Ryukenkan Dojo - Tauranga New Zealand
"Karate in Paradise" - It's a rough task, but someone has to do it!
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Ryukenkan Dojo - Tauranga New Zealand "Karate in Paradise" - It's a rough task, but someone has to do it!
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Meeting Hanshi Geraldi
Front Row: Hanshi Geraldi, Kaicho Amor. Back Row: Renshi Rickard, Shihan Richardson We were told during the Yudansha briefing prior to the start of Summer Camp that Hanshi Albert Geraldi would be attending this year and that we were to introduce ourselves and make him feel welcome. Having never met a 9th Dan before, one is a little nervous about how best to approach. Since beginning making regular trips to the US, I've found that the New Zealand culture can be an eye-opener to people at times. I decided that the stock-standard "Yeah, G'Day Mate... " probably wasn't going to set the right tone. We were training in the Dojo when someone mentioned that Mr Geraldi had arrived at the house, so I made my way up to introduce myself. It's probably a good time to let you in on who Hanshi Geraldi is. Mr Geraldi is the senior student of Taika Oyata. They met in Taika Oyata's Machiminato Dojo in Okinawa during the '60's and Mr Geraldi went on to be directly involved (with two other gentlemen) in assisting Mr Oyata to relocate to the United States. Mr Geraldi is the head Instructor for the Zenkoku Ryukyu Kempo Karate Do Renmei, which is currently based out of Florida. Check out his website here. So, I walk into the house and I find myself standing right in front of Mr Geraldi in the kitchen. So much for a chance to prepare myself... "Hello Sir, my name is Marty Rickard from New Zealand..." (or words to that effect). I really hadn't had the opportunity to develop some kind of pre-conception of what Hanshi Geraldi was like, so the New York accent kind of caught me a little off guard. We spoke briefly before I decided to leave the man in peace to settle in and get acquainted with the environment. The interaction throughout the camp weekend will remain a highlight of my Martial Arts career indefinitely. Not only is Mr Geraldi a wealth of information and ability, but he is also a gentleman and a living example of the Dojo Kun and Guiding Principles. During the evening at camp, we had the opportunity to hear stories of the old days with Taika in Okinawa, and to hear the history of Ryukyu Kempo as it took hold in the US. This information alone was priceless in that it varied tremendously from the explanations often heard. The big difference here was that we were hearing the story from a man who was there and personally involved in every step. For those of us who were present to hear these revelations, it was a moment of deep understanding as several layers of half-truths and honest mistakes were stripped away allowing us to see the full story for the first time - again, something I will treasure for a long time to come. Mr Geraldi spent a lot of time at camp speaking about aspects of Bogu Kumite (heavy contact fighting with protective equipment), and many of his experiences in law enforcement. Without question, the most surprising event of the weekend was when Hanshi promoted Kaicho Amor to Nanadan - a truly historical event in the life of the United Ryukyu Kempo Alliance. I have to admit becoming a little misty-eyed as the event unfolded right before us. I can honestly say that a future opportunity to spend time with Mr Geraldi will be gratefully received. Hanshi is truly a role model and a karateka which we could all learn a lot from.
Front Row: Hanshi Geraldi, Renshi Rickard. Back Row: Nicole Rickard, Tania Rickard |
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