jak chceta to poczytajcie tekst jednegp nawiedzenca "afroamerykana" z USA ale nie chce mi sie tlumaczyc....
aha jak ktos nie wie to w USA jest cala ich grupa ktora twierdzi ze Jesus byl murzynem i ma biali to ukrywamy i jako dowod na to podaja obraz jasnogorski
Roundhouse Kick: A Brief Global and African-Centered Perspective on
the Martial Arts By J. D. Jackson
The Vulcan Historical Review 4 (Spring 2000) Ó J. D. Jackson, 2000.
All Rights Reserved.
Few words evoke as much attention-acquiring power as the
words "martial arts." Like rolling thunder in an empty valley, those
words seem to echo human screams given out by martial artists in a
fight to the death. The words "martial arts" may also produce vivid
images of sweat-drenched combatants in even and uneven-numbered
deadly or athletic bouts. Whatever thoughts and images that the
words "martial arts" inspire, one question demands to be answered by
casual observers and amateur and professional practitioners alike:
What are the martial arts? In short, the definition of the martial
arts, although similar throughout the world, differs according to the
purpose for which someone chooses to practice it.
Some martial arts practitioners view their "craft" solely
as a means of self-defense and nothing more. In more crude language,
others view the martial arts as "just for kicking butt." Still others
have chosen to practice the martial arts for the health and body-
toning benefits that they reap from them. Still other practitioners
simply want to dazzle captive audiences in a feeble attempt to carbon
copy some cinematic martial arts feat as performed by some famous or
infamous, authentic or inauthentic martial artist.
But are any of those things the true purpose for the martial arts?
Do any of them echo the original reason for this sacred and ancient
tradition? Or have modern practices thoroughly divorced themselves
from the primary factors that gave birth to the martial arts?
Historians and students alike generally answer "yes" to the latter
question.
In his informative and well-written book, Martial Arts Around the
World, John Soet attempts to answer these pressing questions. In the
first two sentences of the introduction to his book, he writes
plainly these words: "The term 'martial' means 'warlike'. It takes
its name from Mars, the Roman god of war.1 Furthermore, he believes
that the martial arts began, more often than not, as an attempt "to
remove a threat."2
Others disagree with Soet. Being active martial arts practitioners,
in most instances, their views usually hold sway among students of
those disciplines. Internationally-recognized martial arts champion
Willie "The Bam" Johnson states:
I see it in every sparring match--students trying
to outdo each other and win at any cost. We've
forgotten that the purpose of the martial arts is
to defeat the ultimate opponent--the self, not each
other.3
Johnson further rounded out his definition by asking, "Have we become
so focused on winning and on self that we've forgotten that the
martial arts was intended to be a physical, mental and spiritual way
of life?"4
Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, a togakure-ryu ninjitsu master, agrees
wholeheartedly with Johnson. In The Grandmaster's Book of Ninja
Training, he makes his case plain: "The ultimate purpose of real
martial arts is to maintain peace and freedom. Martial arts are
maintaining happiness and to bring others the experience of
happiness.5
The late martial arts expert Bruce Lee, whose very name evokes
excitement and images of fast-moving and powerful martial arts
movements and effective techniques, also offered a definition. In
his last, though recently found, interview, Lee intentionally (or
unintentionally), strips the martial arts of their spiritual
basis. "'Martial art' include all the combative arts like karate, or
(adopting the Western phonetic)'karadee,' judo, Chinese kung fu or
Chineseboxing, whatever you call it. All those. You see, like
akido, Korean karate--I can go on and on. But it's a combative form
of fighting."6
Antonio Cuevas and Jennifer Lee, editors of the book Martial Arts are
not Just for Kicking Butt, provide a more direct definition:
To many, the martial arts are defined as the
fighting arts. From fighting artist, we expect
fancy and efficient blows, cuts and kicks that
slam opponents across the room and against
the wall before the opponent is even fully aware
of what's happening.7
Pointing out that barroom brawls and street rumbles do not fit their
view of the martial arts, the two editors give their own
definition: "What we refer to are those martial practices that have
made an art of the struggle, where the struggle becomes an artful
discipline and the struggle becomes an artful discipline and where
the fighter becomes an artist."8 In short, the martial arts are the
many combative fighting schools that often encompass the physical,
mental, and spiritual life of their practitioners.
