Lineage

[isshinryu5toforever]

If this is the style you're talking about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shuri-ry%C5%AB

then your lineage is a big mess to figure out. It takes from Japanese Karate, Naha-te, Shuri-te, and Tomari-te. Figuring out the lineages of any single one of those would be a PhD. Japanese Karate as it is today is probably the easiest if you accept that Anko Itosu was Funakoshi's primary teacher, and the man to codify modern Karate. Things like the Taikyoku Kata weren't present in Okinawan Karate Kempo. Anything meant to teach the very basics, only simple blocks and punches, like the Pinan series, were not present in the old Okinawan styles. They're modern creations meant to make Karate easier. If you want a great primer on Okinawan Karate history pick up Patrick McCarthy's book Bubishi: Classic Manual of Combat. It's well-researched, he's spent years on it, and for all of his being a bit out there McCarthy is a great martial arts historian. He provides a full list of source material, and conducted many interviews to get this out. Don't pick up any old book titled Bubishi, because there are a few translations, you need to get Patrick McCarthy's latest version. It includes a lot of history, and can show you just how diluted lineage gets past 2 or 3 people.

Edit: One last point, remember, Okinawa had heavy trade with China prior to being taken over by Japan. Some things about Okinawa and Okinawan Karate are much more Chinese than they are Japanese, and all that predates Chatan Yara by about 1000 years.

[Adam_XKT]

Thank you for that.

[isshinryu5toforever]

You're welcome.