wo books contain – among many others – data on Mura-bo, the traditional staff fencing techniques of Ryukyu:
- Hokama Tetsuhiro: Okinawa Karate Kobudô no Shinzui (The True Essence of Okinawan Karate and Kobudô). Haebaru-chô (Okinawa-ken), Naha Shuppansha 1999. 389 pp. , 21cm.
- Okinawa-ken Kyôiku-chô Bunkaka Hen: Karate-dô, Kobudô Kihon Chôsa Hôkokusho (Preliminary Survey Report of Karatedô and Kobudô). Okinawa-ken Kyôiku Iinkai, Naha, 1994. 179 pp., 26cm.
Hokama Tetsuhiro roughly categorized the traditional sports of Okinawa into the following four kinds:
- Karate
- Kobudō
- Mura-bō (Bōjutsu)
- Okinawa Sumō
Later, he describes the charakteristica of Mura-bō (Bōjutsu):
Handed down in various rural areas of Okinawa and preserved by the people of these areas. Are performed all year together with traditional folk custom festivities. As „traditional sports of the villages“ they lead to pride and self-esteem. As it has been performed openly at the villages’ worship places, sacred grounds, and Utaki, from the connection with these sacred grounds the idea evolved, that it is a means for a building seishin, i.e. sublime heart, soul, spirit.
As a traditional sport which is “designated intangible cultural asset” of the towns and villages, from old times the Mura-bō have been transmitted as a “technical skill or art handed down from person to person”, together with the deepening of the understanding of Mura-bō, to start to acquire fundamental technical skills starting in childhood years, to respect politeness, to bear in mind safety, to practice independently on one’s own initiative, to learn the technical skills of the kata, to train mind and body and to continue to hand down the tradition in it’s present condition to the next generation.
Now there is not much information on Mura-bo on the net. The reason is that there is not much information on Mura-bo anywhere. Fortunately The Preliminary Survey Report of Karatedo and Kobudo gives the different traditional staff fencing methods of Okinawa and surroudning islands.
I translated it and here it is:
Mura-bō (village staff-fencing) (if there was no name for the technique, the name of the village has been filled in instead) | |||
Mēichi Nuki-bō, Kamahī-bō, Maki-bō | Higashimura Kawada | ||
Imadomari no Bō | Nakijinson Imadomari | ||
Mura-bō without name | Nakijinson Nakasone | ||
Manna-bō (Bōjutsu with 3 Persons) | Motobu-chō Namisato | Motobu-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Izumi no Bōjutsu | Motobu-chō Izumi | ||
Gushiken no Bōjutsu | Motobu-chō Gushiken | ||
Mura-bō without name | Motobu-chō Bise and Hamamoto | 2 Villages | |
Bō-odori | Nago-shi Kushi and Kayō | ||
Sukuta-bō | Nago-shi Sukuta | ||
Mura-bō without name | Nago-shi Inamine Makishi, Haneji and Goga | 3 Villages | |
Sūmachi-bō | Ginoza-son Ginoza | ||
Bō Sukee | Kin-chō Namizato | ||
Mura-bō without name | Iheya-son Nishizakiku | ||
Bō-odori | Iheya-son Gakiya | ||
Mura-bō without name | Iheya-son Shimajiri and Dana | 2 Villages | |
Bō-odori | Izena-son Izena, Nakada, Moromi, Uchibana, and Jicchaku | ||
Nakada no Bō | Izenason Nakada | ||
Mura-bō without name | Onna-son Nakama and Nakadomari | 2 Villages | |
Ishigawa Makibō | in the former Ishikawa-shi | ||
Ōyā-bō | in the former Ishikawa-shi | ||
Amagan (Tengan) nu Makibō | in the former Gushikawa-shi Amagan (Tengan) | ||
Sū-bō, Kanna-bō (Yari) | in the former Yonagusuku-son Yakena | ||
