Big plans for Seido 50th anniversary
Sei Shihan Aaron Barber in the dojo. Photo: Stephen Stuart.
Nelson Seido Karate has been swamped with entries for its international tournament to mark 50 years of practising the martial arts.
More than 250 competitors from as far afield as London, New York, Poland and Australia will join locals in the youth, adult and masters divisions at the Nelson College for Girls gymnasium over Labour Weekend.
Kata, contact kumite and points sparring will all be contested.
“I am not surprised at the numbers. There are international titles at stake and it is also a mark of respect for my late father Eiko Hanshi Andy Barber who founded Nelson Seido Karate here,” tournament organiser Sei Shihan Aaron Barber says.
The Sixth Dan black belt can proudly look back on a sport that has grown significantly since his father moved from Christchurch to Nelson in 1972.
His dojo operates from behind a large church in Hardy St and a children’s class is in full swing when the Nelson Weekly drops in.
“It’s community-based. We have up to 70 children training but it’s not just for the young and fit. We have 70-year-olds here as well,” the head instructor declares.
Seido means sincere and its promoters say this form of karate helps nurture the mind, body and spirits. The broader profile of karate has probably been helped by the American television series Cobra Kai, which has stretched to six series. It’s a follow on from the original 1984 Karate Kid movie.
“I watched that as a kid and while Cobra Kai is certainly a little cheesy, if that makes people enthusiastic about starting martial arts then that’s fantastic,” Aaron enthuses.
As for the Labour Weekend extravaganza, preliminaries will start early on Saturday, 26 October, with finals the following day.
“Dad was such a passionate martial artist and he would be so happy that we are celebrating 50 years with international karate. We will wrap up the event seido time, which means it could be any time.”
Another big drawcard for the weekend will be the presence of New York-based Nidaime Nakamura whose father, Ninth Dan Grandmaster Tadashi Nakamura, launched Seido Karate in the United States in 1976.