Tradition - Traditional Martial Disciplines

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Traditional is bandied about a lot in the martial disciplines but seldom do we get a solid accepted definition of what you think is traditional in martial arts, martial disciplines and karate. So, I came across a writing newsletter that talked about tradition and another term but we are going to stick with tradition. 

She wrote, “Tradition comes from traditionem, referring to an act of delivery or handing over; the adjectival and adverbial forms are traditional and traditionally. (Trad occasionally appears as a slang abbreviation of traditional.) Adherence to tradition is called traditionalism, and one who advocates that philosophy is a traditionalist.”

In all my research trying to put a handle on the title of traditional no where does it specify anything other than what you read in the last paragraph. 

Another definition of tradition goes like this, “the transmission of customs or beliefs from generation to generation, or the fact of being passed on in this way.” Now, this takes us closer to what we think of as, “Traditional Karate/Martial Art, etc.” 

After a lot of mindless meandering contemplation and consideration going back to my previous definitions and explanations I have come to the conclusion that all of the forms of martial practices are all “Traditional.” 

There is the more ancient teachings of martial disciplines called, from the Japanese perspective as we understand it, “Koryu.” Koryu teachings work very hard to stay true to the old teachings as best as humans can do and since the passing of said teachings are an act that delivers and hands down those teachings it is a traditional form of Koryu. One point tho, unless you were born Japanese, live in the culture and have trained and studied a Koryu it may not be the ancient koryu you think it is but a different set of “Traditional Teachings” that you received and now pass or hand down to your students.

Let me provide a view of Okinawan Karate, there are a lot of traditional forms of that discipline. You have one traditional form that was practiced before WWII’s influences; you have one practiced after WWII; you have the sport version; and you have the educational version and so on. All of those, except the pre-WWII version that seems to have disappeared completely, are traditional forms of karate from Okinawa. Every one, a tradition that is delivered and handed over to students both Okinawan and American, i.e., during the fifties and onward. 

If your style is taught to you and that sensei passed along what they understand is the system, even if he or she changed things, then it is a traditional form of karate being handed down to successive generations. Even if not exacting to the original sensei teachings it is still a tradition, traditional, being passed and handed down to those who follow, successive generations.

MMA, is a traditional mixed martial art that is practiced and applied today while being taught to students who are passing it along to their students so, “MMA is a Traditional Mixed Martial Art.” Get it, every single form of karate, martial art, or other as a fighting system; a competitive sport system; as a means of self-improvement, i.e., the way; as a system of self-defense; as a system of combative’s and so on are, “ALL TRADITIONAL!”

Now, using the style of karate I first learned while stationed on Okinawa as an example, Isshinryu, I can say emphatically and with great confidence that it is a traditional form of karate. Now, even in that system or style there are a variety of forms that are also traditional. There is the original Tatsuo-san traditions; there are Mitchum Sensei traditions; there are Long Sensei traditions; there are Nagle Sensei traditions; there are Uezu Sensei traditions; there are Armstrong Sensei traditions and there are Advincula Sensei traditions. Every one is a traditional form of karate from Okinawa simply because the entire community and structure of them all began, were born from, Tatsuo-san’s efforts and creation. 

Where the argument begins due to a lack of understanding is this, everyone argues theres is the traditional form and the tendency to refute all others is a personal egoistic born of ignorance status type of argument while in truth every single one is correct in their belief that what they practice and teach is a traditional form. 

If we could let go, good luck with that with humans, of our need to have a unique we are traditional and you are not attitudes we can then accept that every single solitary form and model of ancient and modern martial disciplines are traditional forms and models then we have accomplished something great. 

Good luck with that, right?

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