As we take a look at American martial arts, with the focus being on rank, it is hard to see how we can call our systems American, Practically when most all systems take on the model or structure of karate when forming their levels of rank. Most so called traditional martial arts had their arts originally come from another country, Later changing style names and using terminology from its own land not that of it’s origin, yet most Americans persist in calling themselves a new system but continue to use old terms from other country’s when referring to their own art or as we are focusing on here rank.
Terms like Kup, Kyu and others are used when describing under belt ranks, as Dan is prominent when referring to black belts. However, there are those arts that are traditional at its core that have modernized to an American system but still use these term, rank structure and levels from it’s passed. Some new systems have no terms, rank or levels other than being described as teacher and student, but most new arts still use the old terms.
Black belt degrees have most people going insane trying to figure out there meaning. With some arts having 5 degrees while others 8 and several having 10 degrees.
Many arts today have a 10 Dan system so their art or their instructors have some sense of superiority over others. But truth be know a 10th Dan is only equal to some systems 5th Dan if that is the highest rank of that art.
Taking a look back, a 10th Dan is usually a founder of an art and the rank is usually self-proclaimed or awarded. There are those who have founded associations, that have review board that will many times awards these levels of high rank, most of the time the person receiving the rank is the person that selected or appointed the board members themselves.
There is no set standard as to who may become a tenth Dan. Some arts founders had many years of study before creating their systems while others did so with only months of formal training.
Martial art systems that use the belt and degree or Dan ranks need to remember from where it came. It was Judo founder Jigoro Kano that was the creator of the belt scheme. Not only was he a founder of an art as well as the creator of the belt structure, but he himself never reached his highest level for rank.
His system was 1st to 4th Dan with 5th or above being honorary Dan titles only. His wish was also that when one achieved the highest level of rank they would revert back to wearing a white belt.
As to karate, When Shotokan’s founder Gichin Funakoshi decided to use Kano’s model of black belt ranks (color belts didn’t come till later for both judo and then karate) I do not think he was speaking or acting on behalf of or for all karate systems when in 1924 he awarded the first karate black belts to some of his students. I would also like to say he or they (Kano and Funakoshi) where probably seen as very pompous by most of the martial art world at that time for taking such a strange approach. Either way, like myself I think these two men probable never felt the need to justify their actions to any others in the martial arts.
As the people of the arts world later fall in line with these Dan ranks 1st thru 4th with all higher Dans being honorary or administrative ranks, and with the later added under belt ranks, it was understood that these ranks were for dividing people up based on a general skill level for the sole purpose of administration use and for competition only.
Somewhere along the way we got so tied up (forgive the pun) in belts and rank we have forgotten the true meaning of the belt structure. We must remember that rank is only good with in your school or system. Has this all become a one ups man ship? Or is it something that is being used for marketing while trying to recruit new students? Or maybe it is so association can charge astronomical fees for the higher Dan ranks.
I think today most of us can see the failures of the old Asian rank structure. So were Kano & Funakoshi people of great vision when it came to the belt system? Or were they two of the most destructive people to the arts in history? That in it’s self is a topic of much debate when it comes to their rolls in the incorporation of belts, we will not weigh in on that here but instead let you come to your own conclusion.
The old 12 Dan in Judo (if memory serves) or the 10 Dan systems has allowed egos to run rank rampant. Again the old system was to have these higher ranks for administrators / founders. The problem is to many people think this must mean a person is so much better than a third, forth or fifth Dan being a tenth Dan. These higher ranks for years have been held like a carrot in front of the lower Dan’s noses as a way of keeping them loyal or in line by associations.
Today If using a belt degree structure, the 5 Dan system does not allow for as much abuse as the ten, and is somewhat a break from the old Japanese / Okinawan systems. Another option would be the original menkyo (teachers certificate). Yes I know that I just used an old term here but it is to make some out there aware that this was a term and method used to distinguished ones place in a school or art long before anyone ever thought about those nice looking belts that we wrap around our waists before tying it into that cute little square knot.
So why do we still have rank and the old belt system? You would have thought that when the Korean people wished to kick all the Japanese things out of their arts they would have gotten rid of this rank structure. So it appears to this writer that familiarity, fear and a need of self-importance would be the reasons that many have kept the old way of doing things.
Well some will give up rank when forming a new art and some may cut down on the number of belts and others will teach the true value of rank to their students. Some people still seem to need approval or respect for their new system and feel they must please others by using the old failed 10 Dan system. But as new arts formed in this land I guess they can do as they wish.
Any American art can have any rank or no rank structure if it wishes, and in no way does it (founded/students) have to pay homage to any country if they do not wish.
I guess the whole thing is, in American arts when forming, blending or creating them, and then looking to its classification, maybe they should think long and hard before just falling back on the old ways.
There are no martial law or rules that cannot or if need be can’t be broken. As Americans we are not one to be dictated to. We have paid our martial dues and only have peers but not superiors. We do not have some little need to seek approval of our systems. We need not have some other country sanctioning it. We should now no longer have the need to appease everyone or go by these Asian rules or taboos that hold nothing that is truly significant of value to the arts. Again speaking about American arts/systems we do not need or do we ask permission to do as we wish with our American arts.
It is common curtsy to recognize a persons rank level of another art, although in truth if a person does not have rank in the other person’s art, then to each other they have NO RANK.
Now with all that great stuff said. After 80+ years of belt systems (for karate) it will be hard to extract them all at once. American martial arts are still evolving, and we should take care when deciding the direction we are going to take. Remember we should be about knowledge and abilities not what hangs off our waist.