But where were the martial arts first practiced? What are their
origins? Where did they begin? Those questions are of great
importance to both students and historians and many scholars have
tried to answer them. Soet points out that there are two main
theories. One is the "common origin theory", which he says "traces a
rather fanciful history of the arts."9 This theory states that the
martial arts began in either India or ancient Greece. If in Greece,
it is believed, "that Alexander's troops brought Olympic style
fighting, pankration, to India."10 The Indian theory "is simply
based on the fact that there were many sophisticated martial arts
forms, such as kaliripiyat, being practiced in ancient parts of
India" and, from there, they spread to China.11 The possibility is
greater that Chinese martial arts, believed to have been invented in
India by the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma (Tamo in Japanese), were
developed by the military.12
Just as quickly as he ends his discourse on the dual theories
regarding the origins of the martial arts, Soet brushes both of them
aside. He does so with these words: "Regardless of historical
theory, recent history proves that the demands of time and terrain
cause an art to evolve."13 Soet, citing "that the human body can
only move so many ways and there are a finite number of ways to do
things right," prefers the independent evolution theory.14
The well-respected, African American martial artist, sculptor, and
writer Nijel Binn does not agree with Soet's statements about origins
of the martial arts. Nijel makes that plain in his 1990 Nuba
Wrestling: The Original Art and in his 1999 essay in the one-issue
publication BKF: Black Karate Federation Magazine, which he also
edited. He entitled his essay in that magazine "Nuba Wrestling: The
African Origins of the Martial Arts".
Before focusing on Binn's works, in all honesty and fairness, Soet's
thoughts on the African origins of the martial arts should be
explored. Soet writes: "There are other theories which contend that
African martial arts were the first refined fighting system in
history."15 Additionally, in September 1993, the magazine Ebony Man
published an article entitled "African Martial Arts" that must be
noted for further reference for all interested in more accessible
information on the topic.
The same must be said for the videotapes and written work of African
American Kilindi Iyi, a master of the Egytian martial art, ta-
merrian. In a May 1995 Inside Kung-Fu article entitled "The Essence
of Ta-Merrian Martial Arts," Iyi writes: "The ancient Africans early
in their history unlocked the fundamental basis to the essential
essence of the martial arts that live today in the hearts and minds
of the descendants of African warriors waiting to be invoked."16
Iyi directly addresses the question of the origins of the martial
arts and their relationship to both Africa and Asia in an essay
entitled "African Roots in Asian Martial Arts." Here, Iyi contends
that the "martial arts of Africa presented to the world the oldest
forms of combat, contrary to the popular belief that Asia produced
the first warrior sciences."17
Undoubtedly, Binn, unhesitatingly, would agree. In his BKF
article, he echoes Iyi's words:
Millions of African-Americans, and Black people
all over the world have, or still do practice some
form of martial arts such as kung-fu, judo or
karate. However, less than one percent of
African-Americans and only a slightly higher
percentage of Asians, and Europeans are aware
that the true origins of these arts are in fact African.18
According to Binn: "The Nuba of Sudan, Africa practiced a form of
martial arts wrestling over 2,800 years before Christ. There are no
other records in any corner of the world that can claim such a long
and unbroken martial arts tradition."19 It was from the Nuba that
the Greeks learned their combat techniques. Binn even asserts that
the Greeks adopted the name for their land, "Greece," from the
word "Nigrecia," an ancient name for Africa.20
Binn, using solid evidence to back up his claims, pushes even further
forward. He examines ancient wall illustrations of over 500
individual pairs of wrestlers who illustrate hundreds of techniques.
