Okinawa provides martial arts haven

Photo By Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe | Cpl. Adrian Velazquez, performs a hip-throw, a technique in the Marine Corps Marital Arts Program gray belt syllabus, on Lance Cpl. Michael Herrington, both intermediate ground radio repairman with Communications Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force, during a physical training session on Camp Kinser June 20.  

OKINAWA, JAPAN

06.15.2011

Story by Lance Cpl. Kris Daberkoe 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

OKINAWA, Japan - In ancient times, when feudal lords reigned over the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, weapons were banned from use by Okinawans.

Regardless of the law, local farmers and fishermen developed a way to protect themselves against the thieves and bandits who roamed the jungle island. They created a way to utilize their arms and legs as instruments of defense.

For Okinawans, martial arts began with kobudo, which uses common household and farming implements as weaponry, and was expanded when Chinese emissaries brought over their culture’s form of martial arts. Since then, various forms of martial arts have been brought here from different nations across the globe.

Judo is one of many martial art forms that has attracted a large following within the military and Okinawan community.

It is not unusual to see a bulletin or flyer advertising a mixed martial arts tournament, said Paul Newman, the Camp Kinser deputy commander and Judo instructor with the Kadena Air Base Judo Club.

Military community members who participate in these tournaments display common courtesy to their local counterparts, said Newman.

Marines on Okinawa bring their own style of martial arts in the form of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.

Established in 2001, MCMAP is a combat system developed by the Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-hand and close-quarters combat techniques with morale and team-building functions.

The program trains Marines and U.S. Navy personnel attached to Marine units in unarmed combat, edged weapons, weapons of opportunity, and rifle and bayonet techniques, several of which are common in Judo.

According to Newman, one of the many benefits to practicing different martial arts on Okinawa is the opportunity it presents people to meet and make friends with local community members.

Martial arts is useful for children and adults alike. It provides a type of education not usually provided in a classroom.

“Martial arts not only teaches children how to protect themselves and fight back,” said Teruki Nakata, an Osaka, Japan native and Okinawa Karate instructor with Ryakuren-Kaikan Okinawa. “It also teaches them kindness because the children inflict pain on their sparring partners, and their sparring partners tends to inflict a similar level of pain in return, so in the end it all has to balance out between the two students.”

The wide variety of martial arts forms on Okinawa makes competition interesting, said Nakata.

“Everyone brings a unique element to every event,” said Nakata.

For more information on martial arts opportunities, contact Marine Corps Community Services at 645-2628.

• Date Taken: 06.15.2011
• Date Posted: 06.23.2011 00:33
• Story ID: 72584
• Location: OKINAWA, JP