Te whole drivers license thing is a VERY bad analogy.
I think Sandman is right on track.
Using the drivers license thing?
it is much more complicated than that. Having a drivers license is a priviledge in this country. Using the name Wah Lum is a priviledge as would any name when you are a member of a organization. However, when you pay for a service such as Kung Fu it is now yours. You can do with it as you please, your Sifu or organization may not agree or may be upset, because it is not traditionally right to do so, but one could if they wanted to.
I agree, if I was to teach what I have learned from a individual that was once part of the wah lum organization and was to use the Wah Lum name I would be forced legally to refrain, However, If I put Joe’s Chicken Shack Kung Fu school on the door and people were interested in classes and asked me what I taught, I would say Northern Praying Mantis Kung Fu, from the Wah Lum Mantis Tradition. or traditions of Wah Lum as I do now when people ask me what i teach i tell them Seven Star Praying Mantis and traditions of the Wah Lum System. I dont advocate that I am a member of the Wah Lum organization or a certified instructor of that organization. Just if they ask who my teachers are i tell them the truth, I was taught and later certified to teach praying mantis kung fu under a former instructor of the Wah Lum System
and am now continuing my studies in Seven Star.
I think by getting on the forum and telling people that Robins Sifu is not a authorized Wah Lum instructor was unnecessary, who cares whether he is or not she didn’t say he was, all she said is that she is learning Wah Lum from him.
Unless Master Chan has changed over the years its the same Wah Lum. Whether you learned it 20 years ago or yesterday.
Yeah maybe it wasn’t the best comparison, but I’m sure you get the point anyways. Also there are Wah Lum schools pooping up all over the place that are legit. Sometimes it’s hard to keep track of them. You can’t go wrong at www.wahlum.com. Got a question? e-mail them and they we give you the lowdown on who’s what…go to the source.
Sorry to be bringing everybody down but I think it’s a good point to discuss. Actually, I have mixed views about the subject. I certainly agree that we all have a right to our opinions and I’m very much interested in the opinions of others in this forum.
And I’m sure we can discuss it without flaming or bad mouthing others.
I can understand the need to maintain the integrity of the style but you can’t erase people’s minds when they leave either. Wah Lum is unique in that there isn’t much outside of Master Chan. Not like other styles with widespread lineage. And his goal is to unify Wah Lum under one organization. So you can see that having ‘renegade’ Wah Lum schools is working against his goal. And it’s not just a power trip. Master Chan has older kung fu brothers (mostly family) that want him to do this.
You have to agree that once it’s out in the public it risks getting watered down and can very easily get a bad name if promoted by unqualified people.
How do other styles handle issues like this? Apparently there seems to be some confusion concerning 8 Step Mantis. I know there was plenty of controversy when Ed Parker died. Anyone want to comment on how other styles deal with this?
I think it’s more of an American thing. Like trying to copywrite intellectual property. I think sooner or later it will go to the courts to decide if forms and techniques and styles can be copywrited. I’m sure Master Chan isn’t the only one trying to maintain control over an organization that he is in charge of.
Don’t know if I’m making any sense. Trying to work, talk to a Sifu in Tennessee in AIM, and e-mailing a friend asking technical questions. Will post again when I can think out what I want to say.
[This message was edited by Hua Lin Laoshi on 11-06-00 at 02:49 PM.]