Not all will agree with what has been written even when being faced with the facts, many will see it as an attack on their rank, art or status....But more accurately it will be a blow to their ego.
B. Reynolds
Terms like Kup, Kyu and others are used when describing under belt ranks, as Dan is prominent when referring to black belts. However, there are those arts that are traditional at its core that have modernized to an American system but still use these term, rank structure and levels from it’s passed. Some new systems have no terms, rank or levels other than being described as teacher and student, but most new arts still use the old terms.
Black belt degrees have most people going insane trying to figure out there meaning. With some arts having 5 degrees while others 8 and several having 10 degrees.
Many arts today have a 10 Dan system so their art or their instructors have some sense of superiority over others. But truth be know a 10th Dan is only equal to some systems 5th Dan if that is the highest rank of that art.
Taking a look back, a 10th Dan is usually a founder of an art and the rank is usually self-proclaimed or awarded. There are those who have founded associations, that have review board that will many times awards these levels of high rank, most of the time the person receiving the rank is the person that selected or appointed the board members themselves.
There is no set standard as to who may become a tenth Dan. Some arts founders had many years of study before creating their systems while others did so with only months of formal training.
Martial art systems that use the belt and degree or Dan ranks need to remember from where it came. It was Judo founder Jigoro Kano that was the creator of the belt scheme. Not only was he a founder of an art as well as the creator of the belt structure, but he himself never reached his highest level for rank.
His system was 1st to 4th Dan with 5th or above being honorary Dan titles only. His wish was also that when one achieved the highest level of rank they would revert back to wearing a white belt.
As to karate, When Shotokan’s founder Gichin Funakoshi decided to use Kano’s model of black belt ranks (color belts didn’t come till later for both judo and then karate) I do not think he was speaking or acting on behalf of or for all karate systems when in 1924 he awarded the first karate black belts to some of his students. I would also like to say he or they (Kano and Funakoshi) where probably seen as very pompous by most of the martial art world at that time for taking such a strange approach. Either way, like myself I think these two men probable never felt the need to justify their actions to any others in the martial arts.
As the people of the arts world later fall in line with these Dan ranks 1st thru 4th with all higher Dans being honorary or administrative ranks, and with the later added under belt ranks, it was understood that these ranks were for dividing people up based on a general skill level for the sole purpose of administration use and for competition only.
Somewhere along the way we got so tied up (forgive the pun) in belts and rank we have forgotten the true meaning of the belt structure. We must remember that rank is only good with in your school or system. Has this all become a one ups man ship? Or is it something that is being used for marketing while trying to recruit new students? Or maybe it is so association can charge astronomical fees for the higher Dan ranks.
I think today most of us can see the failures of the old Asian rank structure. So were Kano & Funakoshi people of great vision when it came to the belt system? Or were they two of the most destructive people to the arts in history? That in it’s self is a topic of much debate when it comes to their rolls in the incorporation of belts, we will not weigh in on that here but instead let you come to your own conclusion.
The old 12 Dan in Judo (if memory serves) or the 10 Dan systems has allowed egos to run rank rampant. Again the old system was to have these higher ranks for administrators / founders. The problem is to many people think this must mean a person is so much better than a third, forth or fifth Dan being a tenth Dan. These higher ranks for years have been held like a carrot in front of the lower Dan’s noses as a way of keeping them loyal or in line by associations.
Today If using a belt degree structure, the 5 Dan system does not allow for as much abuse as the ten, and is somewhat a break from the old Japanese / Okinawan systems. Another option would be the original menkyo (teachers certificate). Yes I know that I just used an old term here but it is to make some out there aware that this was a term and method used to distinguished ones place in a school or art long before anyone ever thought about those nice looking belts that we wrap around our waists before tying it into that cute little square knot.
So why do we still have rank and the old belt system? You would have thought that when the Korean people wished to kick all the Japanese things out of their arts they would have gotten rid of this rank structure. So it appears to this writer that familiarity, fear and a need of self-importance would be the reasons that many have kept the old way of doing things.
Well some will give up rank when forming a new art and some may cut down on the number of belts and others will teach the true value of rank to their students. Some people still seem to need approval or respect for their new system and feel they must please others by using the old failed 10 Dan system. But as new arts formed in this land I guess they can do as they wish.
Any American art can have any rank or no rank structure if it wishes, and in no way does it (founded/students) have to pay homage to any country if they do not wish.
I guess the whole thing is, in American arts when forming, blending or creating them, and then looking to its classification, maybe they should think long and hard before just falling back on the old ways.
There are no martial law or rules that cannot or if need be can’t be broken. As Americans we are not one to be dictated to. We have paid our martial dues and only have peers but not superiors. We do not have some little need to seek approval of our systems. We need not have some other country sanctioning it. We should now no longer have the need to appease everyone or go by these Asian rules or taboos that hold nothing that is truly significant of value to the arts. Again speaking about American arts/systems we do not need or do we ask permission to do as we wish with our American arts.
It is common curtsy to recognize a persons rank level of another art, although in truth if a person does not have rank in the other person’s art, then to each other they have NO RANK.
Now with all that great stuff said. After 80+ years of belt systems (for karate) it will be hard to extract them all at once. American martial arts are still evolving, and we should take care when deciding the direction we are going to take. Remember we should be about knowledge and abilities not what hangs off our waist.
Not all will agree with what has been written even when being faced with the facts, many will see it as an attack on their rank, art or status....But more accurately it will be a blow to their ego.
B. Reynolds
