The popular belief is that this term comes from Carlson Gracie to describe a traitor. Supposedly, he took the term from the name of a character on a Brazilian soap opera who was always changing whose side he was on. Ever since then, the term has stuck. It gets thrown around here and there still when a Jiu-Jitsu practitioner switches schools.
I suppose the term itself isn’t really heard often in regards to higher level competitors and practitioners, however, it does get tossed around on lower level belts when they change academies. But is it betrayal? Well, that depends. Let’s look at a few examples and see if we can find out if Creonte is still a term we should be using
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First of all, this idea really seems to be a left-over from the era of Jiu-Jitsu in which academies had their “secret” techniques. Instructors didn’t want other academies they were competing against to figure out what they were doing or how to counter it. So if a competitor left their school for another, they were considered a Creonte for giving away their secrets. In Jiu-Jitsu today, there aren’t really any so-called “secret” techniques to give to a competing academy. Does that mean that a competitor ought to leave a school for another whenever they feel like it?
Again, it’s all very situational. For most people, switching academies isn’t a decision they take lightly. There is a bond of friendship, brotherhood, and family that comes from training and competing together. To break that bond is no simple thing. It is like leaving family, or breaking up. I’ve spoken with individuals who have left their academies for a variety of legitimate reasons and they still felt very hesitant about making the switch for fear of offense or breaking a bond.
Some people simply cannot afford to continue their training at their current academy and need to switch to a more affordable alternative. That’s ok. A person has to take care of themselves before anything else. That said, I imagine many good instructors would be willing to help their students work through such issues, depending on thestudent’s previous dedication.
Another reason a person might leave their academy is because they simply are no longer challenged there. James Watson, a geneticist, said “If you’re the most intelligent person in the room… you’re in the wrong room.” I believe this applies to skill as well. If a person is the best at their gym and can no longer progress there, then yes, it is time to move on. Again, a person must do what is best for them and their goals.
There are a variety of other valid reasons a person may no longer wish to train at their gym. Is this something that ought to be held against them? Well, no. Jiu-Jitsu is becoming a very open community. Attempting to suppress the free movement between schools can be detrimental to the community as a whole. I believe the idea of a Creonte in Jiu-Jitsu is a highly outdated one. Instead of becoming angered at students who leave, perhaps we ought to more closely inspect why they left in the first place.
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