Report from the 2th International TaiKi summer Gasshuku in Gothenborg, Sweden august 2007
T.E.F. (TaiKi European Federation )

Our 2th TaiKi gasshuku was held from friday august the 24th until monday afternoon the 27th and took place at a very nice and natural site next to a beautiful lake, half an hour away from Gothenborg and a 30km from Gothenburg’s airport Ravlanda.

As we knew from last year how nice this trainings side in Lygnared was situated, many Taiki kenpoka already arrived one day before, to enjoy the nice Swedish atmosphere, the serenity and calmness.
There were a sixty participants including 7 teaching sensei’s as: Jeanluc Lessueur TaiKi Kyoshi from Orgeval France, Jacques Legree TaiKi Renshi from Boulogne France…and from Holland 3 TaiKi graded Renshi: Bert de Waart, Wiert Postema and Hans Bakker and of course the initiators Marshall McDonagh and Jan Kallenbach, both TaiKi Kyoshi teachers.

The Dutch Taiki members formed with 28 people the biggest group, with a good second place by the Swedish team of Stockholm and Gothenborg and a good third place by the French kenpoka. The gashuku-language was English and the communication went well.

We had invited Takagi sensei from J apan and at first he agreed to come, but when I visited him later in Japan I understood the Japanese people have no freetime in august.

All mentioned teachers each took a half day for teaching…so the students could enjoy seven teachers…all with their experiences and their focus on TaiKi budo.

In the evening we had lectures about several items. One was given by a team of three teachers from the University of Phys. Education (ALO) from Amsterdam…
the next evening we witnessed an interesting lecture by Frank Heckman about his experiences in coaching Olympic Athletes based on his book ‘the Voyage of the Hero’…and one evening sensei Jan gave his idea’s about the ‘System of TaiKi budo’ and called it: ‘we are no bulls, we are martial artists!’…
sensei Marshall at the last evening gave his knowledge about the methodology of our TaiKi system.
Sensei Marshall had arranged a catering-service, that perfectly knew well budoka in training, need a good meal and with the help of the campingside-owner Stephan, who served breakfast, drinks and canoe’s…and a good program our time went fast.

We all were lodged in typical Swedish wooden log-cabins and although there was a nice sauna for those who liked it after training, certain kenpoka preferred more freshness and went swimming (naked) in the fresh and cool Swedish lake.

With such a program, such nice possibilities and such inspiring teachers and students those four days went too quick again.
Our respect and thanks go to sensei Marshall and his Seniors Ake and Andre, as well to the Swedish Taiki kenpo members who made the organisation go fluently.
Big Thanks though from all of us!

Take notice:
Next year the gasshuku will be held at the same location again, but one week earlier…. from friday morning 8th until sunday evening the 10th of august 2008.
See you there!

Jan Kallenbach


Mr President Europe Sensei Kallenbach


Board meeting Taikiken European Federation 2007


Everybody has to pay


Everybody has to pay someday


Hans and Pascal in combat


Sensei Jeanluc Lessueur


Sensei Wiert

Sensei Jaques Legree


Sensei Jaques in action


Sensei Bert de Waart and Sensei Wiert Postema

Sensei Marshall


In perfekt balance


Sensei Marshall McDonagh


Training by the sea


Sjöutsikt


Victor och Vidar


Staffan


Swedish team and Hans Sensei


2nd International Taikiken Gashuku August 2007


The Beach