Significant Simplicity

Artist Statement for 2026 AJJF Convention Artwork

Camp Hawaii 2019

Katate hazushi ichi, katate hazushi ni, day one. Pronation and supination. 

But wait! 

If you apply that twist at this angle here, to that joint there your partner is suddenly tapping incessantly. The twist has carried all the way to the spinal column. Apply it over here and now they are grounded, over there and now they’re floating on their tippy toes. Look at their balance, if you just step here- Thud. Now it’s a sweep, now it's a throw. 

The complexity builds.

Theme 2026 AJJF Convention

Art is the same way. Triangles are used in iconography all over the world, but if you live in this particular archipelago in the middle of the Pacific it can mean various things, depending on context. Triangles in a line, most commonly niho, or shark teeth, point them inward to protect, outward to consume. But if you really want shark teeth then put lines parallel to the diagonal to show the rows and rows of teeth in the shark's mouth, put them facing each other with space and it’s an old mark of leadership, bravery and courage. Take this simple mark or a stamp, or in Hawai‘i’s case an ‘ohe kapala. (A tool derived from post-contact when they could carve bamboo with knives and other sharp carving tools, successfully pulling the most advanced stone age culture into modern times with the introduction of metal from other lands).

But what happens if you turn that parallel line flat to the outer edge?

Ah, now you depicting Japanese dragon scales.

Shark teeth and Dragon scales as 'ohe kapala

Inferring… a wise guardian.

Not so different are they?

Now this doesn’t happen every time. But like in Danzan Ryu sometimes another art can point at a technique and go ‘HEY! That’s in our art too!” And when we remember that Okazaki was interacting with all sorts of cultures in the plantation fields, in Hilo, on Maui, at 801 Hotel Street, it’s no surprise that his shark teeth started looking like lauhala mat weaving which depicts protection and care for family unity. Same mark, same technique, but it runs that line between martial and healing… like our founder. 

A man of humble beginnings, he devoted his life to the betterment of self, and to utilize his skills for the betterment of his community. That was his kuleana. When you live as isolated as we are in the islands you’ve got nowhere to run when things go wrong. But few burdens are heavy if everyone lifts. Seifukujitsu and its martial counterpart are outstanding examples of techniques and systems that protect and build ‘ohana. 

As a white belt we ask for the simple, the components, your sensei just wants you to understand and carve out your stamp. It doesn’t need to be elaborate, or complex. Make a line of them, learn their meaning. Learn when to apply which pattern for a particular purpose. Sometimes we want a niho other times we may want a hoka or a rafter for support. Sometimes we want a pattern to emerge like lauhala or a perrying drill.

But once you understand the pieces, then it’s time to play. Maybe you need more than one stamp now, more than one component to complete the art. Maybe it’s looking less like a Hawaiian tapa cloth and more like a Japanese Kimono. Maybe coloring it with intensity or experience creates a different effect. 

What started as structured and rigid kata takes on dimension and robotic thought surrenders to movement and becomes flow. What was geometric and rigid takes on an organic nature. 

The tools, the lists, the kata are there to make way for the art of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu.

To check out the AJJF apparel featuring the above designs check out https://www.ajjf.org/store/

in a couple of weeks! If you recall I also did 2025's convention apparel, so enjoy that while we get things squared away on our end.