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Duke Meade was born in 1959. He joined the U.S.Navy in 1979 and was home
ported in Japan on a guided missile cruiser for 4 years. It was there were he
learned to appreciate and respect Japanese and other Asian culture. After
receiving an honorable discharge from the Navy, Duke remained in Japan with
his Japanese wife and son .There he worked as a translator and teacher of
English as a second language instructor. In his free time he began to study
martial arts. However, the first style he learned was not a Japanese style,
but a Chinese style.
He began studying Taichichuan in China town at the Yukai Dojo located in
Yokohama Japan. He studied various Wushu forms and Qigong exercises and it
was at this time he became inspired to become a coach. Duke spent three years
mastering different sequences and styles of Taichi. The Yukai Dojo focused
more on training it's students on performing at tournaments and competitions
than focus on combative training. They did sometimes offer a San Shuo (Push
Hands) seminar, but students had to pay extra for that and the training was
minable .Duke's second Taichi Master did not charge anything, it was just a
part of the lesson format.
At that time the Yukai Dojo did not teach any of the applications of Taichi or the other Wushu forms.Nor did they have sparring. He had studied Taichi as a gymnastic instead of a martial art. For these reasons Duke began looking for a school that could teach it as a martial art. After visiting many Dojos in the Kanto area of Japan, looking for a Taichi class that taught combat Taichi, Duke finally came across the All Japan Chinese Kenpo Association located in Itabashii Japan.( Itabashii is located on the northern border of Tokyo) He was almost reluctant to go all the up there because it was about 1hr and 45 minute ride on the trains to get there. However , when he spoke to someone on the phone about the combat element of Taichi, they said it was being taught. So,he went there to see for himself and he found Taichi as a martial art.  Not only did he find Taichichuan, but the school also offered many styles of
Japanese Jujutsu and Chinese Chin Na Techniques, as well as other Chinese
Martial Arts. Duke became a student of Grand Master Sato Kimbei and studied
BaGua Chang, Taichichuan, Hsing- I Chuan, and 8 different styles of
Jujutsu/Yawara.He studied three lessons back to back each 1hr and 30 minutes. When the training was over he had a long trip back home. Duke said he would write in his journals all of the things the Grand Master had taught him while riding the train back home. The lesson were tough, and Duke's body did not stop aching until right before the next one, then it was time to ache again. Duke never missed a lesson. If he showed up earlier, the Grand master would take him to the Dojo and start teaching him .He had normally sweated through his clothes before the other students arrived. After receiving his permits to teach Japanese and Chinese martial arts in 1993 ,from the Grand Master Himself, he returned to his home town of Columbus Georgia to honor his teacher by opening a Dojo and pass on the knowledge that he had received.  Duke opened up the Live Oak Dojo in Columbus Georgia, in 1993, and has taught
at many place here in Columbus, including the continuing education
department for Columbus State University. He continues to teach Japanese
culture and martial arts that have been passed on to him at his Dojo, as well
as translates and provide liaison.
Duke kept in touch with his beloved teacher receiving books which he had written and encouragements, until his Grandmaster passed away in 1999. |