SIDEKICK MAGAZINE

Page 11

rai was the truest definition of service to one’s lord or master. This word samurai became the definition of the true sense of duty to others, above all else. Firstly, it was the responsibility or duty of the samurai to protect his master or house lord, his oyabun. Secondly, his duty was transferred to the safety of those within the house walls, the family. Thirdly, it was the duty of each samurai to sustain and protect the group or other samurai within the overlords command. Fourthly, it was the safety and protection of the community that was protected under the Shogunate rule. This is the aspect of the meaning of the word samurai that is missed by many of today’s martial artist. The image we have of the samurai as a great Japanese swordsman and warrior scholar is not the true image of a samurai, and it does not portray who the samurai really were or what they actually stood for. The definition of the term samurai and the actual meaning which should be derived from the makeup of the Kanji translates “To Serve”.

have learned the techniques, and Our goal must be to protect and “To Serve” is the true meaning learned to serve, that we will have to nurture the family, communiof samurai, and this is where mastered our chosen art form. ty and friends protected under our martial arts training should the Bushi household. As martial begin and end, as servants of one We must add the true meaning of artists we often pursue only another. Learning technique is samurai to our martial studies if the values of a single faction of not enough. It is only after we those studies are to be complete. the samurai, one of honed skill SIDEKICK

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