Annual Camp
This years camp at St Peter’s College, Newmarket, Auckland had one hundred students and instructors attending. Commander Mr Tim Smith and his team did a great job making everything run efficiently. We worked on all our fundamental techniques with the usual emphasis on perfecting the side kick. The black belts spent a lot of time on the circle form and sensitivity drills. They also worked on energy release and pressure points techniques. Mr John O’toole and Mr Wai Hoe Chan helped those 1st grade and below to revise the syllabus. Mr Rob Wilson and Mr George Pope took the 1st grades through a comprehensive fitness assessment for their probable nomination as candidates for 1st degree. The feedback was that almost everyone had a very fulfilling camp weekend.
We have Moved
We had to move out of our HQ at Wilsons Road North on the 2nd of September. HQ students had to train at the local branches until we started at the Woolston Working Mens Club on Hargood Street on the 5th of September. So far, the facilities at the Woolston Club are very suitable for our classes with plenty of car parking.
Garage Sale & Auction
A big thank you to the Lane family and the members who helped with sorting and the auction and Sonya Laoshi for selling some stuff online. We have sold the old building and will need big hand to move everything left at Wilsons Road into the containers on the the 8th and 15th of October at 1pm.
Events:
8th Oct: Working Bee / No classes at HQ
11th Oct: Cant TCC Ex Grad
15th Oct: Working Bee / No classes at HQ
22nd Oct: Cant Grad
29th-30th Oct: Wellington Grad & Sem
4th-6th Nov: Auckland SOTC Instructors Camp
12th-13th Nov: Dunedin Grad & Seminar
25th-26th Nov: Annual Instructor Meeting & BB Grading & Awards
3rd Dec: No classes at HQ
6th Dec: Cant TCC Ex Grad
10th Dec: Cant KF Grad
21st Dec: Last day of regular training at HQ
28th Dec: Skeleton Class TCC/KF 5:30pm/7:00pm
4th Jan: Normal training resumes at HQ
Black Belt Candidates:
After careful consideration of technical skills, spirit, attitude, participation and overall effort the following have been invited to grade.
1st degree:
Mike Barthelmel - HQ
Daniel Dunne - University of Canterbury
Ricky Tiong - University of Canterbury
Corrin Vedder - Invercargill North
Doug Haselden - Lincoln
Scott Connelly - Lincoln
2nd degree:
Dr Linus Lim - Sydney
Mr Chris Allan - Lincoln
Mr Robert Wilson - Lincoln
3rd degree:
Mr Wai Hoe Chan - Kelburn
Mr George Pope - Winton
4th degree:
Mr Kelvin Joyce - Parklands
Mr Andy Lane - University of Canterbury
Shifu, Laoshi and Instructor
The traditional role of the Kung Fu teacher is to be the master of the students, who are the disciples. Shifu means ‘father of the skill’ and Toode is the apprentice. Ideally, the half a dozen students live in with master‘s family to learn, train and help with the household chores; in a loving relationship as that of a parent and adopted children. Of course in some cases students were treated harshly and exploited as we have in some abusive families in other cultures and times.
In the late eighteen hundreds, many urbanised kung fu masters had bigger schools and the students do not live in with the master. Some enlightened masters, such as Hou Yuen Chia of the Chin Wu school, decided that they should be addressed as Laoshi or teacher instead, in order to define the relationship more accurately and perhaps reduce the opportunity of abuse. Laoshi is still held with very high regard with strict protocols and is still respected as a surrogate parent of the student.
In our modern era, the role of our Shao Chi Chuan instructor should be that of Laoshi. We should now change to address all our instructors Laoshi as it is more meaningful. Even though most of our instructors have been assuming that role, its connotation is that of just a coach.
Here are a few simple guides: Your direct teacher or mentor is your Laoshi. Other teachers can be David Laoshi or Barry Laoshi. Master instructors should still be addressed as Master Kinney etc. Assistant instructors and senior male classmate is Shi Xiong (older brother) or senior female classmate is Shi Jie (older sister), junior male classmate is Shi De (younger brother) and junior female classmate is Shi Mei (younger sister). Hopefully in using the correct terms will remind everyone of the appropriate relationships.
Best wishes to the candidates and I hope to see everyone at the Black Belt Grading.
May Chi be with you,
Grandmaster SC Chan