Onra:YamatoDamashii
Hafa Adai,
Years ago when MixedMartialArts training on Guam was backyard at the very best —the small handful of people that were training found most of their education from videos or from very seldom occasions of friends returning from training overseas. The pursuit of hands on instruction often led to ridiculous instructor fees and near impossible demands that at the time, most of the guys couldn’t afford.
Enson Inoue arrived on Guam as a cornerman for Tetsuji Kato in SuperBrawl 5. Though he was cornering for Kato against Guam fighters in a 3fight tournament—incidents unfolded for reasons obvious and within 3months time, Guam’s fight ambition came together with Enson’s goodwill and soon the PurebredShootoGymGuam was formed. Secret training for self-defense took a massive step forward to unified training for sport. Doors were opened between wrestlers and Jiujitsu players, from Guam to Japan and from Japan to Guam—and minds were opened for a revitalized and better-structured way of training.
Enson Inoue is a remarkable athlete. After winning the Shooto Heavyweight world title as a severe underdog with an armbar submission over the at-the-time UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Cotoure, Enson enjoyed an exciting career of exciting battles against some of the world’s greatest fighter s—Mark Kerr, IgorVovchanchyn, Antonio”Minotauro” Noguiera, to name a few. Though he never went on to win another world title and even though his record been decorated with many defeats– his way of fighting and his never-give-up attitude had immortalized his name in mixed martial arts. His life campaign of “Yamato Damashii” has sent inspiration and a message of perseverance around the world that started and still motivates the careers and ventures of many successful MixedMartial Artists today.
Though only half-Japanese in descent, his promotion of the term “Yamato-Damashii” has placed an exclamation point to a world-massive interpretation of what we embrace and celebrate as the SamuraiSpirit. This fire for the martial arts, his gift for motivational speaking, and his availability to fans has toured him around the world with guest appearances and seminars in Mongolia, Italy, Guam, Saipan, TheMainland US, Korea, Sweden, to name a few and likely for even for more destinations ahead. Often celebrated for his fighting spirit, the admittedly less-than-perfect Inoue has most recently projected another side in the aftermath of March 11ths fatal and fateful tsunami that resulted from a reported 9.0 earthquake in northern Japan.
There is a face of Enson Inoue however that many of us haven’t seen. It’s an asset even even more credible than his skills in the ring, a side to his will that offers in example and true testament—the community serving asset of the Samurai Spirit.
Yamato-damashii “Japan, Japanese” compounds Yamato (??, lit. “great harmony”) with damashii, which is the voiced rendaku pronunciation of tamashii (? “spirit; soul”).
—Wikipedia
From this we can derive that YamatoDamashii can be literally translated as the Japan Spirit. Maybe that explains why Japanese folks look surprised when they see foreigners wearing the increasingly popular YamatoDamashii shirts so often.
From its super cool-looking kanji, maybe we can even derive that it means the spirit of great harmony.
Or as it is often translated locally, YamatoDamashii has gain much momentum for its representation of the Samurai Spirit. Either way—YamatoDamashii has become a term that has become embraced worldwide and continues to do its service by offering courage and inspiration to the tens of thousands of foreigners who have connected with it to persevered through many adversities.
Even for us who aren’t Japanese, though we might not have blood-roots with the samurai, we can move forward and live enduringly, honorably, and community-servingly with What we have come to digest as Yamato Damashii through Enson’s example—not only with the strength for survival but also with the will to serve those who might be less fortunate.
In the words of Enson Inoue: “Yamato Damashii is an undying Spirit. The Spirit and Honor of the Samurai. Yamato Damashii is a Way of Life.”
Thanks for dropping by.
Fokai&Fokai@13N144E
Check out this story and a response comment taken from from Guampdn.com
Self-proclaimed activist faces bench warrant for charges
A Chamorro rights activist who was served a warrant after failing to appear in court on drug allegations responded with an ultimatum yesterday: The judge can meet him on the shores of Umatac, which he regards as the island’s natural courthouse.
Howard Hemsing, a self-proclaimed activist for native rights who is facing felony charges for allegedly growing and selling marijuana, said yesterday that the Superior Court of Guam issued a bench warrant because he wasn’t attending his court hearings.
