Asian His-Story [his story, my story, their story] and Martial Arts could not be ONE without the OTHER.

Without Martial Arts, the world would have to re-write every history book concerning Japan and China and remove more than footnotes to the histories of India, Korea and Tibet. In fact, Martial Arts was originally developed as a form of self-defense, usually weaponless, based on techniques developed in ancient China, India, and Tibet....

a) Asian His-Story and Martial Arts could not be ONE without the OTHER.

Without Martial Arts, the world would have to re-write every history book concerning Japan and China and remove more than footnotes to the histories of India, Korea and Tibet. In fact, Martial Arts was originally developed as a form of self-defense, usually weaponless, based on techniques developed in ancient China, India, and Tibet. It is in the Histories of the Arts that we discover why the Arts continue today. Thus, richly endowed "storied" histories of the martial arts societies are based on COLLECTIVE CULTURAL facts . THROUGH these STORIES we discover many HIS-STORIES of past Honor, Trust, Truth and Discipline

For each and every Form and Style of the Arts is Based Upon The Collective Of The Art and thus the CULTURE that makes the Art what it is!

Entire Civilizations were won and lost in the Way Of The Martial Arts; not merely due to the competitive nature and edge of those skilled in the arts, but because Honor, Trust and Discipline were the Greater Virtues of the Arts.

Take 12th century Japan, the staging ground for the Samurai aristocratic warrior class whom cultivated the martial virtues of Honor, Trust, Discipline and an indifference to pain or death and an unfailing loyalty to an individual's leaders and called it . Bushido, a word encompassing the very collective core of the culture of Martial Arts.

In 21st Century Japan, "bushido" remains the dominant force of Business and Society; a cultivation of martial art virtues extended and adapted to the present day. The Past being the Future and the Future the Past - all based and founded in History.

Thus History Should Reflect the Facts. Yet, many times, a need for self "grandIzation", greed and ambition was the ill that caused the core foundation of cultures to be over-written and re-written; a need or desire to further the self-image of organizations and peoples rather than the very culture they were established in.

Throughout the Histories of most countries, facts have indeed been changed, altered and re-written to favor one despot or another, yet most of the History and Culture of the Martial Arts was and is preserved as it was; why?

Men would attain leadership and take credit for everything but the ARTS. They were proud to offer the History of the Founders, Members and Practitioners before them as a way of lifting their own value, wealth and means. In other words, a man could defeat his enemy and become the "leader" of the pack, but they would keep the history of the Art Of The Culture unchanged ...

One cannot attain Rank without ACHIEVING IT. For what would the Arts be if not for the rich and factual history of the Arts based upon PROVEN ACHIEVEMENT; based upon Factual History?

How would one be viewed over the other -- an important and fundamental portion of the discipline of Martial Arts -- without achievements being of record? For Cultural History is not based on the individual, it is based on the whole.

To achieve a ranking one's HISTORY must be divided by the sum of the whole. For Martial Arts has the greatest foundation in the SPIRITUAL aspects of the Arts and those whom founded, motivated and improved the Arts. The very Drive and the Way of the Arts.

To attain Rank one must do more than simply learn moves and counter moves! They must DISPLAY the CORE principles of the Art's Foundations of Integrity and Honor and Truth.

c) RANK INCORPORATES the Training, Associations and History of an INDIVIDUAL based on the COLLECTIVE PAST of the Trainings, Associations and Histories of those whom instructed the said individual in one particular Form or Style of Martial Arts.

One may be graded a Black Belt in a particular Form or Style of Martial Arts, but the Degree is often additionally viewed as to the HISTORY of the INDIVIDUALS, INSTRUCTORS and DOJO of the particular Form or Style of Martial Arts awarding the grade and then the COLLECTIVE of the PAST!

Thus It Is An Important Fact That One Must View the Arts History by the Collective Sum of The History of the Culture!

d) The Importance of The Collective or History Of The Form or Style Of Martial Arts and the HISTORY of THE ART itself.

The Arts must be viewed in the perspective of the Last and the First; for the one that began is ultimately graded by those most distant into the future; offering praise and respect and honor to the founder of the Art is based on the very presence of the Art itself and to what degree those whom are practicing the said Form or Style adhere to the PRINCIPLES of its founders!

e) What Is History.

It is not enough to talk about History, Culture and the Root Foundations of the Martial Arts in demonstration of it's Heritage and Longevity.

Honor and Respect of one's Ancestors and their Accomplishments are the KEY and CORE to the fundamentals of a Martial Arts Society. The EXISTING Martial Arts Society must demonstrate it's CONTINUING Honor of those before them by offering TRUTH, FACT and the Accomplishments of it's most RECENT Martial Arts Ancestors as well as it's Founders and Present Day Members!

The dedication and sacrifices one makes to achieve and attain in the Arts cannot be over emphasized. The POWER and RESPECT of one's Achievements are also based on those who they studied under and those who came before them in their LINE.

Thus, the Core Foundation Of The Martial Arts Society Is The HONOR, TRUTH, RESPECT and CONTINUATION Of The His-Story, Endeavor and Accomplishment Of Those Who Came Before Them.

 f) Publishing the History and Culture Of A Form or Style Of Martial Arts.

The future success of a Martial Arts Society and Community is based on the requisite that existing members Inform, Tell and Publish the History of the Martial Arts Society and Community in Question. Those whom have demonstrated the highest Virtues and Works in the Arts must be Honored, Respected and their Names and Accomplishments introduced and refreshed in the Memories of the Society and Community.

To Inform, Tell and Publish Facts and History replenishes the prestige and honor of Past and Present Members.

To Inform, Tell and Publish Facts and History introduces the Society and Community to those who are not familiar with the Society and Community and invites them to Join, thereby increasing the members --the continuity of the Culture.

It is with the last paragraph above that BritishAikido.com, BritishAikidoHistory.Com and BritishAikidoBoard.Com were established. Our aim is to discover and produce records, photos and His-Stories of the Truth, Honor and Dedication of those whom have, and still do, prescribe by the Way and Art of the Society Of Aikido in Britain!

And, it with this in mind that I would like to remind the British Aikido Society and Community of the upcoming 50th year celebration of British Aikido [1955 - 2005], and the Honoring of Legendary Master Kenshiro Abbe Sensei whose Life was one of Demonstration of Honor and His-Story and Aikido!

RJ Rocky Scarfone