Okinawa Sai-jutsu. Jamal Measara
still remember that moment, it was a powerful look like that of a tiger ready to attack its prey. It made the strongest men weak, but at the same time his big brown eyes were also friendly, like that of an innocent child.
Even though I was teaching an old Indian Martial Art, Varma Kalai, passed on to me by my father, I wanted to give it up and start training under him. But my family was against this idea.
Anyway! By and by we became good friends. We met not very often, but at least twice a year.
In 1981 I came to know that master Jamal had left for Europe and I was deeply sorry for not taking the opportunity to have studied under him or at least to bid him farewell.
In August 20, 1996 I came to know that he was in Malaysia to visit the Silambam Association. I rushed to meet him and was heart-broken when I heard that he had left. I drove down to his home only to learn that he had already left for Germany. But with all the sad news I also had something that made me happy. That was his book on Karate. I was in tears with happiness to see this young man as a matured man.
I wrote to him the next day and to my surprise he remembered me well and promised to meet me in his next visit, and he did. He was the same gentlemen, but now with even more energy than before.
He presented me his books, I congratulated him on them. Jokingly he said: “Maybe you should write a foreword for my next book”. It would be a pleasure and great honour, I replied, not taking it seriously.
We talked for nearly five hours. It was the greatest joy of my life talking with this “living encyclopaedia”. During my conversation I could not help being in tears watching and hearing him speak on the topics of martial arts. One can feel the love he has for the tradition and the martial arts, and he hates seeing the tradition being modernized and destroyed. Before bidding him farewell, I awarded him the highest rank in Varma Kalai (“art of striking the vital points”). To my dismay he refused to accept it by saying humbly that he was not worthy of such a high rank. I understood what he meant. A man of his standing is seldom seen today in the world of martial arts. In May 2008 he wrote to me of his 4th book project, “Okinawan Saijutsu”. I was taken by surprise that he really had meant what he had said jokingly few years back. Thank you for accepting me as a close friend and giving me this honour to write my feelings in your book.
S. Rajagopal Naidu
Principal of Varma Kalai
Malaysia
June 2008
Preface
I am delighted to recommend Jamal Measara Sensei’s new book on Okinawan Sai-jutsu. Those readers who are serious practitioners and students of both the traditional and classical arts of the Ryūkyū Islands will gain true insight into the history, theory and use of the Sai – an implement long associated with the martial culture of the “Island of Propriety”1.
Measara Sensei is uniquely positioned to bring you this material due to his long-term successful efforts to learn and master not only the complex Karate-dō of Okinawa but also the separate but complementary art of Kobudō – a comprehensive art which includes Sai-jutsu. As an accomplished and well-known international instructor, Measara Sensei has not only demonstrated his skills in dōjō settings around the world but also has the ability to transmit his vast knowledge to readers of his books. He does this with great clarity by using well chosen words and high quality photographs which reflect accurate techniques. In this way he not only inspires others and passes on the correct way to use the Okinawan Sai but also preserves an important part of Okinawa’s martial culture, thereby fulfilling his duty to his mentors and their ancestors.
This is a book you will not only be glad you purchased but which you will be happy to recommend to your colleagues.
Bill Hayes
Major, U. S. Marine Corps (Retired)
“Old Student” of Okinawan Shobayashi-ryū Karate-dō
Fredericksburg, Virginia, USA
A Short Autobiograhical Notice
Fig. 1: Donn F. Draeger.
In each of my previous books – Okinawa Dento Karate-do, Karate Kata no Rekishi and Okinawan Bo-jutsu – my autobiographical notice is rather long, so I want to make it short in this one.
I was born in July, 1949, in Malaysia. I was brought up in a middle class family. At a very young age, I started learning the Indian martial arts of Silambam and Vajramushti. Later, I was taught “Western” boxing at the British army camp with which my father was associated.
After Malaysia’s independence from the British, I started weight training, and soon, got into karate. Due to circumstances, I was forced to change styles. I trained Shitō-ryū, Shōtōkan, Keishinkan, Budōkan, Gōjū-ryū, and a mix-up of the Malaysian Shōrin-ryū Seibukan Karate. I later changed the latter style to the “orthodox” Okinawan Shōrin-ryū Seibukan under the tutelage of Shimabukuro Zenpo Sensei. It is to this style that I still belong.
Fig. 2: Jamal Measara and Kanei Katsuyoshi.
Fig. 3: Jamal Measara with Sai and Shimabukuro Zenpo with Bō.
Later on, I also studied Kobudō, which was an equally mixed up mess in Malaysia; until I met Donn F. Draeger Sensei, who taught me the art of classical Kobujutsu. After he passed away in 1982, I studied Okinawan Kobujutsu under many sensei, such as Akamine and Matayoshi, until I met my sensei, Kanei Katsuyoshi, of Okinawan Jinbukan Kobudō. This is the style to which I still belong today.
I continued my Indian martial arts training, which I had stopped at a very young age back in the 1970 s, under Maha Guru Arumugam. I am still an advisor of his association.
During my Karate career, I participated in many semi-contact and full-contact tournaments. I was appointed National Coach of Malaysia until 1980, when I moved to Germany; which is where I still live now.
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