2008-04-11

Okinawa archers aim to maintain their craft




Story and Photos by Reggie Cantú

A prehistoric hunter out for dinner, an Assyrian warrior Robin of Sherwood and a 17th century Native American all had at least one thing in common. They were familiar with the bow and arrow. They might also feel at home in the company of members of the Okinawa Archers.

Formed in 1982, the Okinawa Archers meet regularly on most Saturdays for target practice and friendly competition at Kadena Air Force Base. The ranks of these arrow slingers number about 150, with a solid core of about 75 regulars. Most are Marines, retirees and other Department of Defense personnel, according to John Borgeson, the club’s president.

Military types accustomed to the latest weapon technology seem to find relaxation in this ancient art. Except for compound bows, today’s bows and arrows differ little from designs used in most cultures throughout the world. The materials used to create the bows can be thoroughly up to date, but a few members still thrive on traditional methods.

Borgeson and Clayton Carter, for example, are both bowyers and fletchers. Bowyers make bows and fletchers create arrows. Bart Harmeling, club vice-president is also a Fletcher who hunts big game in Alaska with the projectiles he makes.

Borgeson and Carter are aficionados of Native American crafts. They assemble their weapons from natural woods, embellishing them with snake skin, animal hides and heads. The results are authentic looking replicas with full functioning parts.

For many, the hobby is a family affair. Harmeling’s whole family is involved, including his wife
Susan, a teacher at Kadena.

The enthusiastic lot of bowmen and ladies are always prepared for newcomers. They are willing to teach novices the workings and jargon of the sport. A neophyte will learn the difference between a longbow, a recurve, a decurve and a compound bow. They will also teach how to properly place and aim the arrow.

Although the club has used nine or so acres on Kadena for the past 25 years, circumstances are forcing them to find another “Sherwood Forest.” Arrangements are currently being worked out for a new home, Borgeson said. When that happens, skills known for thousands of years will flourish in a new location for the merry band known as the Okinawa Archers.

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