A karate instructor called out and a group of children quickly formed a circle around the smallest boy, towering over him at twice his size.
One by one he brought each of his encircling opponents to the floor, demonstrating traditional Owkinawan karate moves for the Owkinawan Karate, Kobudo and Dance Demonstration at the Wharton Center on Saturday.
More than 300 karate practitioners took part in the demonstration, which included traditional dance and board breaking. Participants came from as far as Japan, Argentina and Israel, said Marian Reiter, a graphic artist at MSU and volunteer at the dojo, a place where martial arts is practiced.
The demonstration, co-sponsored by the MSU Department of Kinesiology and the North American Beikoku Shido-kan Karate-do Association, was held to celebrate the 30-year anniversary of the association and to honor its founding teacher and director, Seikichi Iha.
Iha founded the association after he moved to Lansing 30 years ago from Okinawa, Japan, and opened the Original Okinawa Karate dojo, 2018 E. Michigan Ave., which now serves as headquarters for more than 30 schools across the globe, Reiter said.
She said members of the founding group were from MSU, so the association has close ties with the university.
"The base (group) started to move around the country — and it blossomed," she said, adding that the expansion had everything to do with their teacher. "He is 74, and he trains every day, travels around the world and teaches. He's an amazing person."
Iha said he couldn't find the words to express what it meant to have so many old friends and students in Lansing to celebrate.
"I don't know how to say it, 'Wow, ohh,'" he said with a smile.
Mike LaFleur and his son, Matt, started learning karate 10 years ago, but didn't start learning Owkinawan style karate until they moved to Lathrup Village and joined the dojo in Southfield.
"I think the style, instead of using force against force, we try to redirect our opponents force and use it against them," LaFleur said.
The Okinawan form of karate originated when Okinawa was its own nation, said Iha's daughter, Uto Iha. The nation had close diplomatic ties with China and adopted China's form of martial arts, making it their own around 1400 or 1500, she said.
It wasn't until Japan invaded Okinawa around 1600 that the Okinawans used martial arts to defend themselves, but it still retains many similarities to Chinese martial arts, Uto Iha said.
Having grown up at the dojo, Uto Iha said she has seen how close students and friends of the dojo become.
"I know that my dad is especially excited to bring people together," she said.
Reiter said she thinks the North American Beikoku Shido-kan Karate-do Association will continue to grow.
"As long as people are looking for activities that help them feel good about themselves and increase their physical well-being, I think karate will be around a long time," she said.
