A Living Legend Discusses Tradition

Today's somewhat-longer-than-usual blurb addresses the topic of tradition. Among many martial artists, what we practice is not considered traditional martial arts - and that label carries several connotations within the larger martial arts community, some positive, most not. In constructing the Anamika system, I saw myself as advocating a 'new tradition', one which honors the past (as stated in our student creed), yet is socially progressive and flexible in order to adapt to the needs of today's world and practitioners.

But enough about me...today's blurb comes from An-Shu Stephen Hayes, a 10th degree black belt, founder of the martial art of To-Shin Do (a traditional adaptation based on his experience in ninjutsu and other Japanese arts of the Bujinkan), founder-director of the Kasumi-An, and author of 19 books about the martial arts. An-Shu Hayes is a student of Masaaki Hatsumi (who founded the Bujinkan and is the lineage holder/grandmaster in all 9 styles taught by the organization).

All those credentials really just mean that Stephen Hayes is about as 'old school' as they come!

With the exception of his overly friendly and warm demeanor (hardly the image of a traditional grandmaster), Hayes is arguably one of the most traditional martial artists living today, so when I think about traditional martial arts, I often turn to his writings.

Here's what he had to say in a recent article (June 2009, Martial Arts Professional):

I want to start by asking: if yours [your style] is an ancient tradition, when did it "freeze" into its final form? When did your tradition stop growing, researching, and incorporating innovation?

If you are practicing with Eda era (late 1600s through mid-1800s) swords, then your system is an upgraded version of the techniques of the Sengoku Warring States period (1500s), during which a completely different style of sword was used. If you claim to practice the original tradition of Japanese sword, as applied in the Sengoku era, then your system is an upgraded version of the Muromachi era (1300s into the 1500s), with its distinct style of swords and techniques.

How do you decide just how traditional you want to be? If yours is an ancient tradition, how would the founder do things if he or she were to start today? What was the founder's motivating purpose to create what eventually became your tradition?

If it was self-protection, then what were the prevailing types of attack that he or she had to address? Do you think that those same attacks are in use today?

If the point was health cultivation, then do you believe that they knew more or different information about health then, as compared to today?

If the point was spiritual or character development, then what were the cultural conditions that the founder wanted your martial practice to counter? Do those same conditions apply to your culture today?

Today, when I watch martial artists hold their precious traditions close to them as they claim to train their students in modern self-defense, I see them as if they were overzealous Civil War enthusiasts who somehow claim to know how to defeat carjackers, gang violence, date rape, and angry soccer moms who are late for Zumba class. Don't get me wrong - I find military history (especially the Civil War) quite fascinating and worth studying, and the classic "shoot 'em with your musket" can be easily adapted to modern technology. It's just that some of the relics from that era are best left there, others can be modified, and whatever still rocks can be passed down - along with a thorough history lesson. Bayonet defense might still be useful today, to an extent, because people still get stabbed....but I'm not going to confuse the study of the bayonet with knife defense.

It's fine and dandy if you want to consider yourself a traditional martial artist (I *still* do), but be a traditionalist for the right reasons and with the right traditions. Just because something was traditional doesn't automatically make it right, useful, or valuable. If you're practicing it because it's beautiful and/or interesting, fine. Just don't confuse "useful at the time" with "useful right now", or toss out blanket judgments to anyone who's not doing it exactly like Master Oogway did it on top of the mountain thousands of years ago.

Now, if you don't mind, I must practice my trebuchet form with my phalanx. Grab a crossbow and cover me, else I shall split thee in twain. (j/k)