IDO MOVEMENT FOR CULTURE

Journal of Martial Arts Anthropology

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Abstract - Travel for the study of martial arts

The author characterizes “the martial arts tourism” from the perspective of the axiology of this kind of travel, within the framework of system theory and the sociology of tourism, the humanist theory of martial arts and theoretical reflection on the two cultural phenomena. He analyzes the question of individual, cultural experience and the problem of motivation (the value-target category) of tour participants. In addition, he takes trips to explore the relationship of martial arts with learning about the culture of their country of origin.
A participant of a foreign training seminar in the martial art is like a tourist who goes to a special art performance in a dual role – as a spectator and as an actor. This gives the possibility of artistic self-reaslisation, self-expression. For a person that is working with a genuine master there is another direct experience – both physical (movement, exercise), internal (spiritual) and intellectual (reaslisation of cognitive needs). Contacting a master of martial arts is the encounter with the work of this art. To study „at source” is specially valuable for learning about the cultural context of martial arts. Tourism includes dimensions – selfcreative (for the development of personality), educational and self-reaslisational, creates his own body and personality through the psychophysical practice. In addition, the traveller is attending a cultural dialogue between the ages, cultural circles, and between – the martial arts teachers and their students.
A special case of travel for the study of martial arts is a departure for a scientific congress or conference which is devoted to the field of „martial arts sciences”. The traveller is then usually both a researcher and theorist, and a participant in scientific debates. Travels of this kind are a variety of congress tourism and usually contain elements of cultural tourism. But it is hard to overestimate the dimensions of cognitive and self-realisational in such trips.