History of UQ Karate Club

Here is something different today – the history of Goju-Ryu Karate.

ORIGINS

The origins of the Karate are not completely certain, though many trace it to two centres: China and Okinawa. In China a well-known centre for martial arts is the Shaolin Temple, where monks practice such exercises as part of their routine for health and meditation. The martial arts of the monks filtered throughout China and were imported into Japan via the Prefecture of Okinawa, where Chojun Miyagi began his study in martial arts in the late 1800’s. His mentor, Kanyro Higashionna/Higaonna, had studied Chinese boxing in Fukien province in 1873, and his example inspired Master Miyagi to travel to China. Master Miyagi made several short visits to Fukien Province, allowing Master Miyagi to expand his knowledge with his exposure to the hard school of Shaolin Chuan, and the soft school of Pakua Chuan. Master Miyagi returned to Okinawa, and commenced teaching in Naha. Thanks to his contribution, the benefits of Karate were recognized by the Department of Education and became part of the physical education and culture curriculum.

Later, Master Miyagi would officially name the system, choosing the name Goju, meaning Hard-Soft. In 1933 the Japanese Martial Arts organization, the Butokukai, accepted the registration of the Goju Ryu Karate. In 1934, Master Miyagi visited the island of Kauai in Hawaii after a Hawaiian newspaper sponsored him, making Master Miyagi the first to propagate Karate as an art in the West.

RECOVERY

Another important figure in our Club’s history is Gogen Yamaguchi from Retsumeikan University in Kyoto. Gogen Yamaguchi became the leader of Goju Ryu on the Japanese mainland. After World War II, Yamaguchi sensei returned as a prisoner of war from the Manchurian campaign to find the Goju school non-existent: many of the instructors and students were casualties of the war, and Allied occupational forces had restricted the practice of martial arts. Yamaguchi sensei travelled throughout Japan and consolidating the Goju School in Japan and creating the Goju-Kai, contributing greatly to the rebuilding and reorganization of Goju Karate.

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

In the era following WWII, Goju Karate gained a truly global reach via Hawaii, because for a short period, Gogen Yamaguchi taught Masaichi Oshiro, a first generation Hawaiian born of Okinawan heritage. Later, when Master Oshiro returned to Hawaii, he officially founded the Hawaiian division of Goju-Kai. The high standard of Hawaiian karate attracted visiting martial artists such as Master Mas Oyama, Master Nakayama and the Japan National team instructors. In 1966 Master Oshiro invited Yamaguchi sensei and his son Goshi to Hawaii. During this visit, a student of Oshiro sensei, Tino Ceberano, was graded to 3rd Dan by Yamaguchi sensei. After many years of training with famous figures in Asian martial arts, he would relocate to Hawaii and devote himself to Goju after travelling and learning for many years. Later, Master Ceberano was given the opportunity to migrate to Australia (after having visited it earlier) and propagate Goju-Kai. Under his guidance and leadership, Goju-Kai became a premier organization in the Australian Karate scene.

More recently, a meeting of senior officials of the Goju-Kai was conducted after the death of the Grand Master Gogen Yamaguchi in 1989. The meeting granted Tino Ceberano, who was now a Shihan, his independence as a propagator of the Goju School and allowed him to form his own organization: the International Goju Karatedo (I.G.K). It was recognized by the Okinawan Goju Ryu Renmei.

It is from this history and the I.G.K. that the UQ Karate Club draws its proud heritage.