Kama - Martial Arts Weapon from Okinawa & Arizona

Pencil sketch, by Soke Hausel

"A deshi who bares kama scars, knows kama well"  - Soke Hausel.

We start all of our students of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Renmei in Arizona in both karate and kobudo (martial arts weapons) when they start training in karate. Karate and kobudo have always been taught together in traditional Okinawan karate, and there is no additional fee for learning kobudo. In Shorin-Ryu Karate, one is expected to learn both empty hand and weapons as the compliment one another and it is all part of their martial arts education. 

Dr. Adam trains with Adam Bialek during kobudo class
at Hombu dojo in Mesa, Arizona. Here, Adam defends
with kama while Dai-Shihan Adam attacks with bo
(6-foot staff).

One of several traditional weapons. Kama is a traditional Okinawan weapon used by peasants and farmers that must be respected. This respect grows exponentially as one progresses to the kusarikama (kama with rope or chain) as there is greater potential for a collision with this later weapon. 

We require martial artists train with dull bladed kama, as sharpen kama leaves scars. One of our Casper Wyoming members returned from training in Okinawa a few years ago where he purchased gama (a pair of kama) and proceeded to cut himself in the dojo after he discovered the blades were sharp as razors. Because of this, we only allow non-sharpen practice weapons as we only have so many bandages to go around.