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HISTORY

The origin of karate dates back for more than a thousand years. When Dharma was at the Shaolin monastery in China, he taught his students methods of physical training in order to build endurance and physical strength. This method developed further and was adapted to become what is known today as Shaolin art of fighting.

 

 

                In early times, natives of the Ryukyu Islands developed a fighting system that was simply referred to as ‘te’. The largest island in Ryukyu chain in Okinawa Island, which is generally considered the birthplace of karate. In 1372, trade relationships were established between the Ryukyu Islands and the Fujian Province of China, and this eventually spurred several Chinese families to move to Okinawa. These Chinese families began to share Chinese Kenpo with the native Okinawa and through this, the fighting techniques began to change.

 

                The fact that weapons are banned in Okinawa in the 1400’s by the invading Shimazu clan (Japanese clan) was a factor that spurred the development of not only martial arts and karate in Okinawa, but also the use of inconspicuous farm tools as weapons.

 

                There were three main styles which are named after the cities in which they developed; Shuri-te, Naha-te, and Tomari-te. Collectively, these fighting styles were known as Okinawan Te (hand) or Tode, (Chinese Hand).

                Shuri-Te was developed mainly in the ancient city of Shuri, the ancient capital of Okinawa, the city of the king and members of the nobility. Shuri-Te was a more offensive style and characterized by speedy movements. It was practiced by the samurai at Shuri castle.

 

                Naha-Te, on the other hand, was developed around the port city of Naha, a large trade center. It seems to have more of the soft techniques and emphasis on breathing and control of Ki.

 

                Tomari-Te was a closely related system and was considered to be an offshoot of Shuri-Te. It was practice in Tomari village which was located close to Shuri-Te and was populated mostly by farmers and fishermen.

                Today there are four main styles of karate-do in Japan namely; Goju-Ryu, Shito-Ryu, Shotokan, and Wado-Ryu.

 

SHITO-RYU

 

                Kenwa Mabuni on November 14, 1889, in Shuri, Okinawa. He belonged to the 17th generation of a famous samurai named Onigusuki of Ryukyu kingdom. At the age of 13, Kenwa was accepted to train under the famous karate-do master Anko Itosu, who lived in Shuri and within seven years he learned the art of Shuri-karate or Shuri-te.

 

                When he was 20 years old, he began to study the art of Naha-karate or Naha-te with the Grandmaster Kanryo Higaonna. After graduating high school he worked in the police for 10 years. His jobs required him to visit different parts of the country and he had an opportunity to study other forms of karate-do with the little-known local masters. He also studied the ancient art of Ryokan Budo.

                In 1918, Kenwa Mabuni began his teaching activity and created the school of Karate-Do for the study of this martial art. Besides, he had the honor to demonstrate Karate-Do at the Okinawa school in the presence of Prince Kuni and Prince Kacho.​

                In 1924 Kenwa Mabuni became the Karate-Do instructor in two schools and received the honor to demonstrated Karate-Do for Prince Titibu.

                In 1925 Kenwa Mabuni established “Okinawan Karate-Do Club” and many Karate-Do leaders like Juhatsu Kyoda, Chojun Miyagi, Choyu Motobu, Chomo Hanashiro, Choju Oshiro, Chosin Chibana, Wu Xian Gui (Go Kenki) trained in this first dojo. Kenwa Mabuni and Chojun Miyagi became the permanent instructors of the club as the youngest members.

                Until today, Kenwa Mabuni is well known throughout the world as the great karate-do grandmaster. He inherited and formulated over 50 KATA.

 

This logo is originally the Kenwa Mabuni family crest. The circle symbolizes “Wa” meaning peace and harmony while the symmetrical lines represent the Japanese character for the “person/people”. The lines also symbolized Shuri-Te and Naha-Te. It is only Shito-Ryu that has inherited accurately all KATA of both Shuri-Te and Naha-Te.

                The name ‘Shito’ is the combination of ‘shi’ and ‘to’, the two of the first characters of the names of Itosu and Higaonna.

 

MALAYSIAN ASSOCIATION OF SHITO-RYU KARATE-DO (MASK)

 

 

                Shito-Ryu the pioneer karate-do style in Malaysia introduced in 1966 under the name of Karate Association of Malaysia (KAM). Shito-Ryu was the first taught three Japanese Sensei’s from the Dai Nippon Karate-Do Kai (headed by Kenzo Mabuni Sensei, the second son of the Kenwa Mabuni) in succession namely Yoshimasa Ishikawa Sensei, Tashio Yoneda Sensei and Hidetoshi Mori Sensei.

 

               

Hidetoshi Mori Sensei was instrumental in the formulation of MASK. Consistent with his belief and commitment to uphold the purity of Shito-Ryu, he left KAM in early 1967. With his students, R.Ravendran (now residing in New Jersey USA and practicing Shito-Ryu full time) the late Naser Sheikh Anwar Shihan together with others who left KAM became the MASK’s nucleus and initiated the formulation of MASK.

 

MASK was officially registered with the Registrar of Societies on December 1969. Upon Hidetoshi Mori Sensei return to Japan in September, the Late Naser Sheikh Anwar Shihan took over his duties and responsibilities and succeeded him at MASK’s Chief Instructor from 1969-2002.

 

 

                MASK is also the founder member of the Malaysian Karate-Do Federation (MAKAF) and also a founder member of the Asia Pacific Shito-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (APSKE).

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