Why We Do What We Do April 28, 2004 Now that the dust has settled from the whirlwind of activities in connection with our successful “1985 Aikido Friendship Demonstration and Film Show” we are back hard at work on various research and publishing projects. On reflection, the immensely difficult task of organizing such a demonstration yielded many priceless insights into the structure of Japanese society, the dynamics of organizational relations and the subject of loyalties. The understanding we have gained will serve us in good stead in the future pursuit of our activities. In retrospect, the “Friendship Demonstration” seems to have ruffled a few feathers in the Aikido establishment. I suspect AIKI NEWS may in the process of staging this event have developed a reputation for being somewhat impetuous and unpredictable. Impetuous? Quite possibly. Unpredictable, not in the least. There is really no mystery at all to the why and wherefore of our actions. Allow me to elucidate. This editor is by nature an insatiably curious creature. Whether this is due to heredity and upbringing or merely to some quirk of fate I do not know. In any event, the instincts of historian, detective and “treasure seeker” are deeply ingrained within me and are ultimately responsible for the existence of the magazine you now hold in your hands. In light of the above, what is our conception of the historian’s role as applied to Aikido history? Responsibilities of the Historian Albeit a virtually impossible task, the historian must set aside personal likes and dislikes if he wishes to produce work of lasting value. The historian whose biases are too transparent will be discounted by future generations as will the thrust of his work. Any attempt to portray individuals and events through rose-colored lens will ultimately prove to be a disservice to the subject one desires to enhance. Accordingly, the historian is not free to neglect or delete important persons or happenings merely because they do not conform to some preconceived image of the figure or events under scrutiny. To be more specific, in our efforts to capture the essence of O-Sensei at various points in time we have to give attention to the social and martial arts setting in which he acted. We must explore and document the personalities and deeds of such figures as Sokaku Takeda, Onisaburo Deguchi, Yoichiro Inoue, Takuma Hisa, Kenji Tomiki, Gozo Shioda, Koichi Tohei and many more. We must understand how the Founder was regarded by his peers in other martial arts. For example, the prevailing image of O-Sensei as a kind, saintly figure held by most present-day practitioners of Aikido is only one view of him. Seen in other contexts and from outside of our art he was an upstart who thoughtlessly attempted to alter a long-standing tradition. He was at times regarded even by those close to him as a cantankerous, short-tempered old man who had a knack for getting in the way at the wrong time. Were we to neglect any unflattering perspective we encountered in an effort to congeal the image of O-Sensei into a pristine state we would be guilty of contributing to the creation and propagation of a myth. A beautiful, inspiring myth to be sure, yet still a falsified image of the man. Besides, history has shown us that myths are subject to manipulation and can be used to achieve ends quite at odds with those the individual in question actually aimed at. Morihei Ueshiba was a giant in his own right and no embellishment is required in order to ensure his stature for posterity. Time lingers not Another key to understanding the priorities of our research activities lies in appreciating the fact that AIKI NEWS is locked in a race against time. Many of those important people who were close to the Founder are now quite aged. Some pass away each year and with them their knowledge and wisdom. Their personal papers, photos and other materials are stored away in boxes, or otherwise mistreated and slip into oblivion. In fact, the sobering reality is that when it comes to the preservation of documents like books, photographs or films, it is not a matter of what will be lost, but rather what will survive. We have come to appreciate that the item we treat so casually today may prove of great value to a future researcher. Thus, it is of critical importance from the historical standpoint that we label and classify materials which come into our hands and entrust them to a safe, accessible location. Seen against the great sweep of history we own nothing and are merely serving as temporary caretakers of a fragile tradition. A Truth for All Occasions Lest we forget, the life of Morihei Ueshiba spanned 85 years and four months. The product of his immense effort, modern-day Aikido, reflects a long evolution, with numerous stages of development. Followers who experienced his teaching at various points during his lengthy career absorbed many different things and all are undoubtedly convinced that what they learned represented the finest of his art. Indeed, many of the well-known senseis of today are fond of making authoritative statements about various technical, historical and spiritual points which collectively represent a wide diversity of opinions. These viewpoints are all of interest and value in understanding O-Sensei’s work and so we endeavor to record them faithfully. At the same time, I am personally wary of those who speak of “the true Aikido” as 1f no other interpretation were admissible. Could it be that in Aikido as in all other areas of human endeavor there are many truths? Our minds must be dull indeed if we have failed to grasp this simple fact by now. New tools available to modern-day historian One of the most exciting aspects of our work is the abundance of tools at our disposal. Today with the advent of the video tape recorder, for example, we can preserve virtually intact precious historical moments such as the recently-held Friendship Demonstration. New grades of film permit us to make color photographs which will remain for 100 years. We now are the guardians of several hundred hours of voice recordings spanning a twenty-year period of the Founder, his wife, and many of his students and acquaintances. The existence of such materials in these forms ensure a higher degree of accuracy in the portrayal of history than would have been possible at any time in the past. Future Horizons What is it that can be expected from AIKI NEWS in the future? Obviously, more of the same. We can be expected to search far and wide for people and information helpful in shedding light on the birth and development of Aikido. This will take us beyond organizational boundaries and one must understand that we do this not out of malice but rather out of a sense of responsibility to history. We shall continue to collect, catalogue and distribute information and documents concerning the art as this is the only way to insure their survival. We will continue to organize all-inclusive activities as the Aiki message is one of friendship and cooperation. We shall continue to attempt to control the emotions that sometimes swell within us when we feel we are wronged or impeded in our work and strive to respond in an Aiki-like manner, kindly, but from a position of strength.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 21:59:38 +0000
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