History of the National Institute of Modern Martial Arts

 
The origins of karate have not been carefully recorded; different versions and histories exist.  Here is a brief explanation of the N.I.M.M.A. dojo’s history and its connection to the history of the martial arts that you study at N.I.M.M.A.  After reading these pages, you should be able to connect the names and stories described below with the portraits that hang on the walls of the N.I.M.M.A. dojo.

N.I.M.M.A. (National Institute of Modern Martial Arts) was founded in 1989 by Raymond Gonthier, Ramona Hastings, Halford Jones, Raymond Hall, Michael Descoteau, Dave Rynex, and Christy Hasvelet.  The goal of the N.I.M.M.A. dojo is to generate and maintain an interest and unification of all martial arts as an art and a sport.  The major styles that were originally instructed at N.I.M.M.A. were: Shorin-Ryu taught by Dr. Raymond Gonthier, Arnis Lanada taught by Halford Jones and Dave Rynex, and Jukado taught by Ramona Hastings, Raymond Hall, Michael Descoteau, and Christy Hasvelet.

Hanshi Ramona Hastings began training in 1972 in Jukado under Sensei Sonny Lunderville, and received her shodan in 1979, in Jukado, under Sensei Jerry Day.  In 1998, Hanshi Hastings was promoted to 10th Dan (judan) by Dr. Raymond Gonthier (1945-1998), and was recognized as Soke-Dai (inheritor of a style). Hanshi Hastings and N.I.M.M.A are constantly pushing forward to benefit its members, the memory of it’s history, and martial arts as a whole. 

Your current instructors had the fortunate opportunity to train under Dr. Raymond Gonthier.  Dr. Gonthier began his martial arts training in Judo in 1959 at the WMCA in Manchester, New Hampshire.  Then, between the years of 1970 and 1973, while stationed in Okinawa to serve in the Army, he studied Matsumura Orthodox Shorin-Ryu Karate-do under Grandmaster Fusei Kise (1935-), and Fusei Kise’s teacher, Grandmaster Hohan Soken.  After receiving his 1st Dan (shodan), Dr. Gonthier left the military and Okinawa, returning home to New Hampshire.  He opened his first dojo in 1973 in Claremont, NH with George Dillman.  In 1977, he began the Gonthier Karate Academy.  Between the years of 1980 and 1989, he only taught private lessons.  Dr. Gonthier was promoted to 7th Dan (shichidan) in 1989 by Grandmaster Porferio Lanada, the Grandmaster of the Arnis style we study at N.I.M.M.A.  Dr. Gonthier continued to be promoted over the years by Prof. Moore of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.  He was promoted to 10th Dan (judan) in 1996. 

Dr. Gonthier received an honorary doctoral degree in martial arts, earning him the title of Dr. Raymond Gonthier.  Hanshi Gonthier founded his own style of karate-do called Soken Go Kai Do Ryu, meaning the way of Grandmaster Soken and Gonthier, giving him the full title of Hanshi Raymond Gonthier Soke, Ph.D.  Dr. Gonthier traveled, seeking other martial artists who trained in Shorin-Ryu, especially those who had trained with Hohan Soken, to further his knowledge.  This sharing of knowledge enabled him to pass it on to his students. 

             Dr. Gonthier’s instructor Fusei Kise began studying karate in 1947, under his uncle Master Makabe.  In 1958, Fusei Kise studied under Grandmaster Hohan Soken (1889-1982).  In 1960, Fusei Kise studied under Grandmaster Nakamura Shigeru, who founded the Okinawa Kenpo Karate Do Federation.  Fusei Kisei received his 9th Dan qualification by Hohan Soken on September 1, 1976.  In 1977, Fusei Kise founded the Shorin-Ryu Karate Kenshin Kan Karate and Kobudo Federation, which he renamed to the Okinawa Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito Foundation in 2001.  Fusei Kisei received his 10th Dan promotion from Master Shigaru Tamaiya on October 25, 1987.   

Fusei Kise’s instructor Grandmaster Hohan Soken hailed from a farming family.  Hohan Soken’s mother introduced him to karate when he was 13 years old, through her brother, Nabe Matsumura.  Therefore, Hohan Soken studied under his uncle, Nabe Matsumura (c. 1860-1930) making him 3rd generation from Sokon Matsumura, the originator of all the Shorin styles of karate, including Shorin-Ryu.  From his uncle, Hohan Soken learned kata and kobudo.  He also learned kobudo from Ushi Komesu Tanmei.  Hohan Soken worked as a farm laborer from 1920 until 1952 in Argentina, leaving Okinawa because of work shortages.  Then he returned to Okinawa in 1952 and taught karate to Okinawans and to members of the United States military, naming his style Matsumura Orthodox Shorin-Ryu Karate Do. 

Grandmaster Hohan Soken’s instructor Nabe Matsumura hailed from an upper-class Okinawan family, yet worked as a guard and pulled a rickshaw for income, which was typical of people in his social class during that time.  Nabe Matsumura studied under his grandfather, Sokon “Bushi” Matsumura (c. 1809 – 1901).  Sokon Matsumura is considered the father of Okinawan karate.  Sokon Matsumura studied the first martial art on Okinawa called ti from the time he was a youngster.  Ti dates back to the 1600s and emphasizes grappling techniques.  It was practiced by the nobility for self-defense and personal development, and eventually became known as “te” in Japanese, meaning hands.  Sokon Matsumura formally trained martial arts under Satunushi “Tode” Sakugawa, from whom he learned the kata Kusanku, and how to use the bo.  During visits to China, Sokon Matsumura learned Chinese boxing and Japanese swordsmanship.  His legacy includes the katas Chinto, Wansu, Passai, and Seisan.

Satunushi “Tode” Sakugawa (1762-1843), has been cited as a key influence in modern karate.  He was one of the first to combine the techniques of te and tode together.  Tode, which means Chinese hand, was first seen on Okinawa in the late 1700s or early 1800s.  The karate that is studied today is based on Chinese boxing from Fuchou (the location of a Shaolin Temple) that was brought to Okinawa between 1850 and 1950, mostly during the late 1800s.  Around 1950, tode became known as karate, meaning empty hands. 

Sakugawa studied Chinese Kempo with Kusanku on Okinawa, and continued this training with visits to China where he also studied bojutsu.  Sakugawa’s legacy includes the kata Kusanku, the bo kata Sakugawa No Kun, and the concept of dojo etiquette.  Kusanku, who was from China, was reported as the first to demonstrate tode and grappling on Okinawa.  He was another key influence in the development of Okinawan martial arts. 

This is a very general history of N.I.M.M.A and Shorin Ryu.  All students should try to understand the mysterious and interesting history of our art; this summary is only the beginning.  Hopefully we have inspired you to learn more.  By knowing the past you may see the future. 

 

References:
Bishop, M. (1999). Okinawan Karate: Teachers, styles, and secret techniques. Boston, Tuttle Publishing.
www.kenshin-kan.com/history.html (2001). Okinawan Shorin Ryu and Kobudo History.
http://home1.gte.net/neilsaaa/karate_history.htm#TodeSakugawa
In addition, many talks and discussions with other martial artists, as well as personal experiences, were used to compile this history.

-Written by Shihan Michael Sartwell and Anna M. Adachi-Mejia, Ph.D., June 2002.