Portuguese Shorinji Kempo Federation / July 2012 - Contributor: Nuno Albuquerque, International Affairs Vice-President

50 KENSHI PRESENT IN THE ADULT'S SPRING GASSHUKU

Fifty junior and adult kenshi participated last May 26 and 27 in the Portuguese Federation (FPSK) Spring Gasshuku, in the village of Golega (Santarem district, 100km north of Lisboa).

Despite the difficult economical situation affecting so many Portuguese families, many were the kenshi who came from different points in Portugal (like Viana de Castelo, top north, to Aljustrel, in the south), to demonstrate their will to always learn more and better, in a seminar with four sessions and 11 hours of teaching. Considering this, and that the Children's Gasshuku in April was also a success with 70 girls and boys, the Portuguese Federation was pretty much satisfied with the event.

According to some kenshi "this was the best Gasshuku were I ever was, not only for the contents of the teachings but also due to the great atmosphere between everyone, students to instructors", referred one 3rd Dan kenshi

In fact, the organization received many positive feedbacks from kenshi of different ranks, underlining the good social and human environment among man and woman kenshi (since more than 25% of the students were female).

Probably exactly because of the smaller number of participants comparing with other years, the interaction between everyone was bigger, inside and outside Dojo.

In charge of teaching were the national instructors of the FPSK Judges and Referees Board: masters Fausto Carrico and Carlos Ramires (both 5th Dan Daikenshi), masters Jose Araujo and Nuno Albuquerque (both 5th Dan) and Pereira da Silva (4th Dan). Master Paulo Silva (4t Dan) was also scheduled to teach but had a last hour Influenza.

Program organization was responsibility of the FPSK National Technical Department, with master Cristina Carrico (4th Dan and teacher in Physical Education - PE) and teacher Joao Paulo Costa (1th Dan and PHD student in PE).

In the very nice village of Golega, where Shorinji Kempo has organized many Gasshuku since the 80's, this Gasshuku also included the second season of national examinations from the Portuguese Federation. Therefore, during all morning of the May 26th candidates Bruno Santos (male), Margarida Nascimento (female) and Eugenio Rodrigues (male) made their written and technical examinations with lots of dedication and sweat...

Concluding the Spring Gasshuku, and after some words from all instructors and FPSK president, Sensei Carlos Ramires, the president of the FPSK Judges and Referees Board, Sensei Fausto, gave the expected results: Bruno Santos (Carcavelos Branch), is the newest Portuguese 3rd Dan, and Margarida Nascimento (Carcavelos Branch) the most recent female 2nd Dan. Eugenio Rodrigues, Viana de Castelo branch master, was also approved. Congratulations to all of them!

Taking the chance of the probable presence of all the FPSK branch master in this Gasshuku, the Portuguese Federation president, Sensei Carlos Ramires, anticipated invited for this days the second meting of the Branch Masters Council of this season, who had the presence of (by alphabetic order of the branch): Cristina Carrico (Aljustrel), Pereira da Silva (Carcavelos), Nuno Monteiro (Foros de Salvaterra), Carlos Ramires (Lisboa), Nuno Albuquerque (Olivais), Fausto Carrico (Oriental), Jorge Monteiro (Salvaterra de Magos), Jose Araujo (Sintra), and Eugenio Rodrigues (Viana de Castelo). Absent were branch masters Paulo Silva (Rato branch; for the health reasons indicated above) and Fernando Filipe (Ajuda).

In a very open way, the main issues of Portuguese Shorinji Kempo were discussed among all this branch masters, concerning p.e.: the path we are walking towards the realization of the different projects and development of our art in Portugal (with 11 branches and a few more than 300 active kenshi), the reorganization of the FPSK regulations and statutes, the planning of the Portuguese participation in the 2013 World Taikai in Japan (in August), and the Portuguese Federation bid to the organization of the Shorinji Kempo European Taikai & Gasshuku in 2015, a very important event which would mark also the 40th Anniversary of Shorinji Kempo in Portugal.

 

TOP