February 2nd-3rd, 2008
Everyone gathers to welcome Homma Kancho.
After teaching at MSU IIT and the Illigan National City High School, we left to visit Malawi City. I first visited Malawi City in February 2007 and was looking forward to this return visit. During WWII, Malawi City was occupied by the Japanese military and support personnel who at the time made Malawi a peaceful and prosperous place to be. With the retreat of the Japanese at the end of WWII, large houses built for Japanese commanders and staff were abandoned. Many of them are still standing today. Old Japanese military bunkers are also still visible around the town.
I had come to Malawi City to visit Saidamen Ali who operates the small dojo in Malawi where Aikido has been practiced for the past year. Many villagers of Malawi are part of the MNLF, an independent resistance group that operates in the area. In 1996 a peace agreement was made between the MNLF and the Philippine government and despite occasional outbreaks, times has been peaceful in Malawi.
I have always maintained a politically neutral position with enables me to teach Aikido and promote communication wherever I am invited and welcomed. As the villagers gathered as I arrived, I could feel a difference in their manner from my first visit. This time everyone took turns shaking my hand and each one showed me his ID. This was a sign of trust from the Malawi people and I was honored. Every ID had MNLF stamped in bold which meant that all of them were soldiers of the MNLF.
Saidamin, a native of Malawi, graduated from the University with a degree in engineering but for a long period of time there was no work in his field in this area. Mindanao Aikido Nippon Kan Instructor Ava Yancho introduced Saidamin to the National power company in the area in which he found solid employment. I visited Saidamin on the jobsite where he worked with a crew of ten men under him. Because his current worksite is outside of Malawi, Saidamin returns home only on weekends. His salary per day is $4.50, which is a good wage in Malawi and enough to help support his family. One of Instructor Ava’s other assistants in Mindano, Benny, is currently teaching Aikido in a town about 7 hours outside of Illigan City.
A visit to meet Saidamin in Malawi
Homma Kancho, Saidamin, Ava.
As far back as WWII, Malawi has had a good relationship with Japan as the Japanese have brought prosperity and peace to their city. It saddens me that today problems created on the political world stage have affected even this far away city of Malawi. I was very happy that the people here have begun to trust me and were able to share with me the innocent goodness in their hearts. After only a short visit I had to bid farewell, promising to return again soon as Instructor Ava and I returned to Illigan City. With such a tight schedule on this trip there was not even enough time for Aikido practice, just time enough for everyone to gather together in a mutual show of respect.
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- Historical houses in Malawi.
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- Malawi shopping area.
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- Ten WWII Japanese Army Officer houses remain in Malawi.
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- Abandoned WWII Japanese bunker in Malawi.
(NOTICE: Through my teaching of Aikido and being a martial art instructor, I have built a special relationship and special trust with the people of Malawi. Only with this sense of mutual respect am I able to come to Malawi to visit and to teach. I do not recommend that foreign tourists or travelers come to Malawi just out of a sense of curiosity. It would show a lack respect for the local people and their customs to come without valid introduction and I would not recommend visiting under these circumstances).
Written by Gaku Homma, Nippon Kan Kancho
Nippon Kan General Headquarters