Shihan Moustache conducts week-long karate seminar in Mauritius |15 December 2022

Black belt grading at the Goodlands dojo

As part of his duties as the IKA technical director and continental chairman for Africa, Shihan Phillip Moustache, 7th dan black belt, usually conducts a yearly seminar for the Mauritius students, something which he has been doing for the past 30 years.

However, due to travel restrictions brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic, this had not been possible during the past three years. With the easing of restrictions, he went to Mauritius accompanied by Shihan Phillip Verghese 6th dan and Sensei Erna Athanasius 3rd dan, to conduct a week-long seminar for the IKA Kyokushin Ryu members from the 15 dojos spread across the island.

The training sessions were held at the main Goodlands dojo, Bois Pignolet dojo, Quatre Bornes dojo and the Fond Du Sac dojo. He also visited and taught at the newly opened dojo at Nouvelle France.

The students were taught numerous new techniques and brought up to date with latest developments as their training had been severely affected during the past three years. Two national grading sessions were held with Shihan Verghese as the grading officer. The first grading was for the blue and yellow belts candidates whereas the second was for green and brown belt candidates. The second grading which lasted for 4 hours 45 minutes, saw three students promoted to 2nd dan (Nidan), two promoted to 3rd dan (Sandan) and three promoted to 4th dan (Yondan) black belt.  

The grading results were announced during the final training session held on Sunday and which saw students from all the dojos present. The event was also attended by Teeluck Avinash, Minister for Arts, Culture and National Heritage, and Hon. Ramdhany, parliamentary member for the No. 6 constituency. During a short speech, Minster Avinash commended Shihan Moustache for his unwavering efforts to train the Mauritian students during the past 30 years, adding he hopes Shihan Moustache continues to do so in the future.

The next big event on the IKA calendar is the World Open Tournament to be held in November 20024 in Singapore.

Contributed