OKINAWAN KARATE AND GOJU-RYU IN AMERIC

This information taken from:

W.S.K.O. Instruction and Student Study Handbook
DDI #3236

OKINAWAN KARATE AND GOJU-RYU IN AMERICA

The small island of Okinawa, located 108 miles southwest of Japan, is isolated between the China Sea and the Pacific Ocean. From the beginning of Okinawa’s recorded history, Okinawa’s culture was influenced by shipwreck survivors, adventurers, exiles and immigrants from China. Being a small country, Okinawa depended much on trade with China, Japan and other neighboring countries. Okinawa’s main resource was the fishing industry. Okinawa became a popular port where sailors and pirates would often stop for business purposes or relaxation thus allowing a wide variety of cultures to integrate with the native Okinawan.

The Okinawans developed tode (China Hand), a fighting style using mostly the fists. During the sixteen century, the Satsuma Clan in Japan was defeated by the Minamotto Clan. To prevent any reprisals from the defeated Satsuma army, the Minamotto leaders decided to exile the Satsumas to Okinawa and declared it part of the Japanese Empire. Upon arriving, the Satsumas were met by the Okinawans in battle. However, the Okinawans were no match for the Satsumas, Upon the capture of Shuri, the capital of Okinawa, martial law was established and all weapons banned, including knives used for cooking. The ban promoted the formation of what became known as Karate (Kara-Chinese / te-hand). The main influence in the development of karate was the banning of weapons and the large population of Chinese living in the northern part of the island. They introduced their fighting style which was known as te or hand. As the years passed, the integration of te became known as karate. It was out of necessity to survive that karate came into existence. The men who possessed great skills in karate began to teach the art at night to those they thought would use karate in the proper way, namely, to oppose the famous samurai sword.

The Okinawans were never able to overthrow the Japanese. Okinawa became a part of the Japanese Empire. During the period, karate was still being taught; and, since the ban on weapons was lifted, karate no longer needed to remain a secret; thus, the refinement of karate increased. There were two cities in Okinawa where the development of karate grew into its two main branches. From the city of Shuri came Shuri-te or hands of Shuri. From the city of Nana came Naha-te or hands of Naha.

Both Shuri-te and Naha-te contained elements from the original tode. The basics were the same and both used circular motions. Shuri-te eventually became labeled as Shorin-Ryu, which means Shao-lin style. The word shorin was adapted from the famous Shaolin temple in China. The evolution of Naha-te can be accurately traced back to a man by the name of Kanryo Higashionna, a native of Okinawa. Kanryo traveled to China in his early youth while being employed by a Chinese merchant who was a master of Chinese te or Kung-Fu. He studied diligently for many years. Upon returning to Okinawa, he integrated Chinese te with Okinawa karate and which became known as Naha-te. Today, Naha-te differs from the other branches of karate in that Naha-te possesses the greatest amount of soft style Chinese influence. Naha-te’s most interesting factor is its extensive use of heavy abdominal breathing, known as Sanchin.. Sanchin enhances the development of various areas such as muscle, body control, endurance, and strength similar to isometric exercise.

Master Higashionna is known as the father of Naha-te. He had a following of students who became very proficient in Naha-te. His principal disciple was Chojun Miyagi. He became Higashionna’s successor and traveled to China to further study the Chinese systems which so greatly influenced Naha-te. After returning to Okinawa, he made revisions and additions to his karate; in fact, he brought from China a large part of the kata that is currently in use today. Kata is like a dance routine but of karate techniques.

In 1936 the Japanese government sanctioned a demonstration of Okinawan martial arts in front of the emperor at the Imperial Palace. Miyagi was not able to attend; however, he sent a group of his best disciples. When the time came to perform the demonstration, the Emperor asked the spokesman of Miyagi’s group what was the name of his style. Back in those days, karate was karate and style names were not common; however, since the Japanese were meticulous at organization and labeling, Miyagi’s student had to think of something to say (so as to not look foolish by not having a name for his style) and simply said, "Our way is Hanho-Ryu," which means half-hard style because of its employment in hard striking techniques and soft circular deflection techniques, When the spokesman returned to Okinawa and informed Miyagi of what had happened, he realized that Hanho-Ryu was not a bad name for the style. He gave it some thought and later changed the name from Hanho-Ryu to Goju-Ryu, meaning hard and gentle style.

Today, Goju-Ryu is practiced all over the world; and, although there are different variations, they do not differ in technique so much as in organizational structure. For example, there exist today Okinawan Goju-Ryu, Japanese Goju-Ryu, USA Goju-Ryu, Nise (Second Generation) Goju-Ryu, and Sansei (Third Generation) Goju-Ryu. Sansei Goju-Ryu is the foundation for your present system of instruction which is Double Dragon Sansei Goju-Ryu.

U.S.A Goju-Ryu was founded by a martial arts pioneer in America named Peter Urban. While in the U.S. Navy and stationed in Japan, Master Urban became one of the few Americans to train under Japanese Goju-Ryu’s head, Geogen Yamaguchi. Master Urban trained hard and achieved his black belt under Yamaguchi. After years of teaching in America, Master Urban restructured and adapted the style and in the early 1960’s founded USA Goju-Ryu becoming the father of American Goju-Ryu.

Around 1962 Manny Saavedra began training under Master Urban at the famous Chinatown Dojo located in New York City, In 1966 Saavedra earned his black belt and taught Goju-Ryu with Master Urban. In 1972 Saavedra opened his first karate school in Corona, Queens, New York. With the help of Grand Master Frank Ruiz, the founder of Nise Goju-Ryu, Saavedra established Sansei Goju-Ryu.

In 1971 Arthur DeBuc started his training in Japanese Goju-Ryu under Tony Chisolm, who while with U.S. forces stationed in Japan achieved his black belt under the head of Japanese Goju-Ryu, Gogen Yamaguchi. In 1973 and only sixteen DeBuc was given the honor of becoming the head instructor of St. George’s College. In 1977 DeBuc moved to the USA and trained in several styles in order to broaden his knowledge of the martial arts. DeBuc then began to train in Sansei Goju-Ryu under Russ Rogg, where he became acquainted with Grandmaster Manny Saavedra, and was granted the honor of continuing his study as one of the Grandmaster’s personal students. In 1996 Kyoshi DeBuc founded the Double Dragon Institute, but without the help of Grandmaster Saavedra, the founder of Sansei Goju-Ryu, DeBuc would not have been able to establish Double Dragon Sansei Goju-Ryu known as Double Dragon Goju-Ryu or Double Dragon Goju-USA. Kyoshi Arthur DeBuc is a 6th dan, Very High Levil Master, and is also an Airline Transport Pilot, Certified Instructor, and a Senior Judge among other non related awards.

Kyoshi DeBuc, founder of the Double Dragon Institute Sansei Goju-Ryu Karate-Do, has been Included in the National Register's Who's Who in Executives and Professionals, 1999-2000 edition filed in the Library of Congress in Washington. D.C., and is a member of the World Sansei Goju-Ryu Karate Organization founded by Grandmaster Manny Saavedra.

Sansei Goju-Ryu is internationally recognized through the Global Martial Arts Federation, and the United Nations. Sansei Goju-Ryu is a part of the Hong Kong Dragon Since Athletics Association established in Hong Kong in 1968, the Wa Lum Tai Chi Martial Arts Association established in Canton, China in 1887, and the World United Nations Martial Arts Federation established in 1985 representing 157 nations. Grand Master Saavedra was bestowed a Ph.D. from Canton University with the appropriate title of professor.