ABOUT ATWO:
The Ahnan Tomari Te Organization (ATWO) was developed to preserve the link between Daoist China Martial Arts and Okinawan Martial Arts. Its founder is Mr. A.F. Walker who learned these forms over 50 years ago from his teacher who was also preserving ancient Tibetan Martial forms, old Okinawan forms and even older Daoist Chinese forms that had been passed to him by his teacher - Lao Leong (Leung), Ahnan.
The specific purpose of forming the ATWO was to preserve the “lost” forms of Okinawa by teaching them to martial artists interested in learning the form and its associated bunkai and then, in turn, passing them on to future generations of students. Anyone of good character may learn these forms at any of the seminars hosted by ATWO or by others interested in hosting a seminar. These seminars will include the preservation of these forms, the actual techniques, bunkai, kyusho and the dim mak or vital point striking components. Additionally the philosophy and science of the forms will be explained and analyzed in the seminars.
The emblem of ATWO has a long history that coincides with a painting donated by the Chinese monk of Ahnan to his student Kosaku Machimora (Matsumora) before his departure from Okinawa in the 1860’s. Lao Leong made this gift to Machimora to testify his own lineage. This transmission from Master to disciple is similar to receiving a current diploma, signifying completion of the style.
The woman in the image represents Ng Mui, a great Chinese martial arts expert, from whom the origins of the oldest part of our fighting system, Tsong Quo Chuen, comes from. The style in which she is painted has a mixture of Chinese and Okinawan elements due to Master Kushubi’s mother being Chinese and his father being a native of Okinawa.
The blue/black color of her gown symbolizes the ancestral force of the water element connected to the kidneys and essence (jing), while the stars symbolize the link between Heaven and Earth, and the connection of Heaven with Heavenly Energy. Additionally:
The base color is bluish purple, the color of Chinese Royalty referencing divinity and immortality.
The Kidney is referenced in the black on the gown with the essence of ancestry and the connection between Heaven and Man.
The greenish/blue is to reference the liver and the connection between man’s Hun and the spirit of Heaven.
Yellow/gold for the stars symbolizing the imperial color of power, royalty and prosperity, and the Heavenly energies, references to the elements of Earth and the Spleen.
The White is to reference the Po of the earthly spirit connection which is found in the Lung.
The color red of the Chinese calligraphy around Ng Mui references the Shen and the Heart connection.
Ng Mui’s hands are hidden as they were the hands of the people living in the Eastern courts – both men and women – just as much as the origins of this martial art are hidden.
The branch Ng Mui holds in her hand is a pussy willow (Salix Caprea), a variety of willow growing near the banks of the rivers, important for stabilizing the ground on the banks. Unlike the better-known weeping willow, which symbolizes the proper attitude while in the presence of divinity, this additionally represents immortality, eternity and spirituality, the pussy willow stem is straight despite the great flexibility, representing the attitude to approach this martial art system and the development of the Zhen Ren 真人 (the “true” person).
In addition to affirmations from the oral tradition of Tomari village, there are further written testimonies concerning this image that come from Fujiwara Ryozo, Mark Bishop and Fernando P. Camara. Confirmation of the imagery from these numerous references illustrates that the image of the young woman denotes the spirit and essence of the forms. It illustrates the concepts of lightness, cunning and agility as the style of movement is light and strategic taking advantage of mobility and intelligence (from them it can be seen that the girl is the spirit of the school. It means lightness, cunning and agility. Our style is light and full of strategic movements).
The calligraphy of the five animals around Ng Mui coincide with the first five Taoist martial arts animals upon which further fighting styles were born. These Five Animals – Tiger, Crane, Dragon, Praying Mantis, and Snake – are revealed in many of the forms.
