Joseph Gorick arrived in Hawaii in
the early 1930s as part of the Pan-American transpacific flight
team and in the years before the war, he had the opportunity to
study karate kempo and jujitsu.
Although Gorick taught them as three separate and distinct arts, many of his students teach them as one style known as kojasho kempo karate. The first school was established in 1966 in Las Cruces New Mexico, and since that time schools have sprung up in various parts of the country and to a lesser extent even internationally. In 1975, this close-knit group formed the International Kojosho Karate Federation as an umbrella organization in an effort to centralize testing, provide tournaments and seminars as well as accommodate membership interest from other styles. Today, many schools go by the stylistic name Kojosho kempo karate. Although curriculum varies from school to school, the classical signature is of a softer style. In the late 1950s, Gorick relocated to Santa Fe New Mexico. Amongst the students, the present chief instructor Fred Absher began his study. During his tenure, he carried the Kojasho / Kojosho banner around the world. As a competitor he won state, regional and national competitions and served as captain of the United States team to the First World Tae kwon do championships in Korea in 1973. Additionally, he has authored several books and articles about the Kojasho kempo. Annual seminars and tournaments bring members of the organization together, with Australia, Mexico and Hawaii being just a few that have hosted these annual events. The KICKS conference began in 1982, and is one of the systems older events, third only to Spring Camp, started in 1970. This camp draws people from all over the country and is always on Memorial Day weekend. Fall Camp, which started three years later, is held at Elephant Butte Lake southern New Mexico and is a two-day event. 40 years ago, Mr. Absher aligned the organization with the United States karate alliance (Jim Hawkes), and more recently with the Butokukai, under Hanshi Richard Kim. These national and international organizations membership have proven to be invaluable, and have been in part, responsible for the global recognition Kojasho and the International Kojosho Karate Federation enjoys. Kojasho kempo karate is deeply rooted in China and even though change was inevitable, the style has retained a classic motion and signature. The early sets of this unique method were examples of how animal movements could be translated into offense and defense theories. Later, more possibilities were added, and the thought-provoking element concepts emerged. With time, masters used thus guide to create new, and sometimes expanded steps, and to devise kata. These sets were taught in order of progressive difficulty, and ultimately linked into one long form. The last 30 years have seen Kojasho grow progressively to more closely resemble modern karate do. The power driving this change was the inclusion of the kata, Bassai and Kusanku katas for there global recognition in grading and competition.
| |
 |
|
 |
EARLY HISTORY OF KOJOSHO
Kojosho is one of many systems said to derive from the Southern Shaolin that traces its lineage back to Hua-T'o, the Chinese philosopher and physician. Hua-T'o lived in the third century and is the person generally credited with the creation of a series of exercises based on the movements of animals. The Shaolin monks worked Hua-To's original animal movements, added more animal and element movements and created the Eighteen Postures. The Eighteen Postures were said to be both a means of physical culture and an effective fighting art. Thus creating a combination of health benefits and self-defense applications in the same exercise.
Kojosho works a series of exercises also named the Eighteen Postures. Oral Kojosho tradition maintains that the Eighteen Postures of Kojosho are derived from the Eighteen postures of the Shaolin as taught at the Cai Ji Quan (Kojo Family Dojo) in the port city of Fuzhou, Fukien Province China.
