Why do I choose Shorin-ryu Seibukan?

July 16th, 2006 at 19:42 · Filed Under Karate 

Many people ask me why I choose Shorin-ryu Seibukan. It is not affiliated to MAKAF (Malaysia Karate-do Federation). Wouldn’t be a waste if I join Seibukan?

IMO, it is not important if Shorin-ryu Seibukan is affiliated to MAKAF or not. What is MAKAF? It is just merely a political barn where people are playing with politics to ensure their continual survival and to secure their personal interest and benefits. Only people with limited karate knowledge will want affiliation to MAKAF.

Karate-do is not a sports. I want to train combat karate and not sports karate. At Shorin-ryu Seibukan, the original Okinawan traditional essence is still preserved in their training. The powerful and effective techniques of kata and ippon kumite are still in their traditional forms. It is one of the few traditional karate-do in Malaysia.

Sadly, karate-do in modern days can’t survive without sports. MAKAF, for instance, needs sports in order to survive. Without sports, there will be no funding from the government. Without sports, there will be no activities. We are also doing sports but our emphasis is mainly traditional karate. It’s alright for me.

We can see many other karate styles (ryu) make changes to their kata from time to time. Why? By making changes, they create an opportunity to give seminar worldwide so that they can make money from the seminar. They have to do this partly because they need money to survive. To my knowledge, Shorin-ryu Seibukan does not make changes to kata. Seibukan kata is still in their original forms. That’s how they preserve their traditional techniques.

I have a friend from my previous karate association. He was awarded Sandan because he had contributed as a committee member and donated some money to the association for buying their own dojo. He does not even understand what ryu or style means in karate-do. And he always talks about MAKAF and affiliation stuff. He was also former treasury of MAKAF. What is the point here having Sandan and served in MAKAF?

My decision was once reinforced when I met my second sensei, Rashid Dulkarnain Sensei of Aishoto-ryu , in June. Aishoto-ryu is not affiliated to anybody at all and they have no interest of doing so.

Rashid Sensei told me that my forth sensei performed kata wrongly 3 times when he took his sandan grading together with him many years ago and he still could get grade “A” while Rashid’s result was not as good as him even though Rashid could perform his kata without any mistakes. That’s one of the major reasons he and his brother, Syed Pakri Sensei (my first sensei), left and founded Aishoto-ryu. (Please refer to my website for more details about my karate life.)

The grading test took place in Port Dickson and I have verified this with undisclosed source.

I then realized that I had misunderstood Pakri and Rashid and I owed them my apology. They are truly for karate-do and they have sacrificed a lot for what they have done. They deserve honor.

UPDATE: May 1st, 2007
I have decided to quit the authentic Shorin-Ryu Seibukan due to political issues. I am devoted to improve my skills and to teach karate to young people and I am not interested to be caught in all kind of political conflicts. Whether authentic or not, I find it is the same as the other clone. It is better for me to embark on a search for a system which I believe is still untouched and have no interest in organization politics.

UPDATE: December 1st, 2007
I have switched over to Okinawa Karate-do Uechi-Ryu Zankai and officially become their member in July 2007. I have setup Malaysia Branch Doukoukai in Bukit Beruang, Melaka. You can visit our website here.

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Comments

2 Responses to “Why do I choose Shorin-ryu Seibukan?”

  • vic on September 17th, 2007 7:31 1

    hi adrian!

    It’s been nice to know that you have been to okinawa and got further understanding of the “true” path that you have chosen to travel. Just want to have an idea on how much do I have to budget in case I plan to have my training there.BTW, I’m the one who asked you about the MSSK affiliated dojo here in abu dhabi…luckily enough I found the true seibukan in dubai.

    More power and Osu!

    vic

  • Adrian Hoe on September 17th, 2007 8:32 2

    Hi Vic,

    Yes, I remember you. How’s your training? Indeed, my visit to Okinawa has opened up a whole new dimension of seeing and believing and experience. It is worth it to go Okinawa to train, at least once in a life time.

    I will reply later about the budget and other stuff personally in an email.

    I wish all the good health and best in training to all of you.

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