Kendo King

Untitled from Chris Lamphere on Vimeo.


On Wednesday, April 15, I met with Tyler Dunham, president of the local Kendo Club, at Rose Arena on the campus of Central Michigan University. Dunham is an unassuming fellow with an almost perpetually humble sensibility about him. The kind of guy who draws little attention to himself in spite of the fact that he is capable of breaking teeth and smashing skulls if necessary. That quiet hombre standing in the corner of the bar that you don't want to mess with, no matter how brave the liquor is making you. Dunham was gracious enough to humor my ignorance and enlighten me on the basic tenants of Japanese Kendo.
Before Kendo, the Samurai practiced with real swords, which made the profession extremely hazardous, even in times of peace. Kendo was a practice sport developed to curb the high mortality rates of Japanese swordsman outside of battle. Bamboo swords replaced their lethal counterparts, and specialized armor was developed to provide additional protection in sensitive areas such as the face and groin. A typical match will last two minutes and be scored based on form, posture, location of strike, and “vocalization of spirit”, which is essentially a scream or a shriek used to both exhale air and intimidate the opponent.
After Dunham explained the rules and equipment of Kendo, he and his sparring partner Katina Mangus agreed to a demonstration bout which lasted close to five minutes. Kendo is a sport of strategy, skill, and speed. Its' popularity in Mount Pleasant is stifled by the fact that the average uniform and weapon ensemble will cost around 500 dollars at the low end. But, as Dunham testifies, the rewards are well worth the investment.