STORM2K

I was recently helping my best friend organize some stuff before she and her hubby move to their new house this month. In a box in the back of their storage closet, I found his karate belts and I suggested that we clean them up and figure out a way to display them (he already has a collection of knives and swords that, for some odd reason, he'd rather keep under the bed with the dust bunnies than display).

I've looked on Ebay and found a handful of different kinds of display racks. For example: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... eName=WDVW

My question -- is there anything special we need to do for the belts? I never took any formal martial arts training. I had a classmate in high school who was all into that and I remember how he'd bow to the belts hanging on the wall before going into and as he left the dojo. As much as I know about flag etiquette, I don't know diddly about karate belts. Can they be washed? Surely they can since they get worn. Should they be folded a certain way before being placed on display (like how a flag should be folded in a respectful way)? Any other information that I failed to address would be appreciated.

Oh yeah, and rank. I'm sure I can look that up. But what's the order?

Thanks!

You might go to a local dojo (karate school) for some help here; however, the different martial arts (and sometimes, individual[/i]dojos) have different rankings for belts by color.

It does get confusing...coppertop, FI, is in a "U.S. Chung Do Kwan Association, Inc." affiliated Tae Kwon Do school, which differs from other schools in the area. Even the belt ranks vary within the school; those judged to be worthy of the "Black Belt program" wear the same color belts as other students by rank, but with a black stripe down the center.

GalvestonDuck wrote:... for some odd reason, he'd rather keep under the bed with the dust bunnies than display).

Nothing odd about it, Duck. Classic clash of East vs. West. Does he accept the Eastern Philosophy behind his art form, or has western religions laid a guilt trip on him -- something about denying Christ by embracing Taoism, yoga, buddaistic practices?

So the swords are under the bed where he can get to them fast in case he needs them. Hang them on the wall and they could be used against him. Or bolted down, useless as a weapon.

Even using a martial arts skill as a first defence, it's still good to have a backup plan. (not to mention guns, eh?) In a way it's all a matter of trust, and that pretty much flew out the window on 9/11.

My other thought on this very interesting situation is that he may have embraced either religion where humility is part of the plan and has set aside the trappings of ego to embrace The One, God. He doesn't need to show off about it. He knows his skill and wishes to use it only for good.

Is he the religious sort?

Before you go getting all these big ideas, have you asked him first?

Sorry to turn your technical question spiritual, but ya got me thinknig...

streetsoldier wrote:those judged to be worthy of the "Black Belt program" wear the same color belts as other students by rank, but with a black stripe down the center.

This would be the sensei giving the talent they spot a test of ego? Wiffs of it will be tested further? That's how the martial arts build great character in the individual students.

The ones without the stripes will have their tests too, and possibly come out with an even finer education on the way to enlightenment.

Well, the swords are for display only, as far as I know. You know, like how some swords aren't for use as weapons? They're just part of that whole renaissance/society for creative anachronisms or whatever it is/Xena and Herc fandom type collectors stuff. That's what these are. He owns two handguns anyway. If he could use the swords as weapons, and ever needed to do so, he'd have a heck of a hard time getting the shoes and books out of the way first.

And as for the martial arts, he did it when he was younger because his father was terribly abusive and he wanted to be able to defend himself. He likes to watch martial arts movies, but doesn't seem as into the whole eastern religion part of it as my classmate in high school was.

Humility? LOL, no not really. He's not conceited or proud though either.

My thinking was more along the lines of the treatment of the belts as trophies and with reverential respect.

I suppose I could ask him without really giving away the birthday present.

Coppertop's Master does NOT refer to "chi" (centering of personality), but DOES encourage SELF-DISCIPLINE...in everything he does, in class and out (he wants progress reports from school, home, etc. to gauge the level of discipline my son is evidencing).

As to the black stripe...that is a PRIVILEGE, and can be taken away just as easily; it also places a heavy burden of responsibility on the student to perform up to expectations.

As to swords...when Master Wall deems coppertop worthy of the PRIVILEGE, I will obtain a daisho (three-piece set consisting of a katana, wakizashi and tanto (long, medium and short-length swords) with a kake (stand) and satin wraps for each sword (they are NEVER to be displayed openly). And, these swords will be SHARP (I will see to that) for use in his upper-level training.