From 4-5th March 2023, the French school in Nairobi was a buzz of activity with over two dozen Aikidokas from eight countries attending a seminar hosted by Nairobi Aikikai Club. Members of the club had the pleasure of hosting Hiroaki Kobayashi sensei (7th Dan) and visiting Aikidokas for two days of ukemi, shihonage and even (fortunately or unfortunately) some yonkyo.
The seminar came after an equally exciting few days at the 10th Zanzibar International Aikido seminar (24-26th February 2023) where Nairobi Aikikai was once again well represented. The seminar in Zanzibar also served as an opportunity for members of Nairobi Aikikai to take their grading exams and we are pleased to wemcome Frank (Hazard) into 4th Kyu and our Chairman Joshua Muthii into 2nd Dan, a first for Nairobi Aikikai.
Building on this momentum, the members of the club converged at the French School, Nairobi in early March to practise with Mikio Kobayashi, Toshi Kaneko, Manabu Masuda, Hiroko Konno and Yuko Sato (Japan) Ramzi Bouslimi and Aziz Boukhema (Tunisia) Jean Maurice Ouattara and Innocent Vehi (Cote D'Ivoire) and from South Africa representing the International Aikido Federation, Corrie Human. The seminar was also graced by Andi Schriber, the club's sensei and pillar of support who was unsurprisngly still energectic despite the many ukemi he gave and took in Zanzibar as well as visitors from dojos outside Nairobi.
A first of its kind for Nairobi Aikikai, this seminar was a double celebration. For one, the club members commemorated this inaugural global gathering of Aikidokas in Nairobi and secondly, it served as an opportunity to celebrate the Nairobi Akikai Club's recognition as an associate member of the International Aikido Federation (IAF) as of November 2022.
Club members were honoured to have in attendance Corrie Human Sensei, Assistant General Secretary of the International Aikido Federation (IAF) representing the federation to join in practice, be witness to the seminar and welcome Nairobi Aikikai into the global Aikido family.
Away from the mat, there was play and merry making on Saturday night (4th March) at the Carnivore restaurant Nairobi where members of Nairobi Aikikai and their guests indulged in the restaurant's famous all you can eat buffet and got to trade stories and bond. Fashioned as the Kenyan version of the Brazilian Rodizio, the meat buffet at the Carnivore does not stop coming till the last person standing... or should we say chewin, puts the flag down. One by one even the most sizeable people at the table gave up and the final aikidoka to surrender was the most unlikely option yet, Kalevera who though small, proved to be quite mighty where it counted.
The night culminated in thoughtful speeches from visiting friends and the hosting crew who emphasized the need for even more collaboration and seminars to come. In true Kenyan hospitality fashion, visiting aikidokas were sent home with gifts from Nairobi Aikikai from jo' bags to jo' sleeves.
Fighting through heavy laden bellies, the crew returned to the French School for the final day of the seminar.What followed was a morning session of energetic practice and sharing of knowledge before officially closing the seminar. The gift of community through the practice of Aikido was evident in the laughs, conversations and photos that were taken after. It is our sincere hope that this scale of seminar is just one of many to come. In closing, the club recognizes the efforts of the Nairobi Aikikai Club secretariat, Tim Turner and Romain Neyrand in making sure the seminar, venue and associated activities were well organised and look forward to the next one.
Budo!
Article written by Imungu Kalevera
