Written by We have it pretty good, you know?! We can learn and practice an art in an environment with no repercussions from anyone. We have sensei that do their best to keep us safe and healthy while teaching the art.
Well, that was not always like that. A little bit more than 120 years ago karate was forbidden on Okinawa and people trained in secrecy. Gichin Funakoshi writes about that in his book “Karate-Do My Way of Life”. He went to train at night in backyards, graveyards, or hidden fields. All that after a full day of work, always with the possibility to get spotted and arrested for it. What dedication is that?
After karate became legal, Master Funakoshi was a main driver on spreading the martial art all over Japan. He spent years separated from his family, after the end of the Second World war, teaching karate in Tokyo while his wife and kids remained on the Okinawa islands. Another sign of dedication to the art.
While reading his book and thinking about it, our forefathers (and mothers) sacrificed a lot while developing the art. From practicing in secrecy with possible jail time to spending years separated from family and friends. We should be more than grateful to these individuals, who have brought forward the art and the public understanding so that we can practice in peace, and go home to our families afterwards.
For me, reading about Master Funakoshi’s way of life gave me another level of appreciation of what history we are a part of with our Zen Martial Art dojo community.