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A Brief History of the Genbukan in South Africa

After 14 years of Judo and Karate practice Terry Stewart started his own school of self -defense teaching in 1988 on the premises of the wildlife society on the Bluff, Durban. Terry had decided that he did not feel the rules based competition focus of the martial arts he was practicing was the best way to learn self-defence. His brother Clive (3 years Judo, brown belt) and 3 others started with him. At first Terry combined Judo and Karate teachings and also adopted techniques from Western style Jiu-Jitsu.

(Clive Stewart: 1990)

 

 

 

 

In 1989 Terry and Clive Stewart joined the South African Ju-Jutsu Federation (SAJJF). Terry started learning and teaching the system of Ju-Jutsu used in the South African Jiu-Jitsu Federation (SAJJF) and Clive became a co-teacher of the system. Terry built up a successful Dojo of about 24 students.

(Terry Stewart, 1991, As SAJJF Teacher)

 

 

However Terry and Clive became discontent with the sporting goals of the SAJJF and its lack of historical connection with any Japanese master or Ryu ha. Terry and Clive felt it was move away from the goal of self-defence training towards a sport system based upon rules. So and Terry and Clive started looking for a true school of Ju-Jutsu directly connected to a Koryu Japanese master.


In late 1991 Yon Dan (5th) Roy Ron (presently 8th Dan Shihan) came to South Africa and taught Emanual Maisel. E Maisel started teaching the Kyu system of the Genbukan and promoting the Genbukan in South Africa.

In 1991 Clive Stewart was invited by the head of the SAJJF Mr Sam Tonkin to come to a seminar of Genbukan Ninpo and Kokusai Ju-Jutsu Renmei run by E Maisel. Clive Stewart was immediately impressed with the effectiveness and practicality of the Ninpo techniques even though Mr E Maisel was only a 8th Kyu practitioner. From there Clive Stewart asked Mr E Maisel if he would start teaching the basics of the Genbukan Ninpo to him and his brother. Clive and Terry decided to leave the SAJJF and formally resigned starting in the Genbukan as 9th Kyu. E Maisel started to travel frequently to Durban (or Terry and Clive would travel to Pretoria) to teach the Genbukan system from November 1991 to June 1995. During this time they graded up to half way to black belt taking many months to work through each Kyu level, training an average of 15 hours a week, purely in the Genbukan syllabus.

Mr E Maisel left the Genbukan in 1995. Terry Stewart wrote to Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura directly for the first time and asked permission for the Durban group to carry on practicing the Genbukan system. The Grandmaster agreed.

In November 1995 Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura sent Renshi Adrian Harrell, a direct student of the Grandmaster’s to come to South Africa. Renshi Adrian Harell came over and stayed the first time for a month, putting in up to 6 hours a day teaching towards Terry and Clive. He started all over from the 9th Kyu again and taught up to the 7th Kyu in Genbukan Ninpo and Kokusai Ju-Jutsu Renmei systems. Every year from then until December 2001 Renshi Adrian Harrell would come to South Africa twice a year to teach the South African Durban Dojo. Renshi Adrian Harrell put in many long hours of dedicated teaching in this time, and he meticulously built the standard of the Dojo up to where Sensei Terry Stewart and Sensei Clive Stewart received Ni dan in Ninpo and Ju-Jutsu at the end of 2003. As well as he did teach them all their patterns up to San (3rd) Dan.

(Renshi; 5th Dan; Adrian Harrell, The teacher who made an extraordinary effort to develop Ninpo in South Africa. With out his kindness and guidance there would be no light of Ninpo in South Africa)

A point of light during this time was in November 1998 when Clive Stewart managed to travel to the Mauritius Taikai and train directly with Grandmaster / Soke Shoto Tanemura,

In 2008 and 2007  5th Dan Instructor  Kyoshi Martin O'Reilly came to South Africa and taught Sensei Clive Stewart and Sensei Terry Stewart important points on Kyu level techniques to help for successes as GWNBF/KJJR martial artists.Kyoshi Martin O'Raghaillaigh did open the way to learning Amatsu Tatara and traveling to Japan. His travels to South Africa were of great help to building the Genbukan in South Africa. As well as helping the teachers in South Africa with direct teachings on essential points concerning the basic patterns of the Martial Art, Kyoshi Martin O'Raghaillaigh did come to Japan at the same time as Sensei Clive and Terry Stewart. In Japan he was of immense help and ensured that the South African teachers adapted well. In Japan Kyoshi Martin O'Raghaillaigh helped Sensei Clive Stewart and Sensei Terry Stewart revise through all the Black Belt patterns and taught further points about these patterns under Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura's instruction. 

 

 

(From left to right, Wellington Mvelasi, Sensei Clive Stewart, Kyoshi Martin O Raghaillaigh, Sensei Terry Stewart)

At present the teachers of the South African Genbukan have carried on their training in Japan directly under Tanemura Sensei. The teachers and students of the South African branch of the Genbukan owe an immense debt of gratitude to Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura.

 

In June 2009 both Sensei Terry Stewart and Sensei Clive Stewart did travel to Japan again for a months intensive training directly under Grandmaster Shoto Tanemura. Clive Stewart was tested for his Yon (4th) Dan in Ninpo and Ju-Jutsu in front of all of the Shihan Masters) and directly by the Grandmaster. The test was very long and extremely strict but he persevered and passed with high commendation. 

 

 

(Japan 2008, in front of Kami Dana Gokho Dojo black belt members and Soke, from right to left, Grandmaster / Soke Shoto Tanemura, Gokho Dojo Cho Clive Stewart )

 

(1998: Hobu Dojo Japan, from right to left. Honbu Dojo Shihan's Nicola D'Onfrio, Shihan James Wright, Shihan Khatoro Tanemura of Japan , Gokho Dojo Cho Clive Stewart)