FIFTY YEARS IN AIKIDO: Aikido, a Japanese self-defence and self-betterment discipline, has been central to aikido instructor Alan Wade’s life for the past 50 years. Pictures by Paul Rickard
WHEN a mate told a 20-something-year-old Alan Wade he was wasting his time at the pub and that he should try aikido, Alan’s first thought was that he had no idea how to fold paper into stars.
As he was to discover, aikido is a long way from origami. Often translated as “the way of unifying (with) life energy” or as “the way of harmonious spirit”, aikido is a synthesis of founder Morihei Ueshiba’s martial studies, philosophy and religious beliefs.
Now a sixth dan black belt, Alan’s 50th year in the martial art that uses an attacker’s energy to immobilise him or her with no injury, coincided with a recent seminar and grading held at the Gisborne dojo (Japanese martial arts training room).
At that seminar he was also announced as shihan, an honorific title for expert or senior instructors. Shihan can be translated as “master instructor”.
“That was quite an honour,” says Alan.
New Zealand has only two shihan in aikido.
Alan established the Gisborne Aikido Club in 1975, one year after he arrived in New Zealand from England. At the time there were no more than two or three aikido clubs in New Zealand. Alan looked for a space he could use as a dojo.
Under judo instructor, the late Dave King, the Gisborne Judo Club trained at a small dojo at the YMCA. The aikido club shared the space for a small number of members. As the club became better established Alan looked for a place the club could rent for itself.
The owner of what was once Incognito restaurant near the Peel Street-Childers Road corner, offered the use of a room upstairs.
A picture of an aikido practitioner throwing another can still be seen on the side of the building’s wall across the road from the old police station. Alan painted that image.
Signs of aikidoThe same image features on a sticker in the back window of his car. In fact, signs of aikido are everywhere at his home. Kanji, the vertical column of three Japanese ideograms that read aikido are inscribed on his letter box.
The word aikido is on his car’s number plate.
On a wall just inside the front door is a framed photograph of a Hong Kong aikido team.
Aikido is clearly central to Alan’s life.
When Incognito changed hands, the Victorian jailhouse across the road from Beacon Reserve became home to the club followed by new but temporary premises in Roebuck Road and then a large room above a bar in Peel Street.
The club now trains in an empty shop space behind The Gisborne Herald.
About 15 Gisborne Aikido Club members are dedicated practitioners.
Aikido has never been very big, says Alan.
“I think it’s still a little unknown.”
Alan’s first contact with aikido was in 1966.
In his youth he graduated from the long-standing English institution of youth clubs to pubs and clubs.
“I was having a drink in a pub with some mates when a friend came in. He said ‘You’re wasting your time here. You should be doing aikido. There’s a dojo next door’.”
When Alan joined the club he found the instructor was a beginner himself.
“He went from Leicester to Birmingham for lessons. He would come back and show us what he’d learned. I really took to aikido.”
About a year later a Japanese practitioner called Chiba arrived from Tokyo to establish an aikido school in England.
“We invited him up as often as we could. For two years he came every month to hold a seminar.”
Chiba could not speak English, however, and walked onto the dojo mat with a Japanese-English dictionary in hand.
Entry by invitationHe had been trained in aikido at a school where students gained entry by invitation. Live-in students trained eight hours a day from 6am for five years.
With no letter of invitation to join the school, however, Chiba sat on the steps. After three days, the school opened its doors to him.
About five years later he travelled to the UK where he was expected to stay for at least two years to establish an aikido organisation.
He set up dojos in London, Scotland and Ireland.
“He was such a strong personality, he held everything together,” says Alan.
“I have a lot of respect for the man. He was born 400 years too late. He would have made a great samurai.”
Alan describes aikido not as a sport but as a discipline.
“The original concept was that it was for the betterment of people. The founder trained in jujitsu, weaponry, swords and sticks, and other martial arts. He became so strong he was believed to be unbeatable.
“He became disillusioned and thought ‘all I’m doing is going round damaging people’. So he designed aikido.”
The non-aggressive martial art is also non-competitive. No tournaments are involved.
Techniques for the way of harmonious spirit consist of entering and turning movements that redirect the momentum of an opponent’s attack. A throw or joint lock terminates the technique.
“We take the energy of the attacker and turn it on themselves,” says Alan.
“The harder they come at you, the easier it is to do the technique. You know what you can do. You’re not trying to prove anything. The nature of the art is if there’s an attack, you’re not there. The occasions just don’t come up.”
Aikido is centred on a principle known as ki (or chi — as in tai chi — in Chinese martial arts).
Ki is generally described as life force and can be consciously developed as a tool through breath control and concentration.
In a martial arts showcase at the Gisborne YMCA many years ago Alan demonstrated the power of ki. He planted himself firmly on the floor with feet apart and invited a group of adults to push him backwards. They could not budge him.
“It’s your inner strength,” he says.
“We all have it. In aikido you learn co-ordination in mind and body. Ki is a main component of that. It feels good to use it because you’re nice and relaxed.
“It’s amazing what your body is capable of.”