He’d rather die than answer the warrant, he said. Hemsing has protested with a megaphone outside the courthouse at many of his scheduled hearings.
“Why should I obey laws I have no rights to?” Hemsing said yesterday. “Why is foreign law in my homeland being forced down my throat?”
Since he was first charged in 2010, Hemsing has insisted that indigenous inhabitants of Guam do not have to follow the laws of GovGuam, which he calls a puppet agency and not a true government. Hemsing introduces himself as the “intermediate prime minister” of a nation that doesn’t exist, but which he calls “the Republic of the Sinahi Archipelago.”
Yesterday, Hemsing explained that although he is unwilling to respond to the warrant, he would like to meet with Superior Court of Guam Judge Michael Bordallo to discuss the allegations at a large rock along the reef line in Umatac.
Hemsing said the “temple” is a more appropriate place for the case to be settled, not in court of laws that don’t apply to him.
“If (the judge) has any pride of his culture, and he has a quest for truth … he should show up,” Hemsing said.
Hemsing is a common sight at the Legislature or public events that have any link to Chamorro culture or native rights. He has publicly opposed military presence on the island and describes Guam’s territorial status as a military occupation.
He’s not wanted on self determination charges, he is wanted on failure to appear on alleged drug charges. Geez, why cant people stick to what the subject is. To me, he is a hyprocite. He bad mouths the United States then turns around and uses the U.S. Constitution to protect his “freedom of speech and expression.” If he is the prime minister of his new country, where are his laws? Where is his consititution? IN HIS HEAD. I’m not against him for being an activist, thats his right, but dont go around stomping my flag that 39 local sons and daughters have given their lives for and bad mouth my country, then turn around and try to use it to protect his freedoms.
Mustang94
JUSTADDWATER:KenBarcinas
May 6, 2011 by admin
Filed under GuamWatermen'sClub, Onra
Borrowed from the PacificDailyNews
Guam swimmer Ken Barcinas recently accepted a swimming scholarship to attend Yamanashi Gakuin University, located approximately 62 miles due west of Tokyo.
Barcinas intends to study sports management and continue training through the next two Olympic Games. He holds the Guam national record in the 200-meter butterfly at 2 minutes and 13.46 seconds, but plans to focus on the 200 freestyle leading up to the 2012 Olympic Games. He is approximately seven seconds off the qualifying mark of 1:50.76 in that event.
One of the biggest differences at the collegiate level is the mental toughness of teammates, he said.
“Practice is very tough, from beginning to end, but training together with your teammates and watching them refuse to give up motivates me to stay mentally strong and not to give up either,” he said.
Schoolwork is challenging, too, but he’s encouraged to complete his degree in order to give back to Guam swimming “so the younger, developing kids will enjoy it more.”
Well prepared locally by the support of his parents Rumi and Gerry, younger brother Renji, coach Toshi Iijima, teammates and friends on the Tsunami Swim Club and all other Guam swim clubs and local clothier Fokai, Ken Barcinas remains extremely appreciative and committed to maintaining this course.
“I want to thank everyone for all the support, and I will continue to do my best to represent Guam in all that I do,” he said.
While his first competition for school will not begin until late July, Ken Barcinas will return to Guam for the Guam Swimming Federation National Championships May 27 and 28. He will also swim on May 29 to defend his title in the Cocos Crossing ocean swim race, where he established a new course record in 2010.
Information was provided in a press release.
Ousss!:viaPalauMixedMartialArts
| Junior Brechtefeld | 9:20am Apr 28 |
I have been asked several times the meaning of “Ouss”, so for those who are still in the grey in regards to the word’s meaning I got the following definition from Urban Dictionary –
OUSS – Noun (OW-SSSSS): The rushing exhale of air from the lungs formed into a specific and semi-uniform word while exerting oneself. Similar to a Japanese Kiai. Ouss was made popular in a system of martial arts known as Kuntao Jiu-Jitsu.
It is also used when greeting or leaving a Superior in a KJJ dojo. It serves as a sign of respect and conveys one’s intentions to give all that they have (in effort and attention).
