Additions to Taisha Chronology

Taisha Abelar’s Chronology was published here for the first time to coincide with what would have been her 79th birthday, August 25, 2024. Thanks to Paul M., several items have now been added to that chronology, including references to her and UCLA classes she was teaching from the UCLA Daily Bruin, the University’s newspaper, whose archives are now available online. The new additions to Taisha Abelar Chronology provide some interesting details.

There are two things particularly interesting about this new material in the Chronology for the period 1966-1976. One is that they further show how busy Taisha was with her activities at school and in Los Angeles at a time she subsequently claimed in her book she was spending solid years in Mexico being trained by Don Juan and the members of his party. The other is they indicate Taisha was seeking press for her activities despite the supposed admonitions Don Juan gave to Castaneda about the need for sorcerers to “erase” their personal history.

Here is the full text of two of the lengthy entries in the UCLA Daily Bruin that are now mentioned in the updated Chronology:

UCLA Daily Bruin, University of California, Los Angeles., Vol. No. LXXXII No. 2
Thursday, January 7, 1971, p. 17
“New Karate club started for women”

“A new URA club, KARATE FOR WOMEN has been started on campus thanks to the efforts of George Takahashi, 3rd dan black belt and UCLA Karate advisor

Although Karate has been popular at UCLA for quite some time, there has never been a Karate class that was geared to women. KARATE FOR WOMEN hopes to fill this gap by providing training particularly to fit a woman’s physical constitution and capabilities

The class will be taught by Annamarie Simko, who holds a first kyu belt and is currently training at the All American Karate Federation, which is the official affiliate of the Japan Karate Association.

She is working under the guidance of sensei Hidetaka Nishiyana [sic], 7th dan black belt, who is the chairman of the Federation, and sensei Yutaka Yaguchi, 6th dan black belt. Miss Simko began her Karate training three years ago with James Yabe, instructor of the UCLA Karate Club.

All women who are interested in developing confidence, self control, poise, balance, and strong bodies and minds are invited to come. The goal of the class will be to strive for spiritual, mental, and physical perfection.

No previous knowledge of Karate is required and instruction will be geared toward the beginning student. KARATE FOR WOMEN will meet every Thursday at 5:00 pm, in the Women’s Gym, Room 200, though more hours are planned in the near future.”

[Paul M. Note 1: “1st kyu belt is the highest level brown belt a student of karate attains before the next level, which is the first dan black belt.” Also, note: perfection of character etc. is commonly stated as the goal of karate, so there is nothing unusual about the statement in this article about the goal of perfection. But it does fit well with Castaneda’s teachings.

Paul M. Note 2: George Takahashi, MA, was also a teacher of / lecturer in Japanese, in the Oriental Languages department, at UCLA, for the period I checked (1965-1971). According to the Taisha Chronology, Taisha took a course in Japanese literature in translation in the summer of 1966.

Paul M. Note 3: Taisha was part of an actual cultural “lineage.” Her karate teachers:
Gichin Funakoshi, known as “the father of modern karate” – very influential.
  —> Nishiyama and Yaguchi were among his notable students
       —> Yabe and Takahashi were students of Nishiyama
       —> Maryann was a student of Nishiyama, Yaguchi, and Yabe.]

UCLA Daily Bruin, University of California, Los Angeles. Vol. XCVII Number 39
Friday March 5, 1976, p. 3

“Women’s Karate offered this quarter

A Karate class for women, stressing Karate techniques and their applications, is being offered this quarter. The class also covers some of the philosophical principles underlying Karate and other martial arts in general.

Karate, which literally means “empty hands” in Japanese, is a form of weaponless combat. Through training, one learns a system of bodily movement aimed at developing certain sensibilities in the total person as well as heightening one’s success and improving one’s concentration. Karate training also provides a vital form of self-defense, according to Annamarie Carter, who teaches the class.”

“Karate has been traditionally placed in the realm of men’s activities but recently has begun to attract women. Female students, however, find it difficult to become totally involved in a male-oriented class due to the fear of losing their femininity or the inability to keep up with the rigorous training.

“The class meets at 5 pm Thursdays in Women’s Gym, [Room] 200. All interested women, regardless of past training, are urged to come.”