AIKI WAGO
The history
AIKI WAGO means 'Harmonious and Peaceful Relationship in AIKIDO'.
Formerly, the friendship gathering of Aikido practitioners (from any styles of Aikido) had no name and was just for 'Aikido yujo renshu' (practicing Aikido together in a friendship atmosphere, sharing waza and discussing about the difficulties and hidden risks in the traditional teaching method of Aikido).
Later, the chief of the gathering (Huang sensei) proposed the name 'AIKI WAGO' (which was inspired by the 2nd Aiki Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba's message to him).
The founder
The founder of AIKI WAGO friendship training is Chief He-xiang HUANG, who was born on Dec. 27, 1948, in South East Asia. Now some people call him Chief Prawira, as well.
When he was young, before practicing Aikido, he had practiced several martial-arts (hard and gentle kungfu, silat, and boxing). It was not the waza of Aikido he was interested in when he started his Aikido, but the spirit 'love and harmony' that Aikido Kaisho Ueshiba Morihei tried to put in his martial-art.
In Aikido, he practiced several styles of Aikido and had been appointed as an Aikido Area Representative (for Aikido World Headquarters, Tokyo). Up to now he has been teaching Aikido for around 35 years.
Beside AIKI WAGO, based on his research on behavior of water, the effects of will, relaxation, and emotion, also the use of psychology, physiology, and physics, Chief HUANG has introduced a multi-purpose exercise called BOW (Behavior Of Water / Sui I Kexue Kungfu) which training turns out to be very useful for the aircrew to handle a plane hijacker or another trouble maker - or for a woman to overcome a violence on the street / bus / train (because it is easy and simple, and almost needs no room to apply it, nor great energy).
If you want to know BOW further, you may visit its pictorial site for aircrew and ladies.
The motto
From the springs of goodwill,
flowing together in honor, love, and harmony
to the sea of good achievement.
The mission
- Growing better relationship among the Aikido practitioners (of any Aikido styles)
- Introducing the way of applying 'love and harmony' (the moral of Aikido) in Aikido waza, instead of applying 'atemi'
- Introducing the realistic and rational method of learning Aikido (as a physical and moral exercise rather than a work of art - in which 'uke' does not act free and has to harmonize himself with nage's waza - or a violent martial art)
The characteristics
- Use no mats, nor negative thinking (a fatal blow / 'atemi')
- Face a realistic situation
- Use rational / scientific movement
- Really based on 'love and harmony' moral and the meaning of the word 'ai ki do'
The program / curriculum
- For 'Shoshinsha' (the beginner)
- low 'ukemi'
- 'ki no nagare'
- 'aiki no nagare'
- several waza (the chance for 'nage' to know the form of the waza)
- For 'Kyudosha' - Shokyu (the first stage member)
- 'jo suburi'
- 'ki no nagare'
- 'aiki no nagare'
- several waza (the chance for 'nage' to face an unexpected fast attack)
- For 'Kyudosha' - Chukyu (the second stage member)
- 'jo suburi' and 'jo kata'
- 'ki no nagare'
- 'aiki no nagare'
- repeated waza (the chance for 'nage' to face an unexpected strong / fast counter)
- 'futari gake'
- 'futari kogeki'
- For 'Kyudosha' - Jokyu (the third stage member)
- 'ki no nagare'
- 'aiki no nagare'
- 'how to overcome an attack with a jo'
- 'how to overcome an attack with a bokken'
- 'taninzu kogeki'
- For 'Tankyusha' (the coach member - selftaught training)
- 'ki no nagare'
- 'aiki no nagare'
- 'taninzu kogeki'
- situation when 'love' is not the answer
- understanding the deep meaning of AI KI DO
The 'Love and Harmony in Aikido' team-work competition
This suggested team-work competition is different from 'embukai', 'randori competition', or 'taigi competition' because although there are winners, there are no personal or group winners.
This kind of competition will welcome any Aikido style team-works (not personal or group applicants) because it has nothing to do with the differences in training method or types of waza they practice. Also, this competition can be held by any Aikido style / organization who appreciates its intentions (for the glory of Aikido) and its rules.
The intentions of this team-work competition are:
- to create a better harmonious relationship (among Aikido organizations / practitioners)
- to understand personal real progress / ability
- to build a capable team-work
The types of competition:
- The work of Aikido waza (almost like a waza demonstration)
- Applying rational waza in realistic situation (almost like facing violence on the street, in a pub, etc.)
The points in this competition are from:
- 'Love and Harmony' aspects
- 'Skill and Risk' aspects
- 'Reality and Rational' aspects