Tatsuo Sensei Told Us ...

Tatsuo said something like, "Learn about the peoples customs and beliefs." It could be said he stated, "to learn Okinawan karate, Isshinryu, lean about Okinawan customs and beliefs." What did we Americans do, we assumed that meant learn about such outward manifestations such as what religion they believe in, what courtesies to they use such as rei, what celebrations do they honor, and what seasonal celebrations and customs do Okinawan's practice.

We dug in the obvious, the external, because we are that type of person. We seldom, even on a personal side, look within for those non-physical traits that make Okinawan's what they are and we don't look within to understand how that affects how they communicate, live, and socialize, etc. I think we missed the boat completely and it sailed long ago with out us on board.

We seek to understand the philosophy yet we don't see or understand how that philosophy causes them to act or talk or feel a certain way. We once again missed the boat and actually I am not even sure my explanation describes this adequately.

I believe that Tatsuo Sensei meant for us to find out and understand the person of Okinawan descent. To learn what drives them as individual. Not the laws that govern but the intent deep down that drives the way the interpret, understand, convey things of life, not just karate.

He wanted us to seek what layers supported their customs, beliefs, and philosophies. What gas drives the car, not the tires that it rolls on ... something deeper that causes the internal combustion and not just the motion of the car. What is the persons context?

Have we even begun to dig into what it means to be Okinawan? Is it possible until we let go of our preconceived beliefs and notions of who and what Okinawan's are or be?

It has become more apparent to me that what we "see" when we look at Tatsuo Sensei or any Okinawan is not what they hold dear to their hearts, that which is within them. We also "hear" what we want to hear and in the manner of how Asian's communicate we may not have heard the void between the words. I use this from the Japanese communications information simply because Okinawa is Japan and because they have been ruled for so long many of these things are a part of Okinawan's now, mostly.

Okinawan's, like Japan, got a lot from Chinese influences but remained at their core Okinawan's yet the outward and inward due to the close knit needs of the group mean they absorb things consciously and unconsciously - like uchinaguchi changing to Japanese language as the Okinawan language.