Found in three separate tombs at Beni Hasan in Egypt (North Africa),
all figures depicted are colored black. Dating from around 2,800
B.C., these wall paintings "represent the oldest known, and most
prolifically illustrated martial arts system on earth."21 Among
other things, Binn notes that the illustrations show scenes of
martial artists using "a lance, and short sticks . . . [and]scenes of
warriors in castles, which contradicts what we believe about the
birth of castles and fortifications in Europe."22
Like Iyi, Binn quickly points out Asia's debt to Africa for the
martial arts and how that debt was incurred. He calls it a "link"
more than a "debt", although the words, in this instance, could be
considered synonymous. He writes, "Asia's link to the African
martial arts tradition dates back to black people in India known as
Dravidians"23
Interestingly enough, after setting the origin of the martial arts on
its ear, Binn does the same thing to the word "karate." Pointing out
that "karate do" is generally believed, in Japanese, to mean "empty
hand way," its origin is actually African. After applying an
etymological examination and explanation for each syllable
of "karate," he states that its actual definition is "the way to
bring forth, or draw out the essence of the spirit."24
Karate, of course, is only one martial art among many around the
world. Others include the Korean martial art of tae kwon do, which
means "kick-and-punch-art." Ninjas, or "shadow warriors," used the
Japanese martial art ninjitsu, meaning "the art of stealth or
invisibility." The Chinese art of wing chun stems from the Shaolin
Temple (made famous by the television series Kung Fu) and is the
foundation of t'ai chi an wushu, which is known for its spectacular
kicks and leaps. Jeet kune do is Bruce Lee's formulated version of
kung fu. The Japanese art of aikido, "the way to meet the spirit,"
was founded by Morihei Ueshiba and its most famous practitioner is
Steven Seagal. The Japanese offer the martial arts of judo, "the
gentle way," and jujitsu, which is "a Japanese system of pressure
points and joint locks based on acupuncture meridians and
transferring ki." The Israeli martial art of krav maga, Hebrew
for "contact combat", is a no-holds barred activity that, reportedly,
has proven to be effective against terrorism. Lastly, to round out
this short list of the world's martial arts, there is the
increasingly popular Afro-Brazilian martial art called capoeira. It
has been featured in such movies as Only the Strong, where it was the
focal martial art. Capoeira was also used by the African American
actor and martial artist Wesley Snipes in his movies Passenger 57,
Money Train, and Blade.25
Because enslaved Africans brought capoeira to Brazil, it stands
unique among the martial arts. If not fully developed on African
soil by its originators, it largely evolved on Brazilian soil where
slaves used it very effectively against their Portuguese masters. In
fact, capoeira enabled slaves to first escape and then establish the
Quilombo dos Palmares (the runaway slave-established and led village
of the Palms), a settlement they maintained for nearly seventy years
in the heartland of Brazilian slavery.26 Zumbi, the heroic escaped
African slave, claimed credit for having lead that famous marroon
outpost. A Brazilian film, Quilombo, even documents both his efforts
and his community. Zumbi's memory is celebrated annually, especially
by Afro-Brazilians who make up between 50 and 60 percent of Brazil's
population.27
Do largely to its effectiveness against enslavers, capoeira, which
means "wild grass cut low," was outlawed in Brazil for over 200
years. To keep the art alive, practitioners concealed it as a dance
and continued to spread it. The reason for its resistance to
extinction may best be understood via the words of one of its
disciples: "Capoeira was born out of a burning desire for freedom.
Only through the efforts of these [enslaved African] men would the
slaves free themselves, and return once more to the life of freedom
they had known in their own land."28
Consequently, that led to the further spread of capoeira throughout
Brazil. Key in that endeavor include two of capoeira's most famous
mestres (masters/teachers)—Pastinha (Vicente Ferreira Pastinha) and
Mestre Bimba (Manuel dos Reis Machados), both Afro-Brazilians and
developers of the two paramount but somewhat different styles of
capoeira. Mestre Pastinha founded Capoeira Angola, so named after
Angola, the land of many of Brazil's enslaved Africans. Mestre Bimba
founded Capoeira Regional and set up the first capoeira academy in
Brazil. The activities of these two men and and their followers led
to the formal recognition of capoeira by the Brazilian government in
1928. The government declared capoeira "a native art form" in 1965
(although somewhat reluctantly), and an official sport in 1972.
Currently it is second in popularity only to soccer.29
The martial arts have greatly influenced human existence. Works on
martial or military subjects, like Chinese general Sun Tzu's 2,000
year old book, The Art of War (called Sonshin in Japanese and used by
the ninjas), and the seventeenth-century Japanese swordsman Miyomoto
Musashi's, Book of Five Rings, find themselves on college and popular
reading lists, not to mention must-read book lists for businessmen
and women.
