Wapping:
The Value of Uniform
by Hamish MacPherson (1st Ji)
May 2006
Hamish MacPherson (front row, third from left) with fellow
students of Mr Tony Sellen (front, thrid from right), WappingWhen we line up and we look down the lines of our fellow students, the first thing we often look at are our belts - the slashes of colour from white to darkest blue that remind us where we stand both literally and in status. Particularly when we are starting out, they are what we aim for and cherish as marks of our skill, dedication and experience. But how often do we think about the importance of our uniform (cher foo) and what it tells us about what makes our art so valuable to wider society by helping to bring communities together?
Many martial artists today wear brightly coloured uniforms or indeed no uniform at all. Although we can recognise the advantages to practicing in 'real life' clothes, today, perhaps more than ever the uniform has a tremendous importance.
Practical, Humble, Equal
Of course the uniform is a practical and hardwearing piece of kit, built to withstand the rigours or training and sparring. Little else on the market could match it, even with the help of the smartest boffins at Nike - a £100 outfit for the gym might last you one or two years but a £50 suit might last you four or more.
Another clue to its importance is in the name of our school - Ren in Ren Yi Wu Kwan, meaning humble or respectful. By stepping out of our normal clothes and into the uniform, for an hour or so, we put aside who we are, our everyday concerns and desires and our ego, which helps us be humble - something we could all need in this day and age! The white colour symbolises the beginner and because even Duan grades have predominantly white uniforms we are reminded that we all, always have much to learn.
Wearing a uniform also means that there's no situation where we might look stupid for not having the trendiest label or the newest pair of trainers - it doesn't matter who you are, how rich or poor, young or old, we all wear exactly the same and so we can come together as equals. It also helps reinforce our schools rule that state that students may not discriminate against other members of the class on the basis of age, gender, race, religion or physical/ mental ability.
As recent BBC article quoted a martial arts instructor in Bradford: "It is almost a notion of colour blindness. Training together, whether it be in Karate, Judo, whatever, ultimately creates a sense of belonging."
Creating this level playing field is currently of great importance: We live in a country that is more culturally diverse than ever but more than 90% of white people have no or few friends from a different ethnic group and nearly half of people think that there is more racial prejudice today than there was five years ago. Add to this the very real gaps between the rich and poor and an ageing population concerned about antisocial young people and we can see that anything that can help bridge differences has got to be a good thing.
Bringing People Together
Although Tang Sou Dao is not a sport, it is treated as one for the purpose of research and surveys. From these we know that nearly 9 out of 10 people support the idea of using sport as a way to bring different ethnic groups together and to increase understanding. Research also tells us that in practice, sport is an effective way for people to meet others from different ethnic groups - about a third of people who play a sport do so.
To understand why integration in sport is important we can look at examples from India, Northern Ireland and England of places that experienced conflict between different communities and those that in similar circumstances have not. Where there has been violence there were separate rather than inclusive sports and other associations, where peace prevailed such organisations were integrated. As one young Muslim Thai Boxer in Bradford said recently "things hit an all time low in 2001 with the riots and there is no ignoring the fact that there was tension. But now I feel there is a genuine understanding between white and Asian communities and you can see it in my club."
And although martial arts might have a violent reputation for the uninitiated, they have potentially more to contribute to social cohesion than many other sports: Whereas generally less ethnic minority adults take part in sport than average, the participation rates for martial arts for some Black men and Chinese women are above average.
Martial arts are also something that many ethnic minorities, who do not participate in currently, say they would like to take part in. In fact four per cent of all people who do not participate in martial arts but would like to, something reflected in the steady growth of our school and the popularity of martial arts in general - the proportion of people who practice some form has tripled between 1986 and 2002/4. And whereas it used to be the preserve of the young, there have been great increases amongst older people.
Unfortunately the picture isn't completely perfect: the proportion of women and the lowest social groups taking part in martial arts has not risen in recent years. In Tang Sou Dao, only a small percentage of our clubs are in the most deprived area of the country, where perhaps it could do most good.
Principles
The value of sports in general isn't that people simply happen to be in the same place at the same time, but that they come together for a common purpose, shared social experience and shared identity.
Sport also has the potential to instil positive social values that can be carried into wider life: For example evidence suggests that sport can have a positive impact upon young offenders. But lives do not get turned around overnight and long-term commitment is not common in sport when it is needed most.
This is where martial arts like Tang Sou Dao can really come into their own because the belt system provides a very strong incentive for long-term commitment. This is born out in the fact that once people take up martial arts in their teens they are more likely to keep them up as they get into their twenties than other activities. In fact martial arts are one of the best activities for sticking with - two out of every five people keep it up into their adult life - a much bigger proportion than football, rugby, cricket or basketball.
Also, the positive value of sports on young people has been shown to be most effective when combined with programmes that seek to address the wider persona; something that Tang Sou Dao clearly does through its principles which provide an important framework that can be applied both in the class and our wider lives. Things like "show loyalty to the society of which you are a member" and "take responsibility for your actions".
As one practitioner in Bradford was quoted recently "Practising martial arts has made me more aware of the people around me. At my club there are people of all ages and backgrounds. The colour of someone's skin is not the issue, respecting them is."
Our History, our Future
Finally, the history of Tang Sou Dao further demonstrates how inclusive and united our style has become. Grandmaster Loke's account tells how originally, Chinese military principles and techniques were not taught in their entirety to people outside of their fighting force, the family and their own race, but drawing on the Japanese and the Korean arts desire to encourage large numbers of people to join, our style has become an open and inclusive one. And today Tang Sou Dao embodies the coming together of different cultures - with roots in Japan, China, India, Korea and Malaysia, our headquarters are in the UK and we have branched out to South America, New Zealand and the Middle East.
It is nice to know that there are people around the world, lined up wearing their uniform, struggling with their horse stance or perfecting their forms just like us and this helps remind us of the similarities that we all share no matter where we live. Perhaps if you are ever on holiday in Mexico or New Zealand you might want to pack you uniform and make time for a lesson or two. And who knows, in 2012, when athletes around the world come to London to compete in the Olympics and Paralympics could we be hosting the first international Tang Sou Dao championships?
Hamish MacPherson
Wapping
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