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THE KAMA
Okinawa's Deadliest Farm Tool
by Michael Rovens and Mark Pollard
page 1
When Enter the Dragon was released in 1973, it catapulted Bruce Lee
to international stardom and left an indelible impression on an entire
generation of martial artists. One of the most memorable scenes was
Bruce Lee wielding the nunchaku against a dozen or more attackers. I was
in junior high school at the time, and I can remember begging my mother
to take me to the movie theater in the morning, and staying to watch the
movie over and over again until she finally dragged me home in the evening.
All the other kids in my school made there own fake nunchaku and tried
their best to imitate their new hero in the schoolyards at recess and
after school. Enter the Dragon created a myth that has made Bruce Lee
legendary in the minds of many martial artists around the world.
During the early 1970's, American interest in martial arts was in its
infancy, and, unlike today, martial artists were not educated enough to
distinguish one style from another. At the time, there was no one to
compare to Bruce Lee, and we just didn't know any better! Go back and
rewatch the scene that defined our idea of the consummate martial artist
with the nunchaku, and you may see something very different than what you
remember. Better yet, mute the sound button, and the movements that
appeared lightning fast at the time will now seem dramatically slower.
Moreover, the execution of the techniques will also appear very basic
and simplistic.
By the time Enter the Dragon was released, Ota Eihachi Sensei was already
one of the top kama adepts living on Okinawa. The speed and technique
with which he wielded the weapon would have far exceeded the excitement
created by Bruce Lee with the nunchaku. However, like most Okinawan
karate and kobudo instructors, martial arts for Ota Sensei was a private
path followed largely in secret. Knowledge was passed on selectively;
gaining publicity for one's skill was left to entertainment personalities.
To get an idea of Ota Sensei's ability with the kama, imagine the scene
with Bruce Lee swinging the nunchaku, then add razor sharp blades to the
ends of the sticks, and accelerate the speed to the point where the blades
whiz by invisibly. The speed that Bruce Lee could only generate with sound
effects, Ota Sensei is able to produce in real life. Bruce Lee's
demonstration with the nunchaku may still be fun to watch, but the sense
of danger one feels from watching Ota Sensei perform a kama kata is
impressive even for the sophisticated and experienced practitioner.
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Eihachi Ota Sensei is a Matsubayashi Shorin-Ryu Stylist with
over 35 years of experience. He is also an expert in traditional
Okinawan kobudo. Michael Rovens is chief instructor and Mark Polland
is a senior instructor at Ota Sensei’s dojo in West Los
Angeles.
A note from DOSHIN:
We had the distinct pleasure of meeting several times with Ota Sensei
during the production of his video "Once A Secret" (TSUNAMI Productions).
Even us fledgling kobudo students could tell that Ota Sensei is the real
deal. He may not say much... preferring to let Sai, Bo and Kama speak
for him, but those of you who have tried to get a Bo to "cut the air"
will be able to see the "truth" of the conversation.
"Once A Secret" is available through our association with AMAZON.COM -
click on the cover for details.
For further information they can be contacted at their central
dojo at:
This article is reprinted with the kind permission of
Mr. Angel Lemus, Editor,
Bugeisha.net
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