Of note is the wisdom sandwiched between the covers of Sun Tzu's and
Musashi's books. The following words from Sun Tzu seem to be at the
core of the often, unspoken philosophy of virtually all martial
arts:
If you know the enemy and know yourself, you
need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If
you know yourself but not the enemy, for every
victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you
know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will
succumb in every battle.30
Musashi put Sun Tzu's sentiments in more concise terms. He
states: "Strategy is the craft of the warrior."31
Of equal, if not greater, literary importance is the 400 year old
classic book on Japanese chivalry, or Bushido, entitled The Code of
the Samurai.32 To quote the publisher's forward: "The Code of the
Samurai presents the 'honor system' of the Japanese warrior in a
series of straight-forward rules."33 On that, most scholars agree.
An example of its wisdom reads:
. . . in Bushido ("the Way of the Warrior"), however
loyal and filial a man may be in his heart, if he is
lacking in the correct etiquette and manners by
which respect is shown to lord or parent, he cannot
be regarded as living in proper conformity with it.
Any negligence of this kind is not only towards his
lord but also towards his parents is no conduct for
anyone who sets up to be a samurai.34
Considered must reading for anyone wishing to understand better "the
soul of Japan", this book's directness and thrust for compliance grip
the minds and grab the attention of its readers even today, nearly
half a millennium after its original publication.
The discussion of the Japanese samurai necessitates the highlighting
of two virtually unknown but important Japanese proverbs and an
equally unknown but important Japanese personality. The first
proverbs says: "for a samurai to be brave he must have a bit of black
blood."35 The late, Senegalese Egyptologist, historian, physicist,
and philosopher Cheikh Anta Diop cites the exact same proverb.36
African American historian Runoko Rashidi, an Africanist and
Asianist, goes even further. In a February 1990, Black History Month
lecture at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, he stated that
further investigation of the said proverb led to its revision: "For a
samurai to be brave, he must have half Black blood, meaning either
mom or dad must be black."37
Either proverb leads directly to the Japanese personality known as
Sakanouye Tamuraro. Discussed by many authors, both black and white,
this person maintains a strong position of status in Japanese
history. Writes Rashidi:
We also have knowledge, in Japan, of Sakanouye
Tamuraro(c. 800 A. D.) the Black general who led
the Japanese armies into battle against the Ainu,
who were the neolithic inhabitants of Japan, and
whose name hearkens back to the ancient Anu
of Nile Valley fame. Tamuraro's
successful
shogunate.38
James Brunson also writes on Tamuraro in his book The World of
Sakanouye No Tamuro Maro: Black Shogun of Early Japan. Sakanouye
Tamuraro, whose historical existence has been documented in English
at least since the early twentieth century, was the brief subject
Professor Alexander Francis Chamberlain's 1916 essay "The
Contribution of the Negro Human Civilization." The essay was
included in a publication entitled Select Discussions of Race
Problems: A Collection of Papers of Especial Use in Study of Negro
American Problems: with the Proceedings of the Twentieth Annual
Conference for Study of the Negro Problem.39 Famed and well-
respected Japan expert G. B. Sansom also wrote about Sakanouye in
several of his authoritative books on Japan, including his seminal
work, A History of Japan to 1344.40 He goes so far as to state that
Sakanouye was the first recepient of the title of "Sei-i-Tai-Shogun,
or Barbarian Subduing-Generalissimo."
The martial arts, of late, have a mammoth history of dedicated
practitioners. Why do they adhere to the tenements of the martial
arts? Simply put, they do so for various reasons. Many do so for
the health benefits. Others relieve pent-up aggression by either
participating in the martial arts or by simply observing them,
especially in martial arts/action films.41 Much has been written
about martial arts films. Terence Allen (a columnist for Black Belt,
reportedly the "world's leading magazine of self-defense")
writes: "Bruce Lee...is considered the individual most responsible
for spurring the martial arts movie craze in North America."42
Additionally, Allen argues: "Bruce Lee is, of course, credited with
instigating the martial arts movie boom, and his 1973 film, Enter the
Dragon, is still considered the standard by which motion pictures in
the genre are measured."43
Ironically, in the same breath that anyone mentions Bruce Lee and his
martial arts skills in movies, they usually also mention Brandon Lee,
Bruce's son. Bob McCann, writer for the magazine Official Karate
notes: "Bruce Lee, after all, invented martial arts cool and
reinvented the kinesiology of cinema. But Brandon was, it turns out,
the actor in the family."44 Brandon Lee's untimely death while
filming the martial arts cult film "The Crow" serves as the basis for
such an argument. His death also leaves a huge void for fans of
arts/action films. McCann believes that since Brandon Lee's death
(some say murder), the throne for an authentic martial arts movie
king or queen will be vacant for some time to come. He writes:
Instead of waiting for the Second Coming, action
fans will simply have to live with the fact that the
next martial arts superstar is at least another
generation away. American fans never warmed
to the comic brilliance of Jackie Chan; Jeff Speakman
never made the breakthrough; Don Wilson--for
better or for worse--is essentially a direct-to-cable
star; and old hands like Chuck Norris, Van Damme
and Steven Seagal have drifted far from their
karate/kung fu roots.45
Some may question that train of thought. Others may view it simply
as the unadulterated truth.
