Kali & Kobudo - Modern Weapons of Opportunity
Kobudō & Buki Waza
Kobudo is a collective term for Japanese traditional weapons techniques.
It includes the use of ancient weapons such as blades sticks and flails, but also includes archery, armour, firearms some of which is practiced on horseback. The latter is not practiced by Inner Circle for practical reasons. Inner Circle Academy follows the RyuKyu style of Kobudo wherever available.
Buki Waza is a general term for weaponry and in this context it refers to modern weapons of opportunity.
Learning to use a katana or Nunchaku is perfectly consistent with the art however has no practical application. Kobudo though can enrich and strengthen the knowledge and skill in the use of more modern weapons.
Inner Circle weapons curriculum contains a significant proportion of Kali weapons technique as it is more transferable to modern application and compliments the Jujutsu Kobudo weapons system. There is significant crossover between the two systems so when a mainly Kali technique is used, Kali terminology is used.
Inner Circle uses two systems of Kali to draw from for its techniques. Inosanto Lacoste Mistura and Cacoy Doce Pares. The two systems compliment each other in terms of transferable street use.
Kali terminology is in either Portuguese or Filipino words or combinations. As in Japanese dojo culture, many named techniques have lost literal translation and are now nominal.
Students should be able to easily differentiate Kobudo from Buki and treat both the art and practical application with seriousness and commitment.
Before the Japanese island of Okinowa was Okinowa, it was an independent kingdom called Ryukyu.
The natives were seafaring fishermen & traders and brought home various martial arts from their neighbours including all manner of weapons.
Okinowa is famous as the birth place of Karate. Karate is not as ancient as we might think, 86 years old, compared with the Jujutsu of the Samurai having a legacy of over 1000 years. Nevertheless, the Ryukyu style of fighting existed several hundred years before if became Karate but it was strictly taught in rich families and only ever to the elite. It was called Tou-de KANJI ( lit Chinese hand )
And it had a significant portion of weapons included in it. Today we call that weapons system Kobudo or to be exact, Ryukyu Kobudo.
One of the founding fathers of modern Karate, Gichin Funakoshi who created Shotokan Karate also helped create and popularise Taikyoku Kata as a way to get Karate basics into a moving pattern. There are several levels of Taikyoku each with more complex strikes, the pattern remaining the same. Funakoshi also used Taikyoku as a framework to demonstrate the use of weapons and reinvigorated Ryukyu Kobudo.
We have that legacy, brought to us via Minoru Mochizuki.
Mochizuki was uchi deshi student of Kano, Ueshiba and Funakoshi three of the greatest modern masters. Jan de Jong lived in Japan with Mochizuki and graded to blackbelt in Yoseikan budo jujutsu and Karate which Mochizuki leaned directly from Funakoshi. Now you know why our JuJutsu system includes a Shotokan Karate Kata. .
Some of the man weapons uses in RyuKyu Kobudo: Sai, Kama, Tanto and machete.
Fun fact: the word "Taikyoku" is an exact translation of the Chinese word Tai Chi.
It seems that the Ryukyuans brought Tai Chi home in their travels too.
It does not look much like modern Tai Chi, unless of course you slow it down and add some original Tai Chi concepts.
Sensei Ian and Sensei Peter of Inner Circle Academy created the Double Dragon Kata to illustrate the connection and demonstrate the similarities between Taikyoku and Tai Chi. It's also a really great way to learn Taikyoku. The Taikyoku Kata is not a single Kata. It is a series of kata in use in most types & styles of karate. It is also used in many other martial arts such as Taekwondo, Hapkido, Tang Soo Do, some styles of Aikido and Jujutsu
Each style has made minor modifications but the framework remains very similar.
The name Taikyoku refers to the Chinese philosophical concept of Taiji. The Taikyoku kata were developed by Yoshitaka Funakoshi and introduced by Gichin Funakoshi as a way to simplify karate principles.
You are in a state of 懸待 Ken-Tai, ready to either attack or defend at any moment.
Against this mindset it is said your opponent has no chance for victory.
Why do you need to know all of this and what does it have to do with traditional Kobudo?
When Gichin Funakoshi wanted to reinvigorate the RyuKyu art of Kobudo, he use variations of Taikyoku Kata to framework his weapons kata. Today, Inner Circle Academy continues that tradition.
Although there are sevral formal & fixed weapons Kata, ?The Taikyoku framework is a great way to incorporate traditional “old School” weapons
Traditional RyuKyu Kobudo Weapons
- Sai
- Tonga
- Nunchaku
- Bo
- Kama
- Makurinkenshuri
- Tette
Traditional Samurai Kobudo Weapons
- Kubo
- Surinken
- Yawara
- Kobaton
- Tanbo
- Jitte
- Bo Yari
- Jo naginata
- Katana
- Wakizashi
- Tanto
Kali
Inner Circle Academy teaches Kali as a separate curriculum. Some of these techniques and drills are included in the Core curriculum in the Goshin Jitsu, Kata and Buki Waza Curriculums. Some basic Hubud drills are also included in the Self Defence Curriculum. There are additional specialized techniques in this curriculum that are elective.
This curriculum can be taught in isolation from the Core Ju-jitsu curriculum however Kali is a valuable weapons system that will enrich the outcomes and conversely.
Inner Circle Academy studies 2 forms of Kali as each have valuable elements, Lacoste Inosanto blend and Cacoy Doce Pares Eskrima (Aka Escrido or simply Kali).
There are also elements of Maul Mornie’s Silat Suffian Bella Diri included in the curriculum as Indonesian fighting arts are very closely related and all add to a valuable self defence system. No part is more or less important than another.
In both Kali systems there are seven main components:
- Single Stick (Solo Olisi),
- Double Stick (Doble Olisi),
- Empty Hand (Mano-Mano),
- Knife Defense (Baraw),
- Long & Short Weapon (Espada y Daga),
- Long Stick (Bangkaw), (Covererd in Inner Circle Kobudo & Buki Waza Curriculum)
- Long Blade/Sword (Sundang). ( Covered in Inner Circle Iaido Curriculum)
And Three ranges are used:
- Close Range (Corto),
- Medium Range (Media Largo),
- Long Range (Larga Mano)
Cacoy Doce Pares was founded by Ciriaco "Cacoy" Cañete. The system focuses on a close quarter style which is known as "Corto Kurbada" and is characterized by the curving strike
Inosanto Kali – was developed by Dan Inosanto and Juanito (Johnny) Lacoste from various other styles. Inosanto does not call it a system in its own right, but rather a blend of systems. Inosanto’s martial arts experience has its origins in Okinawan Karate, and continues as the worlds leading exponent of Jeet Kune Do. Among Inosanto’s many notable achievements taught Bruce Lee how to use Nunchaku and Kali sticks (Olisi)
Modern Weapons of Opportunity
Weapons of Opportunity are weapons that we find in our environment.
They might be with us every day and found in many easily accessible places.
We might wear them or have one in every room of our house
What Inner circle Academy does is make it our habit to identify them and learn how to use them.
We use transferable skills from Kali and Kobudo to weaponize our daily lives without being obtrusive.
Example, a brass pen in the pocket. A hand full of coins at the ready, key in the hand ready for action, a fold down umbrella in the bag, deodorant spray in the handbag, a cup of hot coffee or a water bottle. These are all capable of being used as effective weapons. There are many more, but they must be tested and practices in realistic simulated environments so their efficacy can be relied upon