Hanshi's birthday, March 15

 Today is the birthday of Hanshi William Dometrich.  In the pre-lockdown world, his birthday would be celebrated with a 4-hour clinic of Chito Ryu Karate Do, followed by a potluck dinner at the USCK Honbu Dojo.  While the National Test Board, seminar, and annual banquet surrounding O'Sensei's birthday (October 18) are more formal occasions, Hanshi's birthday is more like a family reunion, with more opportunity to meet and talk with friends old and new.  It is my sincere hope that we will one day return to our gatherings in celebration of the people who handed down our wonderful art of Chito Ryu Karate Do to us, so we may continue their traditions and vision of a better world through striving for self perfection.

Please enjoy the following videos of Hanshi Dometrich, recently posted to YouTube.  While some may not agree with their being made so public, it is foolishness to deny their existance.  It gives those of us who were not fortunate enough to have met Hanshi to experience part of his being which is not expressible through writing or the practice of Karate-Do.

Unsu and Jion

These are old katas, and look very Chinese to my eyes.

O'Sensei home movies

I have never seen this before. The title claims this is from Hanshi and Okusan, and was just posted in August 2020.

Gung Fu no Kata

This video is on Facebook.

 

https://m.facebook.com/tkiinternational/videos/dr-chitose-84-years-old-gung-fu-no-kata/412500605983679/

What is Chito Ryu all about?

The following is excerpted from the "Founders Forum" pages at chito-ryu.com:

         WHAT IS CHITO-RYU ALL ABOUT?

1. IT IS AN ART OF SELF PROTECTION WHERE THE STUDENT'S SELF PERFECTION IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE.


2. IT IS ABOUT A STYLE OF SELF DEFENSE WHERE SELF DISCIPLINE IS OF PRIMARY IMPORTANCE.


3. IT IS ABOUT HEALTH AND LIVING A PROPER AND FULL LIFE, SO WE CAN BENEFIT ALL MANKIND.


4. IT IS ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY, AND BEING IN CHARGE OF OUR LIVES. IT IS ABOUT NOT BLAMING OTHERS FOR OUR FAILURES.


5. IT IS A SEEKING OF THE TRUTH, BOTH WITHIN AND WITHOUT OUR BEING.


6. IT IS SEEKING OF A ONENESS WITH ALL CREATION, A UNIVERSAL ONENESS.


7. IT IS A KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS VIRTUE IN BEING WHO YOU ARE, AND NOT WHAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE.


8. IT IS AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT MONEY CAN NEVER BRING HAPPINESS, OR ENLIGHTENMENT.


9. IT IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT IF WE TAKE CARE OF THE SMALL THINGS IN LIFE, THE BIG THINGS WILL MOST LIKELY TAKE CARE OF THEMSELVES. LIFE WILL THEN FLOW VERY NATURALLY.


10. IT IS AN UNDERSTANDING THAT LEARNING IS A LIFE LONG PROCESS (JUST LIKE KARATE KATA) AND WE MUST EACH AND EVERYDAY LEARN AND PRACTICE OUR LIVING SO TOMORROW WILL BE A BETTER DAY AND WORLD BECAUSE OF OUR LIVING A HUMBLE AND LOVING LIFE.


11. IT IS ABOUT O-SENSEI AND THE GOALS HE HAS ESTABLISHED FOR US TO ACHIEVE THROUGH THE PRACTICE OF CHITO-RYU.


12. IT IS OUR PRACTICE. OUR FAILING, AND THEN STARTING AGAIN.


13. CHITO-RYU IS NOT WHAT WE MAY THINK OR SAY. CHITO-RYU IS BEYOND MERE WORDS AND THOUGHT. CHITO-RYU IS A DOING, A LIVING, A BREATHING THING. THIS WILL BE TRUE AS LONG AS WE LIVE AND PRACTICE CHITO-RYU.


14. LET ME FINISH BY SAYING THAT: "Chito-ryu is __________________________________"

William J. Dometrich, Hanshi
Co-Founder U.S. Chito-kai

Kime exercise

"Snap," or Kime

Another good video from Jesse Enkamp: