Dr. Deborah Williams

Founder of Tae Su Jutsu

Shiai Magazine: Hello Dr. Deborah Williams welcome to Shiai Magazine, what brought in the practices of martial arts and tell us briefly about your life?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Not much to tell.  I grew up in the Southeastern United States.  I am part Cherokee and part Scot.   I was adopted at a very early age, and  riased by two wonderful peole who have both passed on now.  I began my martial arts training at the age of 11 in Wing Chun, then continued to rpogress and earn Black Belt ranks in several different systems.  I now teach private, semi-private, and small group lessons.

Shiai Magazine: With your long experience and practices of martial arts have you encounter the existence of African Martial Arts or martial arts systems created by the African Diaspora?

Dr. Deborah Williams:A few, but not many.  Most of the systems in the U.S. are either Korean, or Japanese systems, so I am much more familiar  with them.

Shiai Magazine: You are the founder of Tae Su Jutsu, what is the particularity and philosophy of your martial arts system?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Tae Su Jutsu has a Wing Chun Core.  It utilizes the hand speed of Wing Chun, with the Power Kicks of Korean Tang Soo do, but using the Ameircan Freestyle stances, for easy transition.  Tae Su Jutsu is more than just a system of self defense, it is also a science of the body.  Students are requird to know basic anatomy, physics, and how they are used in the techniques of the system.  The philosophy is simple.  to learn to survive in the streets if attacked.  This can only be accomplished by hard work and understanding how the body works.  We do not compete, as Tae Su Jusu is not a mart sport, but  means of self defense.  Students are tuahgt to use their physical skills only as a last resort, adn to try and difuse any confrontation ifthey can.

Shiai Magazine: Have you been to Africa before?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  No, I have never been to Africa.  although I may in the future.

Shiai Magazine: As a woman what is it like practicing several martial arts systems from Chinese, Korean and Japanese systems? Is there any difference?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Yes, there are differences.  The Chinese systems are more fluid in their motion of attack and defense, where the Korean, and Japanese systems rely more on the linear in your face type of approach.  They are hard i ntheir response, where as Chinese system uses circular blaock and angles, along with a total combination of mind, body, and spirit.  Today, is some of the schools in the U.S. this combination is lost as some have gone strictly sport, and totally physical.

Shiai Magazine: Have you trained and worked with Africans/Blacks in the world of martial arts? Are they some names you can mention to us?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  I have many African American friends martial arts  that I competed with and trained with over the years.  But, to be honest, I have never been one who seperated my fellow artist or freinds by the color of their skin, so to ask me to name indiviuals would take some thinking  on my part to remember who was who.

Shiai Magazine: You are very active in different martial arts organizations around the world, what is your motivation?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Yes, I have been honored to represent many types of organizations.  my motivation is pretty simple, I believe martial arts is a lifetime, commentment, and the organizations I represent are the ones who follow in this line of thought.

Shiai Magazine: Doctorates in Theology, and Divinity, do martial arts have a spiritual and religious connection with God the Almighty and the world of spirits?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Although I do have doctoares in both Theology, and Divinity, I am not a mainstream Christian in any sense of the word.  Martial arts provided  the foundation of preserverance, and determination needed to believe in a God we cannot see, when times get rough.  The spiritual part comes more form the Native studies the Christianty, as I believe the natural spiritual beliefs in this world closer to the spiritual part of God the creator, than a doctrine wirtten by men.  If you are asking do I belive in the spirit world, very much so.

Shiai Magazine: Have you written any books based on your martial arts system or videos?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  Yes, I have written student manuals, and I do have videos and DVD's avaliable...I am now working on a more in depth book for martial arts study in general, and Tae Su Jutsu in particular.

Shiai Magazine: African Martial Arts and Black martial artists in general are struggling to promote their image in several African Martial Arts film productions such as “The Way” (USA), “Money Bag” and Lost Brother “Waka-waka man”(Cameroon, Africa). Do you think that every martial arts system needs to be promoted in the movies?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  No, I do not.  I am not a big fan of martial arts movies in general(except for a select few).  To many times I have seen the movies misrepresent what the arts truly are.  To many times the  martial arts in movies are presented as a means of revenge or as something totally mystical.

Shiai Magazine: What advice can you give to the African women who want to succeed in martial arts like you but also especially in life which is not always easy for a woman?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  The best advice I can give them to isto work and train hard.  I trained for the frist ten years with men.  The best way to get them to respect you, is to show them you are not there for fun and games, but to  really work hard and learn.

Shiai Magazine: What opinion and vision you have about this African Online Martial Arts Magazine? Do you think that initiative of this magazine should be supported morally and even financially by international martial arts community?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  I think the magazine is an execellent idea to get out info about African Martial Arts.  I believe that ALL martial arts should be supported morally by the international martial arts community.  As far as financially goes, I think that is could be lloked into, but be aware with money being the way it is today, it may take a while to get alot of support.

Shiai Magazine: Any projects or any last words in which you like to mention?

Dr. Deborah Williams:  The only projects I am working on at the moment besides the new books is the website http://pwmau.com This is a webiste I started with a couple of my frineds for ALL women in the arts.  All martial arts systems are welcomed, and we encourage all women to join.  It is women supporting women form all over the world.

Shiai Magazine: Thank you Dr. Deborah Williams for accepting to be interviewed by us. I hope one day by grace of Almighty God you will have the chance to visit us in Cameroon “Africa in miniature”, God bless you.

Dr. Deborah Williams: Thank you for asking me..I consider it an honor.  Peace adn blessings to you, and Camroon.

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