Humbleness aside, the past year was one of the most successful in the history of Bujinkan Macedonia, and also of the Organization dedicated to the study of classical Japanese martial arts „Taiyou e no Michi“. The main highlight was that several of the younger students „surfaced“ with their dedication and self-sacrifice, and slowly, but steadily are making a place for themselves in our dojo.
Let’s begin from the international seminars. In April we organized a multiple day seminar for Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu Bujutsu, under the guidance of our mentor for the oldest Japanese martial art school, shidosha Erik Louw. He was accompanied by six of his older students. Among them, we had guests from Greece and Albania, that for the first time had the opportunity to get acquainted with this beautiful art.
Regarding the domestic seminars, we had plenty this year. We had a total of six intensive Hombu dojo seminars, as well as seven successfully held outdoor seminars. In the dojo of Bujinkan Macedonia in Skopje, we held six which sums the number to a total of 19 seminars, at which the teacher Igor Dovezenski selflessly transmitted his knowledge to the members of our Organization.
As more characteristic events for 2014, we will mention: the traditional seminar „Kenjutsu under the stars of Lipac“, where the members of the dojo practiced the sword-fighting school „Ono ha Itto ryu – Takeda den“ for two days under the top of the mythical mountain Lipac and slept in the chambers of the beautiful Beljakovski Monastery. Afterwards, we have to mention the new event knows as „Life in the Wilderness“, that this year was organized for the first time and that left quite the impression on the participants. Also, we have the „Self-defense Workshop for Women“, that is traditionally held every year in October and is meant for the members of the gentler sex. And at the end, we would mention the greatest of all events, and that is the nine-day „Summer Ninja Camp“.
In our Daito ryu Aikibudo dojo, in 2014, three intensive seminars for Aikijujutsu were organized. One of them were organized in the Hombu Dojo of „Taiyou e no Michi“, and the other two in the dojo in Skopje. It is worth mentioning that the last intensive seminar lasted six days. We already arranged a visit by our teacher Antonino Cherta for spring, next year.
We will also remember this year by the new shidoshi ho (younger instructor) in Bujinkan Macedonia – our long-term member Zoran Todorovski successfully achieved a master degree shodan (first dan), and shidoshi Igor Dovezenski wrote and published the first book in Macedonia dedicated to the classical Japanese martial arts, titled „Conversations with the students“.
You can get the book in kupikniga.mk
In case we need to point out the most important event this year, that definitely be the journey teacher Igor Dovezenski made to Japan. In order to avoid repeating ourselves, more information about it can be found —-> here
Regarding media attention, this year we showed up in several mediums „with soul“, as Igor Dovezenski calls the „small“ magazines and portals. We will mention the interviews given for „Tea Moderna“, afterwards for the rubric „BookBox“ on off.net.mk, as well as the interview given to the business portal bi.mk.
On the other side of the story, we rejected collaborating with all of the big and mass media machines, that aggressively and vulgarly broadcast to the Macedonian public pathetic TV and pap-entertainment shows purposely produced in the neighboring countries, while damaging the Macedonian culture and tradition.
At the end, we would like to congratulate all of our membership for showing excellent understanding rewarded by a higher degree at the testing two days ago. We are especially proud of our members that got acknowledgements for their effort. During the whole year, Todor A. and Kristijan M. didn’t miss any regular classes held in our dojo, and Taki G. had only one absence.
The theme for 2015 in Bujinkan Macedonia is going to be „Jissen Gata“.
We wish all of our members even greater success in the following year.
Ninpo Ikkan!