The Kojosho System has long maintained the truth of this story even when little evidence existed to support its Shaolin claim and some even disputed the existence of a Kojo family. However, during the last few years, more and more evidence has appeared that supports the historical accuracy of the Kojosho story. Recent evidence clearly shows that the Kojo family was in fact one of the most prominent martial arts families in Okinawa and was descended from one of the Chinese Thirty-six Families that settled at Kume, Okinawa in 1392. Over the years, the Kojo Family had a long-standing relationship with the city of Fuzhou, China. The Kojos regularly traveled back and forth between China and Okinawa. In 1848, Isei Kojo accompanied his father, Shoi Sai Kojo, when his father returned to Fuzhou. There, Isei Kojo learned Chinese Boxing from a Chinese military attache named Iwah and became an assistant at Iwah’s dojo. Isei’s son, Kaho, was born in China and eventually became a student of Iwah’s. In 1874 after being granted independence from Iwah, Kaho Kojo opened a large dojo in Fuzhou which became well known. Oral Kojosho tradition tells the following story about Kosaburo Matsu. Kosaburo Matsuda (Matsu) was born in the hamlet of Hanachi on the Motobu Peninsula of Okinawa in 1881. He apprenticed as a seaman at a very early age. In 1897, he traveled to China where he studied Kempo with Kaho Kojo in Fuzhou and learned the Eighteen Postures. The long sea voyages from the port city of Fuzhou provided the opportunity to practice his Kempo. Following his stay in China, he briefly returned to Okinawa in 1905 and then left for Hawaii. In Hawaii, Matsuda’s temporary papers are issued in the name of Kosaburo Matsu and Honolulu became his home. Some years later a group of military people stationed at Wheeler Field approached Matsu for instruction. One of Matsu’s first students, Joseph Gorick, came to Hawaii in the early 1930's as part of the Pan American Airlines trans-pacific flight team. In his travels within the aviation industry he taught a few select students at March Air Force Base (Riverside, California), Walker Air Force Base (Roswell, New Mexico), and Kirtland Air Force Base (Albuquerque, New Mexico). Mr. Fred Absher began his studies with Mr. Gorick in Albuquerque in 1960, after requesting acceptance as a student for over a year. Mr. Gorick quickly recognized Mr. Absher's talent, dedication and respect for his art and, in 1975, Mr. Absher was given the authority to carry on the Kojosho Kempo heritage as its Chief Instructor. Over the past half century, Mr. Absher has dedicated his life to furthering the growth of Kojosho and increasing its recognition and impact in the martial arts world at large. In recognition of his extraordinary contributions to the martial arts world, Mr. Absher has been awarded the 9th Degree Black Belt, certified by Hanshi Richard Kim (Zen Bei Butokai) and Hanshi James Hawkes (United States Karate Alliance). CURRENT EVENTS
During his many travels and a life-time in the martial arts, Mr. Absher has also had the opportunity to do advanced study with Kim Soo in Tae Kwon Do (awarding him his 4th dan) in Yae Kwon Do. Mr Absher has also studied Judo and Kempo. Mr. Absher was recently inducted into the Tae Kwon Do Hall of Fame for his contributions to the art as the Captain of the US Team, competing in the 1st Tae Kwon Do World Championships in Seoul, Korea in 1973.
|
The Kojosho System believes that proper training should encompass both physical and spiritual disciplines. And the separation of Karate into physical and spiritual levels is a misunderstanding of the nature of Karate. Karate is a martial art. Circumstances, and not individual taste, determine its outward appearance. Referring to Karate as a martial art shows the inseparable bond between martial application and artistic expression. In war, the soul must become the warrior. In peace, the soul becomes the artist.
The Kojosho System goals are the goals of the traditional martial arts. Lessons we learn can be applied to every area of our lives. Karate is an efficient fighting art, and the self-defense benefits of Karate instruction are obvious. But how often are we called upon to use this knowledge? Luckily, most of us are secure in our lives, and the odds are very good in this day and time that we will never have to fight for our lives.
Why, then, do we continue to study Karate? There are health benefits to continued study. And by mastering ourselves in our training, we can learn to master other aspects of our lives. Personal, financial, or professional success is not beyond the capabilities of the Black Belt. Those are benefits that can be seen and touched. But the unseen and intangible benefits of philosophical study nourish the warrior's spirit and are even more meaningful. Understanding aesthetics (what is beautiful), ethics (what is good), metaphysics (what is being), and epistemology (what is knowledge) can provide the Karate student the ability to discern what is true and beautiful and can deliver the wisdom and the strength to know what is just and what is right.
The Kojosho System considers everyone a student. Although every martial art must have teachers, in the Kojosho System, even teachers are students.
