The Demonstration

Public speaking takes a great amount of training and skill. It also take some real incentives to conjure enough courage to stand before a large group of strangers to speak. My present job requires a certain amount of presentations in order to insure the smooth running of certain projects that I follow. This relates to job performance and incentives are provided in the form of raises and/or promotions. My first experience at public speaking, other than in a school classroom, was in Okinawa and Taika Oyata provided the incentive.

I had been training in Taika Oyata's dojo approximately one month and it seemed as if Taika Oyata had been somewhat distant mostly speaking to me through a translator. There were several black belts that had been translating for Taika Oyata and several more students that seemed more qualified to accept the request he was making of me.

The dojo was preparing to give a demonstration in the service club on the 2nd Logistic Command Post in the Machinate Service Area. Taika Oyata rehearsed each participant with his role in the demonstration which included, Group kata, empty hand kata, weapons kata, two man kata, two man weapons kata, self defense, and Bogu Kumite. There were also to be several special demonstrations by Taika Oyata.

Two days before the demonstration was to take place, Taika Oyata informed me through one of the Japanese/American Black Belts that I was to emcee the demonstration. It seemed sort of strange, because as mentioned before, Taika Oyata spoke to me mostly through a translator.

After I accepted the challenge, Taika Oyata began speaking to me as if we were old friends as he explained what he wanted me to say. He even told me to buy a brown belt to wear, because a white belt may not seem to look authoritative enough. I knew that I could not refuse his request to  speak and thus my incentive.

The night of the demonstration, I was more concerned about making a mistake in front of Taika Oyata than being nervous in front of the crowd. As it turned out my job was quite easy, all I did was introduce what was about to happen and explain each portion of the demonstration.

The demonstration was just as amazing to me as it was to the audience. Starting out, all of the students lined up and bowed to the audience and  then performed Nahihanchin Shodan in unison. The demonstration continued with students performing various empty hand kata, weapons kata and self-defense demonstrations. The bogu kumite, 2-man weapons kata and the breaking of wood across the body of one of the students were a very exciting part of the demonstration because it was the easiest for the audience to understand and the easiest to explain.

The highlight of the demonstration was Taika Oyata's performance. He had not openly practiced what he was to do during the demonstration; therefore, I did not know what he was going to do until he explained just before his performance. First, he performed Kusanku kata that had everyone spellbound even though the audience did not understand kata. His speed, power and smoothness were almost ballet like and there was no doubt in anyone's mind that he was a true technician.

Taika Oyata solicited a member of the audience for the next part of his  demonstration. He picked the largest and strongest man he could find.  The man stood over 6ft and weighed about 250 lbs. making Taika Oyata  look like a midget beside him. He instructed the volunteer to grab his arm as tightly as he could. Within seconds the volunteer was screaming in pain as Taika Oyata demonstrated a hand technique on him. Although not injured, the volunteer did not wish to continue. Taika Oyata thanked him for his help and sent him back to his seat rubbing his arm.

Taika Oyata's next feat was astounding. He brought on stage a samurai sword that had been in his family for generations. Removing the sword from its sheath, he sliced several banana stalks and split a block of wood to prove its sharpness. Indeed it was very sharp as it sliced through these materials as if cutting through hot butter.

Taika Oyata again solicited a volunteer from the audience to help with the demonstration. Nervously the volunteer walked on stage to assist  Taika Oyata not knowing what to expect especially after viewing the first  volunteer. He must have assumed that Taika Oyata was going to use the  sword on him.

Holding the sword in his right hand, Taika Oyata grasped the blade in his  left hand just above the sword guard. Tightly squeezing his fist, he instructed the volunteer to bind his left hand so that he could not relax it. Sufficiently binding his hand the volunteer was satisfied that Taika Oyata could not relax his grip.

Standing before the crowd, Taika Oyata concentrated briefly and began to breathe very deeply. His body tightened rock hard and he was to trembling slightly. The blood vessels in his neck and arms begin to swell and his muscles began to expand. After several minutes, Taika Oyata began to pull the sword from his grip as the audience gasped. Slowly, the sword was drawn to its full length until he had pulled it completely through his grip.

The volunteer then untied the bindings and Taika Oyata revealed his uncut hand. The audience sat for a moment in silence and then stood giving Taika Oyata a standing ovation. Thus ended the demonstration and my first experience at public speaking.

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