Further emphasis can also be given with an additional syllable. “Ouss-Ahhh”. Not to be mistake for the softer and gentler “Oo-sah” done in meditation.
(While being struck) “Ousss”
(While delivering a strike) “”Ousss”
(As a greeting or goodbye) “Ouss”
I hope this clears things up for everyone. God bless and take care. See you all on the mat today. If the Judo guys are on the mat be prepared to train boxing and kickboxing in the table tennis area ok. Catch you all there
Onra:April21,2011
Hafa Adai,
Registrations is being accepted til the 21st for The Art Of War 6- No Gi Submission Grappling Challenge this coming Saturday, April 23rd
TheMarianas Open date has been reset to June 25th.
After sitting in a discussion with some competitors of our grappling community, it was inspiring to discuss how far Jiujitsu in Guam has grown.
We had been conversing over ideas of who would make a great superfight or exhibition bout in the next Marianas Open and had come to so many feasible ideas
that held water. Keeping in mind that the success of Grappling and MixedMartialArts has been based significantly on its entertainment value—it’s quite impressive to see that our community has developed enough skill to impress and in some way, educate an extremely supportive and growingly critical audience.
Primarily a superfight should be something that would draw interest from not just our grappling community but also from the attending spectators. For the sake of evolution, it should illustrate skill and strategy. For the sake of the audience, It should be entertaining and avoiding any mismatches, it should make competitive sense.
Regarding Marianas Grappling, What we are blessed to have here is not just the skills from our athletes to entertain but an overall intention from our promoters to educate. This is a way of thinking that has progressively graduated options in Submission grappling and Jiujitsu from offering a way of fighting to paving a way of sport and for some—even encouraging a way of life.
In the past, it may have seemed that Jiujitsu was billed locally as a superior way of total fighting, connecting itself to occasional open challenges. Although that mentality might still exist for some, it really has evolved into different things.
Once in part defining itself as THE authority in no holds bared fighting, Jiujitsu has since come to be just one of many parts of the highly-evolved Mixed Martial Arts competiton.
Now that local MMA competition and Jiujitsu have taken flight into their own separate destinations—it seems that Saipan is following to suit with the Art-Of-War seeing higher numbers in competitors as well as other assets unfolding in the on-going sophistication of their combat sports environment. It has become a healthy by-product and one of the greatest testaments to Jiujitsu’s positive direction in the Mariana Islands
Does all the recent discussion mean that grappling is the King of local combat sports? Not necessarily. Tae Kwon Do, Kyokushin Karate, Boxing, and Wrestling all have their achievements that deserve reseect and credit too.But we cannot ignore the honorable measures, in such a relatively short scope of time, that have been taken to escort the Grappling industry and athletic grappling identity towards the horizons our young and old aim for in industry and athletics today.
It’s only April and in 2011 alone we have landmark and successful performances such as Team Purebred/lloydIrvin Jiujitsu’s 1stplace team finish at this years Pan Youth Jiujitsu tournament, we have seen several articles of Mike Carbullido’s victory in the PanAms, we have seen Guam-originated company Shoyoroll’s climb to become one of the world’s top Jiujitsu Kimono manufacturers, and heard of Universal Alliances victories in the Philippines and AbuDhabi.
Abu Dhabi– Are you serious?What’s amazing is that yes, we are.
Efforts are evolving, horizons are expanding, and our Guam flag continues to fly high—inside and above our competitive efforts.
Not too long ago on Guam, it was an elite occasion to intersect with a BrazilianJiuJitsu bluebelt. Now we have a battalion of blue belts pushing for a company of purple belts motivating a small platoon of brown belts under the leadership of a squad of blackbelts with efforts coming from a collected and collective brigade of proud Guamanians and Chamorus–setting multiple targets for self-improvement and island glorification.
Among other things and in other words…for Strength and Honor.
Much respect.
Thanks for dropping by.
FokaiFamilia:HermanTorrado
April 19, 2011 by admin
Filed under Familia, FokaiCombatUNit, Onra, SoCalProject
HERMAN TORRADO Q&A
HERM! Sorry for the 20Questions, but here we go if can…
If possible, can you give us a brief history of your fight career?
