"The Duncan's Martial Arts Academy School Patch"
by Professor Rudy Duncan
At a recent test, one of our students made the unintentional mistake of showing up for the exam wearing a patch on his uniform from another school. He had been a student at the school in question prior to studying at Duncan’s Martial Arts Academy. I do not believe that he did this out of disrespect for his instructor, but rather out of carelessness on his part (he had several uniforms with the DMAA patch). As a means of atonement I asked him to think about the importance of the school patch and the role it plays in Martial Arts. This article reflects upon these thoughts both in terms of the general meaning of patches and the specific symbolism of the Duncan’s Martial Arts Academy patch.
Patches worn by the students of various Martial Arts styles serve many purposes and seem to be as numerous as snowflakes. Historically, many family crests both in Asia and Europe found their way onto the shields, swords and other battle weapons. These family insignia have existed for thousands of years. The modern school patch identifies the student as belonging to a family of sorts, one that trains together at a given dojo. Modern Martial Arts school patches do not have this colorful history, but they often tell a story nonetheless. Many patches attempt to show some elements of the traditional roots of their style. Unfortunately, this can be difficult to decipher if you are unfamiliar with that style.
The Duncan’s Martial Arts Academy patch is rather simple and unassuming by design. After careful consideration, I decided not to try to duplicate any traditional patch, but rather to create a design that is based on the current state of Martial Arts. Initially, I made the information of the school name and founder easily identified in plain type. Beyond this, there are five main design themes that I have attempted to convey:
- Circle- The circle represents unity and harmony. It also symbolizes the beginning and the end, the connection of heaven and earth.
- Sun- The sun, which is a common element in many patches signifies the source of enduring strength and life.
- Mountain- The mountain, or hilltop indicates a peak of achievement for students to strive toward attaining.
- Ocean- The ocean represents the calmness and serenity that envelopes practitioners of Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu
- Male and Female- Both male and female figures are pictured to represent the accessibility of both sexes. This is particularly relevant when one remembers that it was Grandmaster James Mitose of the Kempo lineage (see family tree link) that first opened his dojo to women. The figures are silhouetted to represent the equality between them.
Please remember that these interpretations are only my own, and there are sure to be many other valid ideas about the various symbols and representations. I have tried to create a relatively simple patch to contrast the rich history of the Karazenpo Go Shinjutsu which is taught at Duncan’s Martial Arts Academy. My humble desire is that the patch be seen as a continuing symbol of the long tradition that has gone before us. I also hope and pray that this continuity leads us to further seek knowledge on our life long Martial Arts journey.
-Professor Rudy Duncan