China is the birthplace of all martial arts although japanese karate in particular may have originated in the philippines.

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[–]Messquito 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (8 children)

Interesting proposition. I doubt it though.

It is far likelier that Karate is native to Okinawa.

I've seen a Philippino documentary on their traditional stick arts Kali where the OG Grand Masters in the 60's and 70's, in an interview, stated how they incorporated Karate into their curriculum to attract more students as a bait n switch. Bait students in with karate then switch the program to kali. And indeed it worked for them and that's how their art survived.

Later people saw some uncanny similarities between karate and kali but the karate component was a later addition.

Don't get me wrong. Kali can stand up on its own and it is like the base martial arts in Hollywood thanks to Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto.

But Karate is native to Japan.

[–]TwerKing[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (7 children)

If you watched the whole video, the point at 1:26-1:44 could be some evidence that karate's roots are deeper in sea and probably first developed there.

Archeologists have discovered several prehistoric neolithic tools with the exact same morphological features in both okinawa and the philippines. Meaning, although karate was born in okinawa and influenced by china, perhaps it was conceived way earlier in the philippines.

[–]Messquito 2 insightful - 2 fun2 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 2 fun -  (6 children)

I have already seen the video, in fact I saw it first before I came across the Filipino documentary.

We need to know the exact context of those archeological findings. Even Jesse Enkamp did not conclusively say that Karate originated from the Philippines. He was merely musing of the possibility because of the apparent similarities of the forms.

Also what has neolithic tools got to do with Karate? It's hand to hand combat not farming or carpentry. We need to know the context surrounding those tools. Since Jesse did not elaborate any further, it really begs the question.

Also the Filipino Kali Grand Master whom the German Kali Instructor (who Jesse met) trained under was one of central figures of the Kali Scene in the Philippines. He was a contemporary of the period where Philippine Kali instructors incorporated Karate into their curriculum to attract students. I believe this piece of history provides great explanatory power for the similarities of certain Kali schools to Karate.

I shall link you the documentary when I find it again.

[–]TwerKing[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Interesting, although some genetic studies indicate that okinawans are likely related to sea and southern chinese as their ancient base even though the modern population of okinawans are closer to yamato japanese because of being contemporarily annexed by japan and the encouragement of intermarriage between them.

[–]Messquito 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Ok that's interesting. I haven't looked into any genetic studies concerning Okinawans. I am also aware that SEA people were cracked mariners. So trade and interaction were definitely going on all over asia. I'll grant that it's plausible. Whatever the real history was, it's always a riveting subject.

[–]TwerKing[S] 4 insightful - 1 fun4 insightful - 0 fun5 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Yeah it is riveting.

At the end of the day though, just remember all goldens, either sea, easians, or ca (central asians), are close genetic relatives to begin with anyway, so it's all cool.

[–]TwerKing[S] 3 insightful - 1 fun3 insightful - 0 fun4 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Okay cool.

It's just their farming tools having striking similarities to the ones in the philippines and maybe other sea countries, suggesting that okinawans may have migrated from sea and later into the ryukyun islands to become one of the natives there.

Regarding how similar they are, it could also be either due to maritime trade in exchanging goods or some philippine natives really did migrate and assimilate to okinawa and brought their farming tools for native okinawans to use with intermarriage happening between these groups a long time ago as well.