“Asian” Americans

By Ron Chapél Ph.D.
11 July 2003

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We as Americans seem to have a fascination for the Asian Cultures, and have embraced the cultural accoutrements of the martial arts like no other. Some have quite paradoxically chosen to Americanize the martial arts by rejecting concepts of lifelong learning in favor of attainment of premature rank. Status over wisdom, and capitalism over skill seems to be the order of the day for most. Excuse me while I think about that for a second.

We have embraced all the things that, once entrenched, supports the status quo of our organizations. It’s like a pyramid scheme, or multi-level marketing. Those who get in early are near the top and stay there, and embrace rules to see that they remain there. We have given ourselves titles the Asian culture don’t even give themselves, or are only passed from the family head to a true lineage successor.

We speak in euphemistic simulated Asian parables to console ourselves that our purposes are noble, while we "grudgingly” place stripes on our belts and speak in broken English (or not at all.) We commence on this dumb "journey" I keep hearing about, not realizing if we have jobs/school, wives, and children, most likely it will be to the grocery store to pick up milk. Yes there are things bigger and more important than your belt rank, title, or that special knife that's going to get you busted by the cops for carrying or using it.

The Asians chuckle to themselves when we call ourselves "sensei/sifu," or run around saying "Osss." In the Asian Culture titles are bestowed by the community in and outside of the martial arts for your dedication and sacrifice after many years of service. You don’t call yourself these things, because that is the height of arrogance to present yourself as a “teacher,” (sensei) to someone who doesn’t even know you.

Yes we want to have it both ways. We want to be Americans, but we take the things from the Asian cultures that contradict our Americanism. We don’t understand, Asian Martial Arts is more about culture than anything else. We have all seen one Zatoichi movie too many. The only one who gets it is Jackie Chan and Harrison Ford in the first Indy flick. It’s a big joke.

If you want to go by cultural guidelines, “Grandmaster” can only be passed from the head of the family clan to one of the sons. My "uncle" and good friend Grandmaster Ralph Castro recently retired and passed the Grandmaster title to his son. Ed Parker only had one son. If anyone would be the grandmaster of American Kenpo it would be he, but of course he doesn’t want to be, and he has that right because we’re Americans. Besides, he is a great illustrator and artist. Grandmaster Illustrator I would say.

But Ed Parker Sr. created American Kenpo, and only gave it enough of an Asian flavor to honor its Asian roots. We were never supposed to bring any cultural or language aspects of the arts to our American version. We were supposed to have American cultural values, not Asian. Think about it. Ed Parker never called himself anything but "Ed Parker." He didn’t bow, or speak Japanese/Chinese, and he made a point there was only one "master," and he wasn’t him. He also told me he rode the porcelain pony once a day, and occasionally had bouts with "Polynesian Paralysis."

We wear the uniform because it was practical. We adopted the "Judo" belts (there origin) because Americans need short-term goals. In the Asian cultures, martial artist are often poor and are supported by the community. (Spare change anyone?) Here we open schools and turn it into a business with a minimal investment of six bucks for a black belt.

Many have essentially turned the whole thing into a "sport," imparting American values learned in physical sporting contests. At least these people are for real. However I would feel better if a more clear delineation would be made between sport and street, (although there are mental aspects that do indeed cross over).

Others have decided American Kenpo is a weapons art and spend a lot of time on weapons that could get them sent away for a good while if carried. But then again, you never know when you’re going to be attacked by a rogue hyperactive ninja carjacker/purse snatcher. Funny, the guys that have been knife fighting since before WW II have a different perspective on knife fighting. They sneak up on you and cut your throat from behind. My SEAL/SWAT/SOG friends concur. They only face off with knives in war like conditions. In the civilian streets, if two guys face off with knives, one shoots the other or they both say it’s not worth it and they forget the whole thing. These are the guys that don’t do "Hypothetical Kenpo and make believe knife fights," so I tend to listen to them over our modern knife fighting experts that I run into in court. (Their Kenpo don’t work too well in the lock up either bro).

I suggest we as Americans embrace the concept of Continuing Education. We need to drop the overly pedantic cultural endeavors in favor of an American academic perspective as Ed Parker Sr. wanted. But then if you do that, you will have to really learn something, instead of kicking the bag. I know, I know, we’re all warriors. Just don’t take it so serious.

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