April 30, 2008
History…
While all of our Taekwondo history originates in Korea, we should still be acknowledging and recording it. There have been many excellent teachers that have come through my own lineage. They will never get the recognition they deserve without their students recording the accomplishments and teachings.
The number of Korean teachers that brought Taekwondo to the U.S. is large but how many are known? I’ve spent about 15 years trying to locate and connect with the Song Moo Kwan grandmasters and masters that came to the U.S. The list I’ve made is very short…sadly.
The most unfortunate part of this research has been finding masters who won’t talk to someone from another school, even though the lineage is the same. While I believe that the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF) is a fine vehicle for spreading Taekwondo, I personally believe that our Kwan stories need to be kept and recorded. Today’s masters come from a long line of masters that followed a particular philosophy. Each of the Kwan founders had their own take on what made Taekwondo work. Their students and theirs student’s students continue this.
I challenge all Taekwondo students to start collecting everything they can about their school, teacher & lineage. Those from Song Moo Kwan schools, if you’re willing, please forward the information to me too. I’m always looking for more stories about those who trained who Grandmaster Ro, Byung Jick and his students.
Tags: Song Moo Kwan Lineage Tradition
