Contents Page
Acknowledgments
Foreward
Testimonials
Introduction
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Conclusion
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
Appendix 5
Appendix 6
Bibliography
VICTORIAN KENDO RENMEI, INC.
Design by Tony Corrigan
continued...
Easter 1977 saw the 2nd Australian Kendo Championships held in Canberra, ACT. The States that sent teams were New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland. The results were:
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Individuals: |
Teams: |
At this time there was a second club in Sydney, which had been started by Mr. John Anderson. Some of his pupils were Danny Strenger, Phillip Ingram and Greg Unwin.
Michael Payne phoned John with news of a second Summer School (1977), this time at the Gedatsu Kai in Kitamoto, Saitama. John, Eric Jeffrey and newcomer, Valmai Rodgers joined the Sydney group together with Rod Prince from Brisbane at this new venue. On the journey the group trained in Kagoshima under the guidance of Nakakura Sensei before a stay in Tokyo with Takeuchi Sensei and Akira Tajima, a former Rotary Exchange student who had lived in Shepparton, Victoria.
The Summer School was vastly different from the previous one at Katsura. The program concentrated on future Instructors. During this visit the group was introduced to Haga Sensei. All returned wiser and much more skillful.
About this time a young returning exchange student appeared at the Bourke Street Dojo in the person of Jamie Fennessy. Jamie had just completed a 12 month Rotary Exchange to Waseda University and held the rank of Shodan. Importantly he was also fluent in the Japanese language.
Mr. TAKEUCHI’s departure required his place on the AKR Executive to be filled. The new office bearers consequently became:
President - Mr Rexlawley
Vice President - Mr. O. Hirano
Secretary - Mr. Steven Lawley
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The 3rd Australian Kendo Championships were held in 1978 at Brisbane under the control of Mr. NAGAE, Mr. HIRANO, Mr. IKEDA (Brisbane) and Mr. Rex LAWLEY. |
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During 1978 the AKR heard that there was a Japanese teacher in Canberra (ACT) who was willing and able to teach Kendo. This person was Mr. Masayuki MIYASAKA and he formed a Kendo Club at the Australian National University, where he was teaching. |
Melbourne Kendo Club in January 1978. What it was like to be a member in those early days can be felt in the following extract from her testimonial;
“ I loved many things about the club. The people were committed and we had great fun together, - John Butler, Eric Jeffries, Valmai Rogers, Ron Jones, Jamie Fennessy and Paul Macak warmly welcomed me and became great friends. Later Yakov, Sofie and Phoebe Macak, Mark Wild and Bob Collins also became dear friends. I enjoyed long conversations in cars when various members dropped me home after training. At any one time there were never more than one or two women training in the club and the relationships between the women were special and supportive. Val Rogers, Vicki Pittard, Sofie (10) and Phoebe (8), Kerrie Hollaway, Trish De Brinker and Barb Jeffries were my training comrades at different times. Warm friendships also formed nationally through the trips to Sydney and Canberra and visits from those clubs and Queensland for the various Australian gatherings. I particularly remember Ron Bennett and Di & Warren Hughes from Sydney. There was always warmth & laughter at the Club and it was very welcoming to newcomers. Friendships were fostered by the numerous social events, and the nights at Kuni’s having miso soup or at the pub with jugs of beer after training. “ (3) |
At the end of 1978 Meg had the “life changing” opportunity to travel with Valmai to South Korea to train in Kendo. Valmai was taking up the invitation of a Korean Kendo player she had met in Japan the previous year at the Kendo Summer School. On that trip, Meg also trained in Japan, traveling alone with her bogu and being invited to stay at someone’s house every night with the promise, “Tomorrow we train”. She was one of our first female Kendo Ka to travel to Japan thanks to her association with Kendo.
This group photo was taken from a National Championship circa 1978 /79.
Notables from Victoria are Ron Jones, standing 4th from left, Nagae Sensei 6th from left,
Eric Jeffrey second from the right and Marg Irwin seated second from left.
A youngish Yakov Macak began Kendo training that year and his first impressions at Little Bourke Street are worth recording here;
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In March 1978 I went to the Melbourne Kendo Club Dojo in Little Bourke St on a Sunday morning. There were about 10 people training, and Mr Hirano (4th Dan at the time) was in charge. (Yakov Macak 2007) |
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