This video shows some highlights of my seminar on La Reunion Island, a French territory located just between Madagascar and Mauritius.
This was my second time on the island, and this time I was invited by Gérard Tayllamin, the head of Ecole d’Aikido du Sud. I met Gérard during my first visit to the island, and we quickly got along, as he was one of the people who kindly took me to visit the magnificient sights on offer. He subsequently visited Japan several times and we kept connected. During his latest stay in Japan, he asked me if I wanted to return, and within a few days, the flights were booked!
It is no mystery that the Reunion Island Aikido community has seen much political turmoil, seeing once strong groups splitting into several directions. I was told that the mood was thus at an all time low, and was a little aprehensive about my visit. Still, I felt that my non-partisant position might provide a bit of neutral grounds for positively-minded individuals on all side top potentially reconnect. To me personally, it was about seeing again a number of people that I really liked very much when I met them eight years prior, and hopefully make new friends in the process.I was incredibly pleased to see that this is exactly what happened, in great part thanks to Gérard's no-nonsense approach to organization. Many people commented on the fact that this event allowed to lift some of the weight on everyone's shoulders, and I feel that this is truly what Aikido courses should be about, technique being secondary.
I took the opportunity to pay my respects to the local pioneer of Aïkido, Hubert "Daddy" Fontaine, 6th dan, a close student of Christian Tissier who spent many years in Paris, training with him on a daily basis, and who was part of his team of uke during the legendary Martial Arts Festivals in Paris-Bercy in the eighties.
Gérard being now at the head of his own dojo, I was pleased to materialize this personnal journey through awarding him the 4th dan on behalf of Doshu Ueshiba Moriteru, upon recommendation from Chritian Tissier Shihan. I took the opportunity to explain to the attendees that grades are only worth the connections that they materialize, in this particular case, the relationship that Gérard had patiently established with Japan, Hombu Dojo teachers and practicioners.
This trip was thus very meaningful, for many reasons. I hope to get the chance to travel again to the Indian Ocean and modestly contribute to the expansion of Aikido there.