Uchima-bō | in the former Katsuren-chō Uchima | ||
Tsuken-bō | in the former Katsuren-chō Tsuken | ||
Namihira (Hanza)-bō | Yomitan-son Namihira | ||
Takashiho-bō | Yomitan-son Takashiho | ||
Kina-bō | Yomitan-son Kina | ||
Aza-uza-bō | Yomitan-son Uza | ||
Ōwan-bō | Yomitan-son Ōwan | ||
Zakimi no Bōjutsu | Yomitan-son Zakimi | ||
Tokeshi-bō | Yomitan-son Tokeshi | ||
Nagahama-bō | Yomitan-son Nagahama | ||
Mura-bō without name | Yomitan-son Gima and Yamauchi | 2 Villages. | |
Nosato-bō (Sūmachi) | Kadena-chō | Kadena-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Misato no Sūmachi-bō | Okinawa-shi Misato | ||
Goya no Bō-odori | Okinawa-shi Goya | ||
Yamauchi-bō | Okinawa-shi Yamauchi | ||
Kajimayā-bō | Chatan-chō | ||
Nodake no Machi Bō | Ginowan-shi Nodake | ||
Bōjutsu | Kitanakagusuku Kishaba | Kitanakagusuku Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Bō-sōmaki | Kitanakagusuku-son Shimabuku | ||
Mura-bō without name | Nakagusuku-son Iju and Wauke | 2 Villages | |
Kohatsu no Bō | Nishihara-chō Kohatsu | ||
Maeda no Bō | Urasoe-shi Maeda | Urasoe-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Uchima no Bō (Kassen-bō) | Urasoe-shi Uchi | Urasoe-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Azato Bō-odori | Naha-shi Azato | ||
Mura-bō without name | Naha-shi Kokuba | ||
Bō-odori | in the former Nakazato-mura auf Kumejima | ||
Gushikawa no Bō | in the former Gushikawa-mura Gushikawa auf Kumejima | ||
Machi-bō | Tomigusuku-shi Hoeimō | ||
Kakazu no Bō | Tomigusuku-shi Kakazu | ||
Mura-bō without name | Tomigusuku-shi Okina | ||
Meazato no Bō | Itoman-shi Meazato | ||
Maehira no Bō | Itoman-shi Maehira | ||
Bō-maki | Itoman-shi Arakaki | ||
Mura-bō without name | Itoman-shi Taketomi | ||
Nishibaru Bōjutsu | in the former Ōzato-mura Nishibaru | ||
Fāifā-bō | in the former Ōzato-mura Furugen | ||
Mura-bō without name | in the former Ōzato-mura Ōgusuku and Nakama (Tōma) | ||
Tsuhako no Bōjutsu | im ehemaligem Sashiki-chō Tsuhako | Nanjō-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Shikiyanaka nu Bō | in the former Chinen-mura Shikiya | ||
Tamagusuku Minzoku-bō | in the former Tamagusuku-mura | ||
Maegawa Sūmachi | in the former Tamagusuku-mura Maegawa | ||
Chūzan Sūmachi | in the former Tamagusuku- mura Chūzan | ||
Shikenbaru Sūmachi | in the former Tamagusuku-mura Shikenbaru | ||
Mura-bō without name | in the former Tamagusuku-mura Okutake | ||
Kanegusuku no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Kanegusuku | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Kamisato no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Kamisato | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Kyan no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Kyan | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Tsukazan no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Tsukazan | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Teruya no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Teruya | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Miyagusuku no Mēkata-bō | Haebaru-chō Miyagi | Haebaru-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Kochinda-bō | in the former Kochinda-chō Kochinda | ||
Jūgoya-bō | in the former Kochinda-chō Tomimori | ||
Yonagusuku no Bō | in the former Kochinda-chō Yonagusuku | ||
Shitahaku no Bō | in the former Kochinda-chō Shitahaku | ||
