Bunkai should not be set in stone.
Now before anyone gets upset at me, if an association wants to have a set Bunkai for testing purposes that is a separate issue from this one. They are welcome to have an example of how the majority of the association interpret the Kata. So this is not a criticism of having a set Bunkai for testing purposes.
I read on another forum an old thread with a comment from a practitioner I have respect for; however, it is a comment that I completely disagree with and will form part of what this post is about. The comment was that all applications for Kata should only come only from your teacher. While I think in the beginning of your training at the shu level this will be true that should change and I will get into that in more depth in moment.
I was once told that the Okinawans were very reluctant to create a set Bunkai for every Kata because they were afraid that these interpretations would become the “only” interpretations.
I read an article once written by a fifth degree in another style. He visited a dojo and while watching a Bunkai he noticed their application for one of the moves was different than the one he had learned. He “supposed” this was okay. So a fifth degree fell into the very trap the Okinawans were concerned about.
Neil Dunnigan always said that the applications in Kata were only limited by your imagination and willingness to hurt the other party.
Bunkai is actually analysis. It is the exploration of the Kata and more often the uses of the principles within the Kata.
What Bunkai is supposed to teach and express is understanding of the Kata.
The principles of the Kata can be applied in many ways. We are creating lines of force to be used on incoming lines of force. Because the incoming lines of force cannot be predicted in real life neither can the uses of lines of force be restricted in real life by anything other than the effectiveness of their use.
For me Bunkai for a Kata can and should be different every time I look at it.
I often take a theme for my Bunkai.
Sometimes the theme is the types of incoming lines of force. For example I may deal with all kinds of sucker punches from all kinds of angles. I may deal with grabs or holds. I will explore each move in relation to the incoming line of force and see if the lines of force generated can be used effectively against that particular line of force. We often find some amazing new things and sometimes we find that the particular line of force we are generating has little effect on “that” incoming line of force.
I will also look at a particular type of response and see how many times that response can be generated by the lines of force we are creating against various incoming lines of force. I may decide to make sure there is an emphasis on qinna or striking or takedowns.
So the focus of Bunkai for me is to true get deep into the ways to use these lines of force we create in this Kata. What will work and what will not work. When I start to look I do not have a set usage in my head. I have the action from the Kata and I usually apply the action while in movement whenever possible simply because that is how I envision the Kata. This would, of course, be different for other depending on how they perform their Kata.
So that to me is Bunkai. Analyse the Kata. Take the Kata from the hypothetic shadow boxing to having a live body. Of course that is only one step. You need to crank things up by having resistance and full intent attack and eventually you need some from of total improvisation.
But Bunkai is a part of learning and understanding. Often the teacher is demonstrating or creating the interpretation you are working on but this is a limited action for the student who is beyond the shu stage.
For as long as your teacher or someone else hands you the use of the Kata (and you need this to start) then you have only the superficial. You do not truly understand how to use that Kata because you have been handed how to use it.
To truly understand Kata and to truly learn from Kata YOU must be the one performing the Bunkai and I am NOT meaning do the actions when I say performing. I mean you are the one finding how to apply the lines of force against this incoming line of force.
This often begins in stages. At first you simply repeat what the teacher is showing. Then you find that you are altering that application to fit what works better for you. Then you find you are straying farther a field from what you were shown on occasion. Then you create your own.
Part of practicing karate is to understand the Kata. This understanding comes from Bunkai. Like all your training is does indeed start with your teacher showing you the way. Then they act as a guide and a helper. Then they act as a councillor. But in the end it should be YOU who is delving deeply into the usage of the Kata and from that YOU will begin to truly understand the Kata.
So I while when you area beginner you will apply the Kata as your instructor shows you, to evolve and truly learn karate YOU must begin to create applications and learn what works for you and, more importantly, why they work.