It happened again.
There were about 20 Black Belts in my section of the line. I tried to get to my correct position by rank, near the left of the line. Aimed for a few from the low end, but they started stepping aside for me again, and bowing, and indicating I should move to the right of them. OK. Can't make a scene or waste time so I accepted, several times, and ended up in the middle again. Higher belts than me were standing junior to me.
After class it was worse. I started myself even closer to the lower/left end of the line, and after all the bowing and stepping aside I was only a couple of spots from the extreme right. I think it could become an association thing if I don't watch it.
I give up. I'll start closer to where they make me end up.
It's awful sweet of them.
In Japan, seniority/rank is a very tricky thing. Not for the Japanese, but it is for westerners.
The Japanese line up correctly by rank, but individual relationships also matter, as does age. In a way, I am afraid of claiming more status than I am entitled to by rank, but the others are honouring my age, and length of time in Karate.
Or I could confound them all by wearing a coloured belt.
That would fix them.
I am a 68 year old retired teacher living on the west coast of Canada. I spent over 30 years as a student of Karate until my knees stopped liking it. My current passionate activity is Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, which I've been at for about 13 years.
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