Mura-bō without name | in the former Kochinda-chō Kogusuku | ||
Azato no Bō | in the former Gushikami-son Azato | ||
Ufutun no Bō (Mēkata) | in the former Gushikami-son Ufutun | ||
Bō-odori | Aguni-son Aguni | ||
Kurima no Bō-odori | in the former Shimoji-chō Kurima auf Miyako | ||
Kawamitsu no Bō-odori | in the former Shimoji-chō Kawamitsu auf Miyako | Miyako Shimaichi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Meahira no Bō | Taramason Nakasuji and Shiokawa auf Miyako | Bōjutsu of the Fēnushima system | |
Kabira-bō Shishimai | Ishigaki-shi Kabira | ||
Mura-bō without name | Ishigaki-shi Miyara and Maezato | 2 Villages | |
Bō-odori | Taketomi-chō Iriomote Tsunatori | Kokudesignated Jūyō Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Hateruma Mushāma Bō-odori | Taketomi-chō Hateruma | ||
Entertaining art on Kohamajima Bon-festival | Taketomi-chō Kohama | Kokudesignated Jūyō Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Iriomotejima no Bushi-matsuri | Taketomi-chō Iriomote Souchi and Hoshidate | Kokudesignated Jūyō Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Bō-odori | Taketomi-chōIriomote Tsunatori | ||
Hōnensai | Taketomi-chō Hatoma | ||
Entertaining art for festivities on Yonagunijima | Yonaguni-chō | Kokudesignated Jūyō Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Altogether 100 teams |
Bōjutsu of the Shishimai-Systems (lion dances) |
|||
Chichi nu Bō | Yonaguni-chō | ||
Shimanaka Shishimai | Yonaguni-chō Sonai | ||
Tairaku Shishimai | Taketomi-chō Kuroshima | Taketomi-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Hirae Shishimai | Ishigaki-shi Hirae | ||
Imadomari Shishimai | Nakijin-son Imadomari | ||
Wakugawa Shishimai | Nakijin-son Wakugawa | ||
Haebaru no Shishimai | in the former Katsuren-chō Haebaru | Uruma-shi Designated Tangible immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Amagan (Tengan) Shishimai | der frühere Gushikawa-shi Shishimai | Uruma-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Gushikawa Shishimai | in the former Gushikawa-shi Gushikawa | ||
Ōjana Shishimai | Ginowan-shi Ōjana | Ginowan-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Kobashigawa Shishimai | Nishihara-chō Kobashigawa | ||
Hanagusuku Shishimai | in the former Gushikami-son Hanagusuku | ||
Altogether 12 teams |
Bōjutsu of the Fēnushima system (southern islands) |
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Nohara no Bō-odori (Bō-furi) Masutōriya | in the former Ueno-mura Nohara auf Miyako | ||
Bō-furi | in the former Ueno-mura Miyaguni on Miyako | ||
Maradate nu Bō-furi | in the former Ueno-mura Shinzato on Miyako | ||
Niman Bō | Tarama-son Shiogawa on Miyako | ||
Hai nu Sumakantā Bō | Ishigaki-shi Arakawa | Ishigaki-shi Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Hai nu Suma Bō | Ishigaki-shi Ōgawa | ||
Hai nu Suma Bō | Ishigaki-shi Tonogusuku | ||
Hai nu Suma Bō | Ishigaki-shi Ōhama | ||
Hai nu Suma Bō | Ishigaki-shi Hirae | ||
Tairaku | Taketomi-chō Kurojima | Taketomi-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Dātudā | Taketomi-chō Kohama | Taketomi-chō Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Ma nu Bō (Manna-bō) | Yonaguni-chō | ||
Mānumu nu Bō | Yonaguni-chō | ||
Niita (Atsuda) no Fēnushima | Kitanakagusuku-son | Kitanakagusuku-son Designated Immaterial folk customs cultural asset | |
Altogether 14 teams |
© 2011 – 2018, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.