Two philosophical statements are made by this emphasis on the word "student." The first is a conscious exhibition of the virtue of humility. The Kojosho System has no living masters. We acknowledge certain men as masters whose importance to the Kojosho System demands the use of that word. We consider those men to be giants. Their legacies serve as inspirations to every student because they dedicated their lives to the advancement of the System. We celebrate their contributions, and accept the status of students in deference to these men. Good manners demand this ceremonial bow. To do otherwise would be unthinkable. The second philosophical statement lies in the implications of the words "master" and "student." From all indications, life does not accept stasis. Clearly, all things are either growing or decaying, and that which does not advance must inevitably decline. Instead of being, the student is in a state of becoming. Only under this condition is the student actively attempting to reach his or her goals and continuing to evolve. Although "master" is a traditional title, when the term "master" implies perfection, there is no more need for change or for evolutionary growth.
The goal of the Kojosho System is to guide martial artists in their growth as strong individuals. Achievement of this goal requires physical, mental, and spiritual growth. The Kojosho System views the black belt as a stepping stone in the development of the martial artist, not as an end result. A process of growth is required, becoming instead of being. Thus, the System must be able to set genuine goals for the sixty year student as well as for the first year student. A system's true test is whether the advanced martial artist can find expression and satisfaction without confinement.
Total development of the martial artist requires physical, mental, and spiritual goals. The physical challenge is the development of effective and efficient motion. The mental requirement is that the student fully understands the concepts of motion within the Forms and is then able to communicate his or her discoveries. The spiritual goal is the cultivation of virtuous behavior in each individual because spiritual development is the key to the inner power. The traditional Chinese martial arts school views instructors as parents and students as children. Students come to the instructor as infants. They are ignorant of proper behavior and cannot even know the depth of their ignorance. It is the duty of the instructor to nurture and teach these infants by lecture and example. As students mature, they are each given additional responsibilities - alternately praised and scolded, pulled and pushed, and above all, shown the ideals of proper behavior.
Traditionally, the instructor gives every promising Kojosho student an unusual gift. On some momentous day, an insignificant stone is picked off the ground and formally presented to the eager student. This stone becomes a pearl of great price.
Nothing has intrinsic value. The worth of any object is determined not by its essential nature, but by the price a person is willing to pay. A diamond can have utilitarian value as a cutting tool and aesthetic value as a gemstone, but its value is measured by the price it commands in the marketplace. An object is given worth by the person who possesses it because that person lends value to the object. Technical expertise in Karate cannot be bought with money. Its price is years of effort, countless attempts, innumerable failures, and finally some measure of success. The value the student places on his or her training is readily apparent to all, and the superior student cherishes all martial arts, all instructors, all students, and thereby enriches him or herself. The warrior who owns a priceless sword does not place it in the hands of a child. Ignorant of its worth, the child will not value that treasure or treat it with responsibility or respect. To a child, a sword is just another toy, and in play, without a care, that child will drag even the most precious sword through the mud. To most people, Kojosho training is as worthless as any stone on the ground, unknown and unimportant. It is the responsibility of the instructor to show his students the respect he has for his art and to teach them to treat it with reverence. The most insignificant stone, when presented by an instructor, gains in value when guarded and cherished. The student who makes the commitment lends to Kojosho the value of personal devotion.
|
|
| |
|
The Animals and Elements, which comprise The Eighteen Postures, can be worked separately or together, depending on whether the student wishes to derive specific or overall benefits from that particular practice. When the motions of an Animal or an Element are properly executed, a pure motion is derived. This pure, external motion, coupled with an internal understanding of the Animal and/or Element, is used as the central theme which each of the Kojosho Forms then interprets and explores. Throughout the Kojosho Forms, the student learns to look for the footprints of the Animals.
Offensive and defensive theories of motion, taken from the Eighteen Postures, were used to construct Forms that are designed to be worked by two and three people simultaneously. These Two-Person and Three-Person Forms incorporate the combative and self defense applications unique to the Kojosho System. They discuss the elements of rhythm, timing, and distance that are essential to achieve effective technique. They also demonstrate the necessity for the combative attitudes of motivation, strategy, and commitment, which must precede technique. The Forms are the basic textbooks of the Kojosho System. They demonstrate to all students who study them the sequence of threat and reaction and the necessity for physical, mental, and spiritual discipline. As advanced, black belt students continue to study, they are gradually introduced to the concept of the Third Person, a series of Forms that work between the Two-Person Forms, defending against an attacker while simultaneously attacking a defender.
