gi once. To us, the white uniform wasn’t just clothing; it was a connection to the source.
When I eventually opened the Yushikan, I allowed myself a single concession: a black gi top specifically for Kobudo (weapons) training. Even then, my trips to Okinawa remained a strictly white-clad affair. In the eyes of the masters in Naha, anything else was a distraction from the work.
The BJJ Technicolor Shock
Then, late in my career, I stepped onto the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu mats. It was a shock to the system. There were blue gis, black gis, and even olive or grey gis. To see instructors—the highest authorities in the room—wearing colors other than white felt almost sacrilegious to a man raised in the Okinawan lineages.
In BJJ, the gi is often seen as an expression of personal style or team identity. In Okinawan Karate, the gi is seen as a shroud of humility—designed to make the individual disappear so the art can be seen.
The Reluctant Compromise
Eventually, the environment wore me down. I purchased a black gi, and later, a blue one. I wear them today, but I’ll be honest: it still feels weird.
When I put on a colored gi, a part of my brain—the part that still hears the voices of the masters from 1977—feels like I’m wearing a costume. For nearly five decades, white has been the color of my labor, my sweat, and my identity. To change that feels like speaking a foreign language with an accent that isn’t quite right.
Why the Feeling Persists
That “weird” feeling isn’t about the fabric; it’s about Sanchin (the Three Conflicts).
- The Mind knows that the color of the cotton doesn’t affect the leverage of a cross-collar choke.
- The Body knows that a blue gi holds up just as well as a white one during a grueling roll.
- The Spirit, however, is still standing in that 1977 dojo. It still associates white with the purity of intent required to master the “Hard” and “Soft.”
Conclusion: A Traditional Soul in a Modern Shell
I will continue to wear my colored gis with Rocky, respecting the culture of the room I am in. But when I stand at the head of the Yushikan, or when I prepare for a formal demonstration of Goju-Ryu, it will always be white.
We can adapt to the modern world, and we can embrace the “fun” and variety of new arts, but we must never forget the “blank slate” we started with. I may be a Purple Belt in a blue gi today, but underneath, I am still that student from 1977 in the starched white cotton—just trying to get the technique right.
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