What cannot be questioned is the fact that, like most noteworthy
endeavors and creations, the martial arts have had many famous and
not-so famous contributors. They have come various ethnic and racial
backgrounds, from both genders, from virtually all inhabitable
continents and islands, and from both ancient and modern times. In
short, what are today called the "martial arts" result from the
collective efforts of persons living and long-since deceased.
Space dictates that many noteworthy contributors must be omitted, but
there is a need to focus on some of the founders of different styles
of martial arts. In many circles Ueshiba Morihei tops the list. As
the founder of aikido, has seen his art popularized by such
personalities as mega-martial arts star and aikido expert Steven
Seagal.46 Seagal echoes the overall sentiments of his grandmaster
teacher regarding the martial arts and spirituality. He does not
hesitate to point out that the martial arts are composed of physical,
mental, and spiritual components. At the same time, he claims
that "the spiritual has to be the basis and with that you have all of
the ethics, morals, protocol, etiquette, all of the mental, all of
the emotional, and all of the physical."47
Another important but less-heralded figure is the late Edmond Kealoha
Parker, often called "Ed Parker" for short. Born and raised in
Honolulu, Hawaii, and passing away in 1990, Parker claimed the
title, "Father of American Kenpo Karate". A noted historian of
karate, Parker ranks high for his martial arts and literary skills,
which provided easy reading and for a better understanding of this
martial art form. An innovator, Parker also initiated martial arts
seminars, trade shows, and camps, and helped to promote the careers
of many top-notch, contemporary personalities.48
Conflicting stories surround the discussion about who the
title "Father of American Ninjutsu" belongs to. Some scholars dub
European American Stephen K. Hayes with it. Hayes, who studied under
Masaaki Hatsumi, the 34th-generation leader of the togakure ryun of
ninjutsu has written over sixteen books on the subject, teaches
seminars on the topic, and conducts training for both the U. S. Air
Force and the FBI Academy. He also holds the distinct honor of
becoming, in 1978, "the first non-Japanese person in the history of
ninjutsu to be awarded the title of shidoshi, "teacher of the warrior
ways of enlightenment."49 Other sources, however, strongly suggest
that either Hayes must relinquish his hold on the title or, at least,
share it another man. Still others have increased Hayes's rank,
labeling him "The Father of Western Ninjutsu."50
Observers of the martial arts, especially American ninjutsu, might
disagree with the crowning of Hayes with either of those titles,
preferring African American martial artist Ronald Duncan, who, like
Hayes, is known as the "Father of Ninjutsu." James Loriega, one of
Duncan's students, does one of the best jobs of highlighting his
sensei's (teacher's) significant and undeniable contribution to the
martial arts. In a 1995 edition of the martial arts magazine Ninja,
Loriega provides that information in his article entitled "A Gift
from the Master: Ronald Duncan Reveals the Koga-Ryu's Highest
Teachings--But Only to a Chosen Few."
