Insights
Could British Wadokai Kata be confirmed as ‘official’ ?!?!
Due to the constant changes apparent in the JKF-Wadokai Kata, the ‘original’ Kata
introduced into the UK from Japan by the JKF-Wadokai during the 60’s & 70’s, and
still endorsed by Suzuki 8th Dan Hanshi of the WIKF, are gaining popularity on the
competition circuit.
It is common sense to see that it is easier to teach, learn and
judge a Kata that remains constant rather than one which changes to suit a different
Technical Director at any given time.
So could these 'original' Kata become the cornerstone
of Wado Kata within future WKF Wado Shitei Kata? And what would this
mean for Wado practitioners in this country?
It would make sense if it happened and
would mean that all members of the British Wadokai Karate, the United Kingdom Karate-
do Wadokai, and the Wado International Karate Federation
(plus others) would no longer need to learn two or
three different versions of the same Wado Kata for competition
- British Wadokai Kata would be ‘official’.
So what
would this mean for us in BWK? Well, firstly, at tournament
level, Wanshu would have the kick put back in and
Ni-Sei-Shi would be returned to the proper ‘balanced’ Enbusen,
rather than the Nijushi-ho (Shotokan) version
commonly used at the moment. Also, we would no longer
need to learn more than one version of the same Kata to
enter competition.
Gary E Swift Kyoshi.