Shito-Ryu Shukokai (which is tradition?)

[shukokai2000]

I recently went on a seminar . to which on the fisrt day we were taught Nipipo kata (5th Dan kata) althought it was a great course, i have seen it done at least 3/4 different ways by high Dan instructors Japanese and British some even saying it's a 3rd Dan kata, So although we need to keep the tradition in this art, which one do you follow ?

[Gen_Tora]

My own, I'm considering reinventing my shotokan break down kata in to 2 or 3 solo forms & go toward the more chinese okinawan flavor. At which point it won't shotokan any more

[ddavis]

I was taught Nipaipo when I was 4th kyu, so don't get caught up in the kata is a 5th Dan or 3rd Dan thing. Ken Rossen once told me their are no Black Belt kata, or white belt kata, just a white doing a kata and a black belt doing a kata. You will see a difference is their technique, power. timing and focus.

[shogeri]

Kata are just that ~ kata.

They are about performance, and yet so much more.

It is up to the practioner to determine the interpretation, the impression, and the expression of the form.

Again, even though the techniques might be advanced(or basic), it is up to the person to visually explain the form, and display their own skill in application principle, and technical proficiency.

The more someone knows what lies beneath, their opportunity to show the true colors of the kata will come into play.

There are those that can perform kata, and make it look good, while not understanding what is at the core of the form.

Just putting in some loose thoughts!

[Hobbes]

Words like true and traditional really bother me since they rely on interpretation. They are soft words and mean many things to many people. Kata is important, but that importance can be very diverse. Kata is, unfortunately, rather ambiguous. There are more difficult kata and as skills increase, one can perform these kata with skill. Kata is all about context and depending on the practitioners life experiences, the context of the kata can change. Bunkai is, arguably is an expression of context, and the official bunkai is the accepted context that ought to be kept in mind when practicing kata (according the governing body connected to the style). A study in traditions of all kinds illustrates just how eager we are to apply meaning to things and this isn't restricted to only karate, but it can apply to any part of our lives, Christmas traditions included.

My sensei taught me Juni no kata at 1st dan while the itosu-kai people I'm familar with teach it as a low kyu kata. My teacher learned juni no kata from the founder mubuni sensei, so it was important for him. His precieved value of the kata influenced when he decided to teach it.

[Shrekka]

Hobbes, what do you mean by official bunkai?

Cheers

[Hobbes]

Now first of all, bunkai is limited only by imagination and experience. Official bunkai is simply bunkai, which is recognised by a particular body as standard and ought to be known, practiced and tested as a common denominator. It certainly is not the only bunkai. Some see it as seed bunkai while others rarely tread far from the officially sanctioned path.