Loriega cuts no corners in showing his admiration for the power and
depth of Duncans's influence in his chosen art. He writes, "Nothing I
have read in either popular fiction or 'authentic' ninja training
manuals has ever remotely approximated the teachings we [Duncan's
students] were privileged to receive from the Father of Ninjutsu."51
Without mentioning Steven Hayes's name, Loriega points out how
Duncan's practice of ninjutsu and contribution to that art predate
that of Hayes:
To veteran readers of Ninja Magazine, no
introduction is necessary for Master Ronald
Duncan, the Father of American Ninjutsu. For
the benefit of neophytes to the world of ninjutsu
we will simply state that Master Duncan was the
first man to openly teach the arts of the ninja in
the United States. As early as 1961, the Bushido
School of Self-Defense offered instruction in such
traditional arts as knife-fighting, knife-throwing,
stick-fighting, and various forms of unarmed
combat. The School's business card also listed
'ninjutsu', but instruction in this was only available
to those who already know what the term meant.
Not surprisingly, in the mid- to late '60s the hard
core of the ninjutsu class was comprised of only
a dozen or so well-read and well-seasoned
martial artists.52
Seemingly taking a shot at Hayes and his somewhat dubious honor of
being awarded the title shidoshi in 1978 and the fact that Hayes did
not start practicing the martial arts until the 1960s, Loriega writes
about Master Duncan and how he conducted his ninjutsu class in the
1960s. First of all, it was "closed-door instruction". Furthermore,
he provides these vivid details of that instruction:
Friday was exclusively ninjutsu night and the
single class session often ran from 7:00 pm to
12:00 am. No one was admitted in late, no one
was permitted to leave early, and visitors were
strictly unwelcome and forbidden. This secret
and exclusive training took place years before
the appearance of ninja books in martial arts
stores and magazines. Before there were titles,
credentials, international warrior societies, or
books on invisible assassins in the United States
there was the Bushido School of Self-Defense
and Ronald Duncan. And what he taught me then
you cannot find anyone else to teach you now.53
Loriega even emphasizes Ninja magazine's debt to Duncan,
writing: "Ronald Duncan, the man to whom the title of this magazine
truly belongs."54
Tenth-Degree Red Belt and veteran martial artist Ron Van Clief
concurs with Loriega. An African American martial artist, Van Clief,
like Ronald Duncan, is a long-time practitioner of the martial arts.
Formerly the commissioner of the World Contact Karate League and the
Ultimate Fighting Championship, he has engaged in over forty years of
international karate competition. This has resulted in his having
competed in more than 900 tournaments, retired as a five time world
karate champion and eight time United States champion; being named
Chief Instructor for the Royal Cayman Island Police Department; being
inducted in the World Martial Arts Hall Fame; and having received the
Life Achievement Award in 1995. He has also lectured all the world
and serves as the United States Secret Service's technical advisor.55
A martial arts film star, having starred in The Black Dragon, and a
prolific writer on martial arts, Professor Van Clief writes with hawk-
like directness about Ronald Duncan. Elevating Duncan to the rank
of "grandmaster", Van Clief calls him "a living legend in the martial
arts world."56 Van Clief points out that Duncan studied both the arts
of jiu-jitsu and Ninjitsu in Okinawa and Japan and "[f]or over 40
years...has lead the field of ninjitsu in America."57 Highlighting
the fact that Duncan has a black belt in nearly a dozen different
forms or styles of martial arts, Van Clief points out that Duncan is
also a member of the Black Belt Hall of Fame and the World Martial
Arts Hall of Fame. Furthermore, writes Van Clief, Duncan is a world-
reknown lecturer and grandmaster of the martial arts and, as Loriega
writes, "the father of American ninjitsu."58
In his ground-breaking book, Black Heroes of the Marital Arts, Van
Clief focuses on other lesser known aspects and personalities of the
martial arts. He writes that the African Grandmaster Thomas LaPuppet
is responsible for karate's inclusion in the Olympics.59 Billy
Blanks, world-renown martial artist and creator of tae-bo, secures a
place in Van Clief's book as do other African American men and women
martial artists and martial arts film stars.
But it does not stop there. Each tick of the clock brings the world
to a greater understanding of its inhabitants' interdependent history
whether in the martial arts, the fine arts, the art of science,
medicine, painting, photography, public speaking, writing, or simply
the art of living harmoniously with one another. This is the essence
of the martial arts--peaceful and harmonious co-existence. It is true
whether the martial arts increase or decrease in popularity. It is
true if those sacred fighting arts continue to become the subject of
cinema and television, books, magazine and newspaper articles, or
even casual conversation. All in all, like a celestial, roundhouse
kick, the martial arts and their influence are found everywhere.
FaceBook