How long have you been training and what brought you into MMA?
who got you started? What keeps you going?
i started training when i was 14 years old at ground-fu yona. what interested me in mma was the compettiveness in the sport and i also wanted to see what i was made of and if i could do it. what keeps me going is the aunor of representing the beautiful island and people of guam. it is my way of giving back to the island!
How has your experience in other sports played in the role of your training?
i played football and felt the competativenes of it and i was hungry for something even more than that!
How did you connect with Strikeforce? What brought you to SanDiego?
i got connected with strike force from a family member tony anderson. what brought me to san diego was i had family here and i knew mma was big here and it was my goal to make it as a fighter and i knew this would be a great place to start!
Who are you training with and what is training like for you today?
today i train at purebred undisputed in san diego ith baret yoshida. training today is very hard and intense.
You”ve fought in some bigger event and have caught the attention of many promoters–what is your ambitions in MMA?
my ambitions in mma is to represent the island and people of guam aunest respectfully and humbley!!! i want to show the world who chamorro people are!!
do you come across Guam fighter-athletes in California?
i do come across other guam competitors here and i always give them a shocka and tell them to kick some ass.
How does it feel to know that Guam has embraced MixedMartialArts for so long?
hahaha. it feels good to know that guam has a good and long history in mma.
Does fighting alongside another Guam fighter (JoeDuarte) make any difference in your fight this coming weekend?
fighting next to another guam fighter makes me even more confident and feel good bcs we are one no matter what.
Are you allowed to talk about your experience with TheUltimateFighter tryouts?
if so–please elaborate? the ultamate fighter show is just looking for guys with personality and people that are going to make good tv ratings.
Message for other Guam fighters? Message for Guam fans?
message to the guam fighters is keep pushing and training hard and you will succeed!!! message to the fans of guam is i am doing the best i can to represent the island of guam humbely respctfully as i can i fight for you and have you in my heart everytime i step in the cage!!!!
Anything else you might want to mention?
i love Guam!!!!!!!
MUCH RESPECT
ONRA:April7th,2011
Hafa Adai,
Both with successful performances in tryouts for TheUltimateFighter and both with successful records in stateside Mixed Martial Arts– former Guam residents HermanTorrado and JoeDuarte will be facing AJ Matthews and Saad Awad respectively in Strikeforce:Diaz vs.Daley in San Diego this weekend.
Also this weekend Universal Alliance’s Luis Reyes, Jon Tuck & John Meno will competing in the Abu Dhabi World Pro No Gi Championships.
Good Luck to all our island representatives.
“Now, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation is proud to follow suit and announce its movement to include the newly recognized wrestling styles of grappling, pankration, submission grappling, beach wrestling and mixed martial arts…
…For this purpose, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation would like to invite any person who would like to be involved in this exciting new phase of Guam’s participation in international mat competition to a meeting 4 p.m. April 16 at the Guam National Olympic Committee third-floor meeting room in Mongmong-Toto-Maite“
–Neal Kranz—April 2nd, PacificDailyNews
For more information regarding the April 16 meeting, please call Jerome Fejerang at 483-8917…
Word! What an amazing unfolding of events after Guam’s first committed steps in our island’s enrollment to the Brazilian Jiujitsu and Mixed Martial Arts experience. Roughly 15years in the making and the consistent headlines of competition news and industry ventures from our island all across the world have met yet another catalyst to cement one more masterpiece in opportunity and world recognition.
SubmissionGrappling and Pankration are headed for the Olympics.?.?
QuestionMark or Period—an exclamation point lingers closeby as the mere association of these 9words should be enough to catch the attention of what has been aiming for recognition and acknowledgement by the world’s most authoritative athletic governing body.
Theres been a lot of discussion in the past about Jiujitsu, Grappling or Mixed Martial Arts eventually making it into the Olympics and now closer than ever, the opportunity is rising and is pointed at our front door.
It’s inviting to hear is that an established organization such as FILA recognizes the skill, technique, and overall athletic value of our talked-about combat sports and has actually introduced to even larger governing bodies what many local fighter-athletes and advocates have been reflecting ever progressively from our local sport’s infancy 15years ago into its adolescence today.
