Jiu-Jitsu in the Northern Marianas Islands

People are people so why should it be, you and I should get along so awfully? - Depeche Mode

I went to high school in the 80's in the L. A. area, and I always thought that Depeche Mode and that particular song really sucked [I was into metal at that time]. It's just something that came to mind when I was thinking about the state of jiu-jitsu in the Northern Marianas Islands. I thought I would write down a couple of memories of that time 17 years ago when Gracie Jiu-Jitsu first entered into my consciousness.

I've lived in Torrance, California for years as an adult and I grew up frequently visiting family and friends from the Rolling Hills/Torrance/Carson area ever since I was a kid. Torrance is the first widely recognized place on the planet to teach Gracie jiu-jitsu outside of Brazil. It's the place where Helio Gracie decided his son Rorion would move the family's Gracie Jiu-Jitsu style - now known as the martial art that revolutionized the world.

Back in the mid 80's I remember rumors started to spread about a house garage in the old town Torrance section where there were these amazing foreign guys who would roll around the mats in kimonos or gi's and submit these big, tough guys - some of these guys were well respected expert martial artists with diverse martial arts/ combat sports backgrounds. I actually passed by that house on a few occasions around 1987'-88' where I would visit my close friends Jeff Stevens and Glenn Nakaya, who lived around that area at the time. Glenn's dad was a judo Black Belt and Glenn told me that Judo was pretty gnarly if used in a street fight - (one particular story about his dad fighting on the beach in Orange County clearly comes to mind, but I might share that some other time). I knew many people personally who studied with Royce, Rickson, Rorion, Royler throughout those years and they are all very good people who went on to lead productive and sucessful lives.

The real effect of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu as a lifestyle, as I have observed, is that it makes good people even better people - not just in fighting, but in moral character and in the pursuit of truth.

Those who are fortunate enough to train in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are blessed with the benefit of being part of the global Gracie Jiu-Jitsu family and are welcome to train alongside Gracie Jiu-Jitsu legends in Brazil and all over the world.



But many people to this day do not know that it was Helio's older brother Carlos Gracie Sr. who was the only Gracie family member instructed by Mitsuyo Maeda (aka Count Koma - Count Combat) to black belt level. And it was Carlos Gracie Sr. who taught his brothers, Helio Gracie included.

Mr. Maeda, sensei of Carlos Gracie

And going back further to the roots, black belt Mitsuyo Maeda (1880-1941) initially came to Brazil as an ambassador of the Kodokan Institute to spread the word of the Kodokan at the request and vision of his sensei, the legendary Jigoro Kano.

Prof. Jigoro Kano (age 22), Sensei of Mitsuyo Maeda

Jigoro Kano, who was small and weak, began to practice jiu-jitsu when he was 18 years old with the purpose of not being dominated because of physical weakness. He learned atemi-waza (percussion techniques), and katame-waza (domain techniques) from the Tenjin-shin-yo ryu jiu-jitsu style and nague-waza (throw techniques) from the Kito ryu jiu-jitsu style. Based on these ancient samurai techniques he made a profound study taking the force and the rationality as bases. Besides that, he created new training techniques to enjoy jiu-jitsu as a competitive sport for physical fitness, the cultivation of moral principles and to strengthen the mind. Adding new aspects to his knowledge of traditional jiu-jitsu, Prof. Kano established the Kodokan Judo Institute, with physical education(competition), moral training(discipline) , and mental conditioning(concentration) as its 3 objectives. With the establishment of the Kodokan dojo, in 1882, Jigoro Kano began teaching his new art - judo.

Prof. Jigoro Kano - Founder of Judo

Please don't misunderstand me at this point. I am NOT inferring that Gracie Jiu-Jitsu comes from Judo. That would be a superficial and meaningless statement akin to comparing an apple to an orange. Judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu are separate forms of martial arts. I am merely pointing out that many geniuses took what they were initially given and improved upon it the way they thought was best! From Prof. Carlos Gracie Sr. to Prof. Helio Gracie to Prof. Rolls Gracie, etc. From Prof. Jigoro Kano to Sensei Mitsuyo Maeda to Sensei Isao Okano, etc.
etc. etc. etc. and so forth... The list of innovators can go on and on when you look at the rich history of both Judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu...

The great [and still often missed] opportunity is when you look at the evolution of deadly efficient throwing techniques found in Judo and the evolution of deadly efficient ground techniques found in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Both are complimentary.

And both Judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu today are constantly adapting while adhering to the fundamental principles of using leverage and timing against a resisting opponent

Now, back to the present. Caesar Whitt is my current instructor on Saipan and he is a 3rd dan Judo Black Belt as well as a Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Purple Belt. Sensei Whitt is the only certified Gracie Barra Representing Prof. Carlos Gracie Jr.'s Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Organization in the Northern Marianas Pacific Region.

And Caesar Whitt's sensei just so happens to be the son of the founder of Gracie jiu-jitsu...

Prof. Carlos Gracie Jr. - Head Instructor of Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Worldwide

It's funny how Gracie Jiu-jitsu has been a point of referrence in my life ever since the late 1980's. Although my wife and my newboron child are from Saipan, I long to get back to the states and test my new skills against my old comrades in arms. God willing, I hope and pray to be back there soon.

All I could say to those of you living on Saipan... now is a special time to train in martial arts and it will not last. Train with Sensei Caesar Whitt while you can. Sensei Whitt is a great Judo and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu instructor on loan from his home in Guam - and he isn't going to stay in Saipan forever.

Even though I don't know what may become of me tomorrow, I know that this past year training with Caesar Whitt cannot be taken away. He has given me priceless skills and the gift of an inheritance into the Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu family and the family of Japanese style competitive Judo.

More importantly, I have discovered I have a brother in this world I never knew existed. And if it wasn't for coming here to Saipan at this moment in time, I never would have met him. Caesar Whitt is like a brother to me, because he reminds me of my brothers back home. He exhibits the exact same integrity and ideals. And because of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and Judo, I can feel close to home even though I am actually so very far away from it.

Life is really a bizarre and exciting journey...

And people wonder why I believe in God... Go figure....