In the 1920’s one the Kokodan school of martial arts top students arrived in Brazil. His name was Mitsuyo Madea. Today in Brazilian Jui Jitsu he is known as Conde Coma, or Count Coma. He was not the only master teaching the art in Brazil but is credited with establishing the sport in the country, which has allowed it to evolve into the globally recognized discipline it is today.
The Gracie Brothers
A pivotal moment in the history of Brazilian Jiu jitsu (BJJ), was the moment that a teenager called Carlos Gracie took up the sport under the instruction of master Madea. In 1925 Carlos Gracie opened the first school of BJJ in Rio de Janerio. Along with his brothers Oswaldo, George, Gasteo and Helio, the Gracie’s pushed their academy and style of martial arts to the very top, proving their superiority by fighting challengers of any weight and size. In these fights there were no set rules or time limits, fighters were invariably allowed to gouge at the eyes and target the genitals. As the sport progressed and probably because of serious injuries rules were slowly introduced, but it was nowhere near as regulated as it is today. Against this backdrop George Gracie became the first champion of the sport in a career lasting over twenty years.
Identity
As the sport has evolved different teams and camps have developed each with its own unique sense of history and identity. This sentiment is of course true of all martial arts and begins the moment a student walks through the academy (dojo) doors. It stands to reason then, that each team member cements their connection to other members with a patch which is professionally sewn onto their gi, and only on parts of the garment stipulated by the international regulations of the sport.
Of equal importance is the use of gi patches as means of recognition for a wider audience, from which any self-respecting academy will be seeking to recruit new members. Today there are literally thousands of teams and clubs involved in officially sanctioned competitions at all levels all over the world.
Consequently, it is essential that individual team gi patches reflect the commitment to the sport that membership of a team club or association demands.
