Leon
2012-05-18

отзыв
У вас есть несколько статей по интересующей меня теме, не подскажите как можно связаться с их авторами?

Julian Columbus
2012-04-21

The passing of a good man

Acknowledging Mr Henk Fekkes, probably the south islands most senior Jujutsu / Judo man, who emigrated out to NZ from Holland in the 1960's and brought with him a wealth of budo knowledge. He passed away this week after a period of illness in Christchurch New Zealand. Rest in peace - be assured that your life lessons have not fallen on deaf ears. We wish his family all the best during this sad time.

Julian Columbus
2011-10-25

Jujutsu grading - another shodan

Congratulations to Matiu Thoms for grading to shodan first dan black belt recently in Jujutsu & unarmed combat.

He has joined a small group of people dedicated to training hard & with honesty over a 6-7 year period in multiple disciplines.

Well done and keep up the good work.

Julian Columbus

Menkyo Kaiden

Guest
2011-07-23

open new school
would love it if you guys opened a club in Rangiora plenty of empty halls out this way, there is heaps of interest out here for Jujutsu

Marco
2011-04-15

Hello
Hey wow thats a great page here

greetings from germany to new zealand :)

look my page

Guest
2011-02-21

Shihan John Bonniface Martial career info - John's cousin
Please contact Ren Sadlier on fb. Happy to help. 

Guest
2010-10-06

ex martial arts dewd

Hi all

I was just surfing the net and came across your site and the visitor comments on John Bonniface, so thought i'd add my two bobs worth!

I used to live in ChCh years ago and in the early 70's I was at Papanui High school. Hank Fekkes was my Physical ed teacher and I remember the awe which surronded him in regards to his martial arts prowess. Rumour had it that 5 students who were graduating decided on their last PE session to throw hank in the school pool for a prank, apparently they all ended up in the pool with Hank unfazed and smiling without even raising a sweat.

Anyway I got on pretty well with Hank who I think also did some training after school with the high school judo king ( Graeme Spinks).

It was sometime during that period and without knowing of any connection that I stumbled across and joined the Goju Ryu school run by John Bonniface at the YMCA. Later it was obvious that Hank and John knew each other and I believe at the time they were the highest ranked Ju Jutsu exponents in NZ (although I am only going off memory).

I trained with John in Goju Ryu and Judo, 6 days a week for a couple of years but he was exceptionally hard (due to the extreme training regime he had in Japan) and held few gradings but many exceptionally hard classes. I remember going on winter runs with the whole class down past the museum and every hundred meters we would stop and do 50 press ups, heaven help those that couldnt keep up and he would also come round and inspect your knuckles, no cuts on them meant 50 more! My knuckles are still calloused years later!

John went to Japan several times as I recall usually to get another grading as there was noone in NZ high enough to do it. I also remember that he brought a visitor back occasionally so we had the interesting experience of training with tradditionally trained Japanese.

I trained with Stan who as I recall worked like a trojan and was occasionally identified to us by John as the example to follow. I think Stan was green belt then. The Shehan was a Maori guy, John Shortland, and all the guys at green, brown and black level were seriously good, they had to be for John to grade them there, when it came to John there were no punches pulled (pardon the Pun).

 John was a personal friend and I remember being in awe when I first saw his office and realised how many Dan he had in all the different arts. I havent lived in NZ for years and had no contact with anyone from martial arts so it was a shock to learn John passed away all those years ago!

I went on to boxing at crichton cobbers and a little Aikido before moving overseas. I have since done a little more Aikido and a few years of ninjutsu but that is more than 10 years ago now and I couldnt find the time now to put into martial arts training even if I wanted.

Anyway I just thought i'd add to the Bonniface legend, because thats how I remember the most capable martial artist that I ever met.

nikolaypet
2010-06-23

dom2
Cool site, thx for your work!

alexpimer
2010-05-16

News
Very cool site. Keep up the great work!

Guest
2010-02-15

John Bonniface
Hi all, I hope you do not find this instrusive, but I have been reading blogs on here about John.  I am Johns youngest cousin, his Father and mine were brothers. Many good times spent with John when we were really young, and then when I moved to Christchurch fresh out of school - off to the big city!    I would come to the dojo sometimes as John tried to encourage me I guess, but I was young and partying hard at the time .  I am putting together family information for my own interest, and wonder if you could point me to a person or persons who would have information about Johns years in marital arts, his accomplishments, his travels , his acquaintances ( do any of you  remember Taka Nakajima??) . John was a bit of an inspiration to me as a young woman, and I think of him often.  I would just like to get something down on paper about him - my own interest only. Would really appreciate any information.  Thanks.