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Old 07-24-2004, 10:10 PM   #70
Kevin Lynch
Location: Scotland
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 4
United Kingdom
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Re: Anti-Aiki Elitism

Quote:
Ornstein Matthew wrote:
This is a touchy subject, but one that absolutely deserves to be examined. I have noticed that on several message boards, students of aiki arts other than O'Sensei's aikido are ridiculed as "not being real aikido," or "copycats." Of course this is usually done by those in aikido dojos who are not aware that there are aiki arts that preceeded O'Sensei, (some of which he studied, such as Daito ryu).

I am currently a student in a dojo where we train in Nihon Goshin Aikido (NGA), an art created by Shodo Morita, a contemporary of O'Sensei who studied Daito ryu, among other arts. The name "Nihon Goshin Aikido" was created by Sensei Morita and used officially in the 1940s in his dojo, and continues in the United States today. While NGA may have similarities to Ueshiba's aikido, it is quite different, and all who practice it are very upfront about it.

Frequently, I have seen negative posts about NGA and other aiki arts that are not derived from O'Sensei. As far as I'm concerned, those posting are uninformed and intolerant. I know this is not the way of most enlightened aikidoka, and it is clear that other aiki arts are appreciated by the highest levels in the organizations of O'Sensei's aikido. As an example, the Aiki Expo this year will feature as one of its teachers a phenomenal Sensei, Don Angier of Shidare Yanagi ryu, Aikijujitsu.

I am interested in hearing what others have to say on this issue. Personally, I believe we have more to gain by observing each other and our similarities, rather than disparaging another's art as inferior or not "true" aiki.

Matthew
I have seen the criticisms leveled against NGA on other message boards. It is a shame that what appears to be a perfectly good martial art takes such a beating. However at least some of the blame lies squarely at the door of the NGAA.

Most if not all credible martial arts organizations can provide good clear information about their founder. Where he trained, what he studied and who with. Unfortunately for the NGAA and NGA students, information on Shodo Morita, (NGAs founder), is patchy and inconsistent at best and almost non-existent at worst. This is where the criticisms begin.

The scenario works like this.
  1. A newbie to martial arts, using the Internet researches possible options and finds various Aikido and NGA web sites. The NGA sites state NGA is totally separate from O Senseis Aikido but has similar techniques and principles.

  2. The newbie finds a web site for an NGA dojo close by where they live. However since we live in an age where people are weary of being taken for a ride, the newbie wants more info on NGA and Shodo Morita. Where he trained, who with etc.

  3. Failing to find sufficient information even on the NGAAs own web site the newbie heads for the discussion forums to get the low down and find out what's what.

  4. Current Aikidoka posting on the discussion forums, most of whom will never have heard of NGA, do their best to help this newbie. However find themselves going round in the same circles as the newbie because the requested information is simply not available.

  5. The Aikidoka then return a verdict that NGA is some strange fridge group or some sort of McDojo and should probably be avoided.

  6. This catches the attention of an NGA practitioner who protests about the unfair treatment of their art and then continues to provide the same patchy information already found by both the newbie and Aikidoka.

  7. The newbie gets bored and wonders off to join Kung Fu instead and the Aikidoka begin probing the NGA student for further information.

  8. The NGA student replies with "I've told you all I know, I'm not discussing this anymore".

  9. The Aikidoka in turn reply with "You're not even practicing Aikido. It's just Karate and Judo and some stuff thrown together. That's not Aikido". Which gets the attention of another NGA student.

  10. NGA student 2 continues on with the same information everybody else has already provided and the thread goes nowhere.

If the NGAA would take the time to get it's history properly sorted and published in the same manner as every other credible martial arts organization, (i.e. dates, grades and instructors names with respect to the founder and current shihan), then NGA students would avoid most of the criticisms leveled at them.

I realize some of this information is available with respect to Daito Ryu Aikijitsu. However the home page claims Shodo Morita mastered a number of other martial arts. Including Aikido (not many people have publicly claimed to have mastered Aikido), Karate, Judo and "many weapon arts" (which ones?). But does not provide any details.

The man ultimately responsible for getting these details sorted is the head of your organisation. Shihan Bowe. If I were an NGA student I would get in touch with him and inform him of my concerns.

I hope this has been helpful.
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