Anticipating that submission grappling, Jiujitsu, and Pankration will find its way into the Opening ceremonies of the Olympics—what measures are we willing to take that Guam truly puts its best feet forward to escort over 15years of momentum into
the worlds greatest arena?
Respectfully speaking–How much consideration and resources will larger organizations like the Guam Visitors Bureau and the Guam National Olympic Committee invest towards helping our jiujitsu,grappling and pankration program(s)?
Respectfully speaking—how hard will our local fighter-athlete development work to put not just its best athletes forward—but our best island-representatives?
With Guam and the Marianas connections already established in world Jiujitsu and world mixed martial arts—how are these relationships and momentum going to come into play now that we might be aiming for the Olympics?
How will the movements of the GAWF gel with the efforts of Guam’S Jiujitsu experience?
Will FILA’s added ingredient to the Grappling and MMA formula improve the industry and social dynamic of our professional and amateur combat sports locally? Internationally?
Surely there are a lot more inquries that will rise inside and outside of that April 16th meeting but for now –Just some pretty cool questions for some really cool things that’s cool to see happen for some pretty cool sports.
Cool.
Thanks for dropping by.
TheRealEnsonInoue
April 3, 2011 by admin
Filed under Familia, FokaiCombatUNit, FokaiJapan, Fury, Onra
We’ve hgeard alot about Enson INoue in the past fifteen years. from his rise in his career-shifting defeat of that-the-time UFC Champion Randy Cotoure in ValeTudo Japan to his neversay wars in PrideFighting Championships. From his incarceration for walking the green path to his return from retirement submission victory over Antz Nansen in Astra in Japan. Up close and personal Enson is truly a man of action who can keep you on your toes, knock you on your ass–but in the end can be there to pick you up when you should fall. Even when some give up on him he surrenders for no one. Follow him on FACEBOOK and see what risk hes taking and what hes doing in yet another display to a different side of the Japanese FightingSpirit.
For him Yamato Damashii is truly a way of life–Ladies and Gentlemen
..the Real Enson Inoue
TheNewHorizonsOfGuamGrappling:via NealKranz
April 2, 2011 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, Fury, GlobalGuamMMA, Onra
Exciting opportunities arise: New wrestling styles will be brought into wider spotlight
Welcome to the New World of Wrestling.
For the last few years this slogan has been displayed on the website of FILA, the International Wrestling Federation, as well as just about every piece of correspondence it produces. Now, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation is proud to follow suit and announce its movement to include the newly recognized wrestling styles of grappling, pankration, submission grappling, beach wrestling and mixed martial arts.
So far FILA, the only organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee to oversee all styles of wrestling, has not moved to have the IOC consider any of these styles for inclusion in the Olympic Games. Still, some people involved see that possibility as the next inevitable step in FILA’s quest to expand and strengthen the stance of wrestling in the world of international sport. So what does this mean for Guam? It means a lot.
Everyone knows that there are a huge number of people practicing these styles at a number of gyms across the island, and rarely a day goes by without some form of media attention being paid to a Guam athlete’s accomplishment on the mat. Logically, the first step to making the most of this wonderful opportunity for the island is to get as many people together that are already involved in these styles and to plan the way forward.
For this purpose, the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation would like to invite any person who would like to be involved in this exciting new phase of Guam’s participation in international mat competition to a meeting 4 p.m. April 16 at the Guam National Olympic Committee third-floor meeting room in Mongmong-Toto-Maite.
With so much mat knowledge and mat experience on the island, it is truly exciting to think of the possibilities for Guam’s athletes, especially if the people with the knowledge and passion for these styles decide to get involved on the ground floor.
Once this initial planning is done, the next step is to have as many people on Guam become as knowledgeable as possible about the intricacies of the styles being promoted by FILA. To this end, there is a multi-country coaches’ clinic scheduled for this May at the Spike 22 gym in Tamuning.
This clinic will bring together officials and coaches from across the Pacific. It will include as many coaches as possible from Guam who want to learn more about these styles. This is a great opportunity for all people involved in any form of mat sport to get first-hand training in what is sure to be the sporting styles of the future.
