(by Ron Chapél, Ph.D msuafc.com 1-15-16)
(Published in Combat Martial Sports Nov. 01 issue)
It has been arguably stated, “Ed Parker is the father of American Karate.” Although there are some who may take issue with such a claim, there are particulars that are undeniable and those who subscribe to Ed Parker’s lofty status in martial arts history are probably much closer to the truth than they know. It is a given Ed Parker was the first to bring and create an American Concept of the Asian fighting arts to mainland America. Although pre-dated by others who essentially transplanted Asian Arts with cultural accouterments intact, it is clear Ed Parker was the first to approach the arts from an American point of view. From an American historical perspective, this makes him a pioneer of quite significant proportions.
Historically, the art as it existed in China, was an immense body of knowledge encompassing a wide variety of physical sciences. All-inclusive in concept, it included, weapons warfare, self-defense, exercise therapy, entertainment, religion, herbal therapy, and other forms of medicinal healing. In actuality, it was more of a broad range of various disciplines and sciences interconnected by, and related to the human body. This is extremely important. Because this science crosses so many diverse academic concepts and scientific boundaries, it makes its study even by the educated and scholarly difficult. Also for this reason as well as its destructive component, the sciences were and still are in the hands of relatively speaking, a small group of people. Clearly the art of China is the “mother” of all arts. (The “father” is perhaps for another article)
As the sciences migrated from within the borders of China to other nations, its name was translated from the original Chinese, to simply those meaning ‘”kempo or kenpo.” However with this interpretation and the inability or unwillingness to take on such a vast body of work, Kenpo slipped away from its “martial science” heritage and took on a significantly different meaning. Once transplanted, it became an interpretive, culture based, nationalized, “martial art.” No longer a science but now a subjective art form, each country instead chose to focus on and interpret specific slices of the very large “Chinese pie.” This is very evident in the Korean, Okinawan, and Japanese national arts. Other countries like India and Pakistan as well, although staying closer to the science roots, chose to also infuse a very heavy cultural and religious aspect to their interpretations. After portions of the Chinese Sciences were adapted to the individual cultures and became a “martial art,” then the second stage of development was not far behind. Before we move on an important reminder. When the science left China it became an art form.
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