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During the Ryukyu Kingdom of the 1600s the indigenous martial arts of Okinawa were blended with the fighting arts of Fujian, China, to formulate the birth of what would become the globally popular martial art known as Okinawan Karate. There were no tournaments, no politics, and no nonsense; only hard men that sacrificed time, sleep, and comfort to toughen their bodies and strengthen their spirit in pursuit of improving their odds at protecting themselves and their loved ones. Chanpuru: Reflections and Lessons from the Dojo offers glimpses into the old ways of karate through the personal journey of Garry Parker, a modern day sensei, who learned traditional karate the old way on Okinawa. Parker invites the reader to come along on his journey to see how he gained entrance into a rapidly disappearing society of authentic Okinawan martial art traditions. A tradition honed for a century before air-conditioned schools, colored belts and sport competitions. To offer deep insights into the many topics of karate, Chanpuru is divided into three parts. Part 1 is autobiographical, highlighting the reflections of Parker’s personal journey in karate. Part 2 is filled with essays on topics relevant to the study and practice of karate, including lessons learned, advice, the author’s personal thoughts and stories, and little nuggets of wisdom he’s picked up along the way. Part 3 is dedicated to the legacy of the author’s teacher, Takamiyagi Hiroshi, the founder of Goshukan-ryu, and pioneer of Wu Zhu Quan (Five Ancestor Boxing) on Okinawa. An exclusive interview, along with rare photos from Takamiyagi’s personal collection, complete the book.
