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JOURNAL OF THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE OF SERBIA
No. 207 / 1st MAY 2014
OKINAWA KARATE
"LONGEVITY OF THE BODY AND THE SOUL"
Longevity of the Body and the Soul
Martial art Uechi Ryu Okinawa Karate Do – “Empty Hand”, also known as karate, originated in Japanese island Okinawa in 14th century. Martial art system is brought from China, throughout intensive trade and cultural exchange. Centuries of practice resulted with incorporating karate into a Japanese culture. Karate is today practiced by 50 million registered karatekas in 180 countries throughout the world; one of them is Serbia.
Although the competitive aspect is not left aside, the main accent is put on the development of the martial art, in both physical and spiritual sense. When one wants to stress the difference between sport and an authentic and original karate, one speaks of Okinawa Karate-Do.
Uechi-Ryu Okinawa Karate-Do in our country exists since 1973. The main carrier of its development and spreading in Serbia is karate organization “Okinawa Karate Do Kyokai Serbia Hombu Dojo”, the member of “Okinawa Karate Do Association of Japan”. Our organization initiated founding new and helped the growth and the development of already existing organizations in Greece, Bosnia & Herzegovina (Republics of Srpska), Macedonia, Croatia, Russia and Ukraine.
Organization in Serbia is led by the president Vladimir Popović (7th Dan, shihan – master instructor), the holder of the highest rank in Europe, and the vice – president Milan Dimitrieski (6th Dan, shihan – master instructor). Dimitrieski pointed out that they are the permanent members of the instructors committee and that they hold karate seminars, trainings and kyu and dan ranks tests. – Candidates who successfully pass the dan test in front of that committee receive the original certificates from Okinawa Karate Do Association of Japan. All holders of dan ranks and all instructors in our karate organization have such certificates. Okinawa Karate Do Association of Japan has definite and precise qualification standards and criterias for obtaining ranks and instructor's degree. This martial art aims at building psycho-physically stable person with strong body, through the continual trainings. There are no limits with respect to the age of practitioners. The main goal of the practice is a thorough understanding of the essence of the art of karate, and its correct application. – says Dimitrieski.
This martial art is based on the movement of the three animals – tiger, crane and dragon. Tiger signifies the strength and the explosiveness, crane the softness and flexibility, and dragon sharpness and unpredictability. The essence of martial arts is an achievement of a state of unity of the spirit, the body and the technique. By establishing the balance, one achieves a moral development, discipline, selfcontrol, control of the body positions and the strong and healthy body. Since 2011, our karatekas maintained the continuity of visits to Okinawa, with the aim of perfecting the art by learning from the world's greatest masters. – Sensei Shigeru Takamyagi (10th Dan) and the current president of the Okinawa Karate-Do Organization sensei Toshio Higa (10th Dan) provided the great help to our organization. Senseis were often adviced us that the development of karate should go simultaneously in two directions – psychophysical development of the practitioners and the cultivation of the friendship between karatekas, dojos and nations. When a man is in harmony with himself, then he is in harmony with the neighbourhood as well. Once achieved level is never permanent – one has always to upgrade, since this is a long end endless path for the entire life. One should never stop, but always pursue further – says Dimitrieski.
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