Tora, the Tiger, and Tsuru, the Crane, make up the first two-person set, and they incorporate the essential principles of attack and defense. To teach beginning students how to hit hard and to penetrate, the Tiger teaches students to attack with courage and determination and allows students to take on the emotional qualities of the Tiger. Conversely, in order to teach beginning students to defend effectively, the Crane teaches students to respond with discipline and precision, encouraging students to take on the emotional qualities of the Crane. Together, the Tiger and the Crane are an expression of offense and defense and the pulsating nature of the sphere of combat. What is initially aggressive must later yield, and what starts out defensively must ultimately counter. Students must learn to attack totally and defend completely and must allow their energy to flow unimpeded between the opposite poles of aggression and defense.
Ky Senjutsu, the Nine Maneuvers and, Kakure Y So, the Hidden Element, are the more modern names for the Snake (Hebi) and the Hawk (Taka), the second two-person set. While the first two-person set discusses the single technique, the Nine Maneuvers and the Hidden Element teach combination effectiveness and how to attack and defend while using multiple techniques. The Nine Maneuvers teach the attributes and emotional qualities of the Snake, which uses deadly strikes, circular as well as linear motion, and continuation of technique to win. The Snake knows how to coil to store up energy and when to release that pent-up energy in a strike. Conversely, the Hidden Element demonstrates the characteristics of the Hawk, which flies elusively and attacks suddenly, absorbing blows and counterattacking. The Hawk knows how to overcome the instability of flight and offset the initial size disadvantage with the superiority of speed. Together, the Nine Maneuvers and the Hidden Element are an expression of the effectiveness of multiple attacks and the necessity to defend with light, speedy movements, redirecting instead of opposing the attacks. These forms equip students to deal with the sophisticated opponent.
Chi Y No Kata, The Positive Long Form and Chi In No Kata, the Negative Long Form, are the more modern names for the Dragon (Ryu) and Deer (Shika), the third two-person set. They introduce the principles of continuous motion, action, and reaction in a circular flow. The Positive Long Form is a song of the Dragon. The Dragon incorporates the Tiger, Crane, Snake, and Hawk and is the complete warrior, favoring no particular weapon, yet utilizing all things as weapons. The Positive Long Form presents the emotional attributes of the Dragon. The Form trains students to fight like the Dragon, valiant and shrewd, smothering the opponents under a continuous barrage of circular techniques. The Negative Long Form presents a smooth impenetrable defense. Using the alertness, awareness, and swiftness of the Deer, this Form teaches students to tempt the opponent into overreaching and then to counterattack the overextended opponent at odd angles, not opposing force with force, but intersecting outside the opponent's power curve. Together, the Positive and Negative Long Form examine the strengths and weakness of circular motion; and from the study of these Forms, students learn to find and exploit the flaws in the technical structure of the superior opponent.
The concept of the Third Person interposes the Leopard (Hyo) between the Tiger and the Crane, the Monkey (Saru) between the Snake and the Hawk, and the Bear (Kuma) between the Dragon and the Deer. The Third Person must attack one while simultaneously blocking the other. Because the student's two eyes are limited in what they can physically see, the Third Person must develop the third eye of perception and intuition. Although understanding of both attacker and defender makes the task easier, still the Third Person must be able to feel the actions of the opponents with a sixth sense; and this ability allows the student to move in harmony and safety between them both. The concept of the Third Person develops the sensitivity to look with the inner eye and prepares students to face the ultimate opponent.
Tiger and Crane, Tora and Tsuru, when done joint set (Futari No Kata) are called Kokaku. Snake and Hawk, Hebi and Taka, are called Jayo. Dragon and Deer, Ryu and Shika, are called Ryuroku. When Leopard is used to create a third person scenario, it becomes a Sannin No Kata and named Kokakuhyo. When Monkey is used the Sannin No Kata is called Jayoen. When Bear is used the Sannin No Kata is called Ryurokuyu.
The Kojosho Forms are also performed with weapons at the
advanced level. The One-Person, Two-Person and even
Three-Person forms all have a weapons training
component.
The following is a listing of the weapons used in Kojosho Forms:
 Jo
Bokken
Fan
Sword
Flywisk
Spear (Yari)
Two Swords
Sword/Saya
Fan/Flywisk
|
|
|
|
