As Aikido grows throughout the world many associations are being founded some are affiliated to the various Japanese hombu that head each style (Aikikia, IYAF, JAA Shodokan/Tomiki) and some are independant. Within my own country the UK there are very few associations who affiliated to the various hombu and issue Japanese menjo. This is a subject that I have been wrestling with for a while as the Japanese menjo does give credibility, would a grade from a non Japanese source have the same credibility and standing in the aikido community.
The Japanese travelled the world and taught Aikido to many westerners and gave them licence to teach and grade students. Just like their Japanese counterparts some westerners later split from their Japanese teachers and went in their own direction. Unless grades are falsely being awarded in another organisations name, I don't see how these splits invalidate anybodys grades. To say a 3rd dan from 'Imaginary UK Aikido Org' wasn't really a 3rd dan purely because his teacher split from the Aikikai would be like saying a 3rd dan in Tomiki Aikido or Ki Aikido wasn't really a 3rd dan because Tomiki and Tohei split from the Aikikai. At the end of the day your grade is only relevant to you and the organisation you belong to regardless of who awarded it. You're only as good as you are. Affiliating your self to a Japanese dojo won't change that.
Hi Shinkei. The issue isn't "where" your certification comes from; it’s the "credibility" of the organisation who issues it. (Although the two are inexplicably linked) This issue has been debated recently on Aikiweb together with its sister thread about frauds. My feelings are well lamented on both subjects. I've been a member of both Aikikai affiliated and non affiliated organisations and been very happy with the skills and training I've received. As Dr, Syn states your skills are the important issue however; and this is where it gets complicated and, a matter of personal opinion... Certification can be equally important; not more important but 'equally' important. To some it doesn't matter at all. The major problem arises when huge differences in ability are seen from one organisation to another, each issuing yudansha/mudansha certification. I will concede, even in affiliated organisations there will be differences in ability between them however, the scale of these differences are less dramatic overall than seen in those outside of affiliation. Now, I'm not going to say non affiliation = poor standards because this is simply untrue however, it is a fact that less credible certification has been, and still is being issued for a variety of reasons from non affiliated organisations. Then of course we have the issue of principals of some of these organisations making up foolish and outlandish claims of rank and experience which just reduces the credibility of the certification even further. In the end, it’s all a matter of personal preference, if you don’t care where your certification is issued from or by whom, the above statements will mean little to you (and fair play at that, it’s your prerogative) Have a great New Year weekend
I would counter argue.. The standards of some instructors outside of any influance other than their own (sometimes shortsighted) opinions will have a LOT to do with the standards of their students. Affiliation gives a student the opportunity to learn the discipline to a standard required at their respective hombu. And I would also strongly suggest those standards are somewhat higher than many (not all) independant organisations currently operating in the UK.
By this statement I meant if you suddenly affiliate your self to a Japanese Dojo tomorrow you will not magically get any better. However if we assume one is training with a teacher who demands high standards from their students, then affiliation to Japan makes no difference.
Since when did any aikido "magically" materialise ? If you did join an affiliated dojo, chances are the exposure you get to mainstream (insert your style here) aikido will be higher than if your being taught by someone with little or no direction from an organisation responsible for maintaining standards. Agreed, but as you seem to have missed in my last post, many (not all) independant organisation's standards are below those set by respective hombu. This is because they are operating "independantly" outside of any control or influance other than from with their own.
I've seen all kinds of stuff being called aikido and it's incredibly hard to know where to draw the line. I'm as confused as anyone. A couple of examples: A 'traditional' aikido school close to me has no atemi (unles you count a kiind of huge circular wave of the wrist) and teaches no jo or bokken work, yet claims to be 'Traditional Aikido'. Is it? Or is it just teaching bits of the art? The organisation I belonged to was once pure Yoshinkan. It now still teaches in that style with a fully rounded set of techniques, weapons etc. but has added modern weapons, even offering firearms training as a bolt-on. The quality assurance is now better that ever but it now operates as a commercial undertaking and has over 3,000 students, with full time instructors and dojos. It is certainly aikido based but is it still aikido? I guess it is up to all of us to make our own minds up but for me I think a style must bear some resemblance to what O Sensei taught. Otherwise it may be an excellent MA but can you still claim it as Aikido? Links to modern Japan are not as important to me personally as knowing that your teachers have some lineage, preferably back to a student of O Sensei's. After all, it wasn't that long ago so it shouldn't be hard to find some trace of the original art.
Going back to my original thoughts on credibility of non Japanese recognised grade. The reason I have bee wrestling with this is that a through my instructor moving abroad I have affiliated to different group. lets say my ideals are not the same. Just for background info I have been practising and teaching aikido since 1975 hold the rank of 5th Dan from a technical grading, my instructor from shodan to godan was Dr Lee ah Loi 7th Dan Aikido JAA 7th Dan Iai-do ZNKR, 7th Dan Jodo ZNKR I attended Dr Lee's club as a member for twenty years. with the lose of such a great teacher I am questioning what path I wish to follow. I am not questioning my Aikido ability. I guess that I am looking at the credibility of grades that I issue if we decide to form our own small group.
Well why don't you look at it this way. There was a time when the grades we see today didn't exist. That is until somebody made it up. If you head off on your own and start handing out grades, you shouldn't go far wrong if you do it honestly. How much creadibility you and your students receive will depend entierly on the standards you set for each grade. As a 5th dan who has been practicing from 1975 I'm pretty sure you have more than a good idea of what's required for 1st dan, 2nd dan and so on.
