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Step up your learning curve with
Grandmaster Daniel Verkerke
What is Tradition
The term traditional is often misused by many people who are trying to
gain control or market their art.
What is tradition based from? Thinking logically, in the beginning
fighting skills were developed without weapons. Later people started to
use rocks, clubs then spears. Does this make sense? Later on the use of
steal presented itself. We all know how metal changed the playing field.
After metal spear heads, arrows, knives and swords came armor plating
shields that were added for protection.
It is very easy to see this evolution. Some where down this line
tradition was added.
Should we think that the first people to begin fighting were
traditional?
Maybe it was the next group who began using clubs and rocks.
If I started fighting in a cave man suit with clubs and rocks would I be
considered real traditional?
I have seen many traditional martial arts changes over the past few
decades. This can be viewed as completely hypocritical . I find it also
strange for people who all of a sudden find the hidden secret moves to
Kata in a traditional art. If the art was traditional you would think it
would be taught the same all along.
What is traditional? It seems many just use it to promote what they want
with their own agenda. "The road to hell was paved with good intentions"
However, not everyone's intentions are good.
The essence of an art is also traditional. Unfortunately not too many
people ever learn or try to teach this. The main essence to any art is
self thought. This may come to one by itself or by an inspiration. Many
instructors don't want to teach this as they may lose control of the way
their students think.
Just about every country has a military. Throughout time every country
has prepared itself for war. There are traditions in every army. The
greatest tradition is the cultivation of a warriors spirit. The weapons
change, strategies change, the terrain may change. The fabric and style
of uniforms change and improve. Just because these material things may
change, it does not mean the military is non traditional.
There are some historians and organizations that form groups that
reenact civil war scenes or other battles between the North American
Indians or Mid Evil times. Are they traditional warriors?
It is much easier to teach traditional clothing or traditional weapons.
You can open up a school, tell some stories, conduct some reenactment
and explain to others that you are the "REAL" thing. You are
"TRADITIONAL"
Are the soldiers actively serving in today's military non traditional
because they do not use muskets?
When I was a young boy training in the arts, the classes were very
different. The techniques were pretty much the same, but the spirit, the
discipline the whole feel of environment was completely different. It
was not considered fun, we were not smiling, playing or joking around.
It was very much like boot camp in the military. After boot camp we can
all remiss thinking it was such a great time and those were the days.
But, when we were there, we know the hardship and training we had to
overcome. This training taught us the fighting spirit, to endure and
carry on beyond all means. It is this SPIRIT that is traditional. This
is the spirit that means survival.
Dressing up in old style uniforms and waving ancient weapons acting out
battles does not necessarily equal traditional. But that's what it looks
like on the outside.
What is Tradition?
By Daniel Verkerke
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