On Mura-bo

20two 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:

  1. Karate
  2. Kobudō
  3. Mura-bō (Bōjutsu)
  4. 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)  
  -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 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
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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)

  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.

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