Fighters receive 1st Dan in weapons
“To get a 1st Dan in weapons you have to master seven traditional kobudo weapons,” explained Hans Haupt, chief instructor.
Benoni Honbu Dojo KobuJitsu members have recently achieved their 1st Dan in weapons.
Instructor hanshi Hans Haupt (9th Dan), who lived and studied in Japan for two years, brought this art to South Africa.
“To get a 1st Dan in weapons you have to master seven traditional kobudo weapons,” explained Haupt.
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“Each weapon takes six months of training to master, except for the sword, which takes one year of training.”
The weapons are:
• Kon (Bo): stick
• Tonfa: police baton
• Nunchaku: two short sticks attached by a rope
• Tekko: knuckle duster
• Kamma: sickle (like other farming tools, the sickle can be used as an improvised bladed weapon)
• Sai: short forked spear
• Katana: Japanese sword
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Each weapon adds to your ability of:
• Basics with ippon kumite (attack and defence).
• Kata (a Japanese word meaning ‘form’, referring to a detailed choreographed pattern of martial arts movements made to be practised alone, and also within groups and in unison when training).
• Fighting form (10 moves in a pre-determined fighting sequence against a partner).
• Happo doza (sequence of eight directional moves – each move different).
“We congratulate them on their fine achievement,” said Haupt.