And where will it go from there? Well, what comes next remains to be seen. Fans of the Oceania Wrestling Championships will be glad to hear that there are plans to have grappling in next year’s event in Canberra, Australia.
Also, plans are in full swing to have the 2013 Oceania Championships here on Guam and to include grappling in the program, as well as the traditional styles of international wrestling.
Exciting opportunities arise: New wrestling styles will be brought into wider spotlight
These two events alone will bring the new styles of wrestling into a much wider, regional spotlight and will provide a chance for the countries of the Oceania region to see Guam shine. No matter what happens, though, it is extremely exciting to think of the new opportunities Guam’s athletes are being given to do their best and to represent the island.
For more information regarding the April 16 meeting, please call Jerome Fejerang at 483-8917.
Neal Kranz is president of the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federatio
Onra:March24th,2012
Hafa Adai,
It’s massive news in the International Mixed Martial Arts World as it has been formally announced that the UFC has purchased Strikeforce, it’s main competitor in world,MMA events. John Jones surprises the world that with only 3years of mixed martial arts training, he has become the UFC light heavyweight champion of the world, and with UFCs purchase of Strikeforce—we now have the opportunities to watch the best vs. the best in the sport of ultimate athletic competition.
Former Guam resident and representative of GroundFu, Herman Terrado will be facing AJ Mathews in MMA competition on April 9th in Strikeforce at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, California.
The promoters of the6th edition Saipan’s All-Island No-Gi Grappling/SubmissionChallenge (THE ART OF WAR) is inviting Guam grapplers to compete on Saturday, April 23rd at the Trench Tech Gym in Saipan.
The date for Guam’s all-island submission grappling and jiujitsu competition has also been set as TheMarianasOpen will be holding its next event on Saturday May14th at ThePhoenixCenter
Closely associated with the Spike22Academy, the GuamGrapplingFederation will be placing itself under the umbrella of the Guam Amateur Wrestling Federation. In preparation for submission grappling rumored to be featured in the 2016Olympics, The Spike 22Academy is now hosting Guam National Wrestling practices to gear local athletes for submission grappling under FILA rules. To also help expand the sport and possibilities of Olympic grappling in the region, the Spike 22Academy will also be hosting representatives from 6 countries for an international Referees Clinic for grappling under FILA rules this May.
So let’s get this straight—
We’re gaining momentum and notoriety in International Brazilian Jiujitsu competitions. We’re consistently producing successful Jiujitsu and grappling events and athletes locally. And again we are extending our efforts to develop the sports of Grappling, Jiujitsu, and Mixed Martial Arts regionally.
It is amazing how from a very small island- we have been able to become not just as talented competitively and as benefeicial athletically, but how we’ve also become as instrumental internationally, as we have been to date.
Often times we have heard of the analysis of certain ways of Guam to be like the ways of “crabs in a bucket”. This means that we are accused of stepping on top of others to for personal success and/or that we tend to hate or discourage the achievements of others. Maybe here at times this can be partially true but for our fighting arts and competitive combat sports atmosphere–it doesn’t seem to be that way.
Of course it’s not all harps, rainbows, and best friends in our collected grappling and mixed martial arts community—but somehow, someway, we’ve collectively been able to leverage off events and lessons of the past, work with the talent and intelligence of the present, to aim for better opportunities for our athletes and island in the future.
If we were to give, yet another, toast to that—then we should give a standing ovation for our continuing efforts to provide opportunities for others outside of our immediate circles, outside even of our island.
It’s a good guess that most people don’t enter martial arts or fight training necessarily in hopes of helping others. But it’s been an awesome understanding to see that for whatever reason, for our island’s best and for our island’s better—in Guam’s Martial Arts by product, it sure seems to be turning out that way.
Among other things:The best of our athletes are pursuing bigger trophies, the leaders in our industry are expanding for larger audiences, as Guam’s once underground movement is now merging with Olympic ventures. Many of our students have grown into teachers as the old have discovered the importance of leading the young. And almost as certain as the clock ticks—the world continues to hear and call our name.
Encore!Thanks for dropping by.
