November 2010 Courageous Heart Dojo KOKOROWOMEN IN FOCUS COURAGEOUS HEART GOES TO THE KUNOICHI TAIKAI ...shh...Secret Women’s Business... - by Kirsten McLeod technical session on ichimonji, to Estelle Padeloupe teaching September 17-19 2010 saw the staging of the first ever how to use your spirit, and Mariette van der Vliet showing the Bujinkan Kunoichi Taikai. Approximately 250 kunoichi of varying value of moving 'just enough'. Sessions were broadly themed grades from all around the world made the trip to Hannover, around taijutsu, reality budo or weapons, which saw a range of Germany, for the opportunity to train, network, exchange ideas different techniques and weapons being incorporated - from and learn from some of the most highly ranked female tachi to kusarifundo to everyday objects like clothing and credit practitioners in the bujinkan. I was fortunate enough to be able cards. I found the teachings not only on a physical or technical to make the trip and can best sum up my experience as "mind level, but philosophical; Natascha Morgan's call to "be endless blowing". curious about everything in life" and to "look at things with The atmosphere for the entire three days was amazing. martial eyes" offering an insight not only relevant to one's There was a genuine sense of camaraderie and, despite the mix training but to life. of languages, everyone was keen to share their ideas and The three days came to an end far too quickly. After the experiences. While we at CH are lucky in having female shihan, group photo, signing of the event banner by all as a gift to for many of those attending they were the only woman in their Soke, and the furious exchange of email addresses, we all dojo and had never seen a female shihan. The sight of so many headed our separate ways. But not before an emotional bow- women committed to their training - some over decades - was out and thank you to the 14 incredible shihan (including our encouraging and inspiring. With most attendees - including the very own Gillian and Frances) - the applause, whistling and foot instructors - staying onsite at the sports academy, meals and stomping continuing for several minutes. The whole event truly evenings were further opportunities to discuss training, the was memorable and one that I'll carry with me in my life and my bujinkan, and the history of women in our art. training for years to come. The training itself was varied and each session reflected continued page 3 the instructor's personal style: from Sabine Frohlich's very [1] And in our own backyard... [2] COURAGEOUS HEART GOES TO THE KUNOICHI TAIKAI by Ana Rodriguez It is a bit hard to describe what my Some of the important experience was in words, but I hope that things to keep in mind and the below can help somehow to get an keep working: understanding... - It is not about doing The Kunoichi Taikai was a great something complicated or opportunity not only to learn more fancy, just make it simple. techniques or to improve my taijutsu, but - Maintain control all most importantly to connect to other the time. women in the Bujinkan. There was such - Take balance of uke Naginata - level of camaraderie and good vibe in the by using your whole the primary air that having a different background was body. Regardless of weapon of the not an obstacle to enjoy training for how light or small we female samurai anyone. are, if we have the right There was an important point that got timing and intention it is - Basics are essential! discussed and it has to do with the fact easy to get uke into trouble, or Most of the above might sound that in doing a technique there are 2 sides, maybe uke gets in trouble himself. obvious, but by looking at different women the female side and the male side. Cinzia Fran has mentioned it a lot of times and their movement it was more evident and Sheila pointed out that, according to before (and shows it!), and I was able to than ever that using the whole body is Hatsumi Sensei, everyone should aim for see it when Natasha used her knees to what makes it work. Outside, it looks very both. Men should find that feminine side control uke's legs. She is not particularly subtle but when trying it myself it felt that will complement their technique, while a tall and strong person and can easily powerful and even devastating. women should find and use the masculine take control! Well, in reality it is more than one. It is about having balance. just the legs ... WHO, WHAT ARE THE KUNOICHI? the image below, and you get the poisons pins in their hair, or long nails used Japanese word (in kanji) for woman. for raking, blinding powders, ropes and Another proposed derivation is from fans could be hidden and used at close the character 九能一 (能 "nō" : talent) with range. There were also trained in more psychological warfare and mind Japanese numbers "ku" (九) for "nine", and manipulation. They could play on the 一 "ichi" ( ) for "one", meaning "nine talents emotions of the enemy with highly trained in one person", though no creditable skills of intuition. source lists these "nine talents". Modern day kunoichi fulfill the same The training of the kunoichi was roles as men, playing parts in security, law different from the male ninja. Their training enforcement, private investigation (where focused more on disguise, poisons, and they can still use various disguises and Mrs Hatsumi - the first modern kunoichi using their gender as an advantage. They means unique to the gender). were trained in close combat and this In Bujinkan, the women train and study Kunoichi is the term for a female ninja, knowledge was to their benefit if they were the same skills and techniques as the men. or practitioner of Ninpo. The term is caught. Some of their disguises were as The emphasis is on effectiveness as power thought to derive from the names of geishas, prostitutes, fortunetellers, servants and strength is not a factor. This can be an characters that resemble the three strokes and so on, in order to get very close to the advantage in learning the effortlessness of 女 in the kanji character for woman ( , onna); enemy, or to use this intimacy to obtain a technique, not being able to fall back on said in the order they are written: ku (く) - information. muscular strength. In real life situations, the Kunoichi could hide their weapons in combination of power and strength to the no (ノ) - ichi (一). In Japanese, the 'ku' is their disguise. Those weapons were: small effortlessness of a technique can be written in hirigana, 'no' in katakana and blades up their sleeves, or in their belts, formidable. 'ichi' in kanji - add the three together, as in even in musical instruments or in sex toys, SOURCE: www.bujinkankunoichi.com [3] Hannover, Sept 17-19, 235 women, 14 shihan, 26 countries LIST OF SHIHAN (Names to know...) From Sheila Haddad... Sheila Haddad - US and Germany CONVENOR Mariette van der Vliet -The Netherlands Soke has requested that women become more Natascha Morgan - UK visible, that they become more united as a force in Marie-Valerie Saumon - France Bujinkan. He felt that having this taikai would Gillian Booth - Australia lead to a better balance Frances Haynes - Australia in the art. He requested something be done that Estelle Padeloupe - Canada would achieve this and he likes the idea of a Cathy Lewis - USA Kunoichi Kai. Sabine Frohlich - Germany Carol Koch - USA Angeles Bordón Mendoza - Canary Islands Beth Zimmerman - USA Patricia Witteman - The Netherlands Sandra Elster - Germany Check out their profiles: http://www.bujinkankunoichi.com/instructors [4].