Senior Brown and Black Belt Gasshuku April 21
Recent Activities
Intermediate Gasshuku Live & Zoom
Once again, a great enjoyable event attended by restricted numbers Live in the Dojo and on Zoom – Nationally and Internationally. Congratulations to our new Blue and Brown Belts grading after the Gasshuku and especially to our new Junior Black Belts (16years old) Lean Immelman and Waldre Kotze from Paarl Dojo.
2021 IOGKFSA Instructor Gasshuku
Our Annual three day in house ‘Leadership Development‘ Gasshuku, just finished, helps to align our instructors and assistant instructors uniformly. This year it was held on Zoom and Live, adapting to the new reality. Zoom enabled instructors from remote areas to attend and was also big cost saver.
Attended by all seniors and assistant instructors of IOGKFSA, this Gasshuku is where we ‘Teach the Teachers How to Teach‘ and apart from technical, we also did some strategising and marketing workshop sessions.
2020 IOGKFSA National Black Belt Gasshuku
Our 2020 Black Belt Gasshuku was again a ‘first of a kind’ in the sense that it was presented on Zoom internationally and Live to a limited number of members in the Dojo. Supported by 22 counties, a big success!
The Gasshuku also featured our annual Senior Dan gradings, and the following members moved into the senior ranks: 5th Dan – Roy Gruer, Antonie Mans, Lenelle Foster and Karin Brockmand (Namibia) on Zoom; 4th Dan – Frans Lielieveld, Michèle Prins, Geoffrey Bester; 3rd Dan – Tomy Fickl, Jim Montrose. A big congratulations to these stalwarts!
New Grades, Instructors and Panel 
Announcement at Sayonara Party!
Regional Gasshuku 18, 19 September
IOGKFSA Zoom Senior Regional Gasshuku 18, 19 September
Again a great event with persons from 24 countries taking part in this exclusive Senior Brown and Black Belts event! Emphasis was on the basic fundamentals of Okinawan Goju Ryu and especially Kumite elements. The elements of combat was explained with a graphic presentation by Sensei Bakkies on the various Attack and Defence fundamentals to the Sandan and higher group
Intermediate Zoom Gasshuku
IOGKFSA Zoom Intermediate Gasshuku, 29 August 2020
Once again a great and enjoyable event focussing on the Intermediate level. Focus was on confirming the correct ‘way forward’, understanding essential Okinawan Goju Ryu fundamentals and their sub-content. Participants from 16 countries taking part with a large Black Belt contingent – up to 7th Dan -attending. Serious Karate Ka – always willing to learn! Watch a short clip on the event below:
SAGA Online Gasshuku!
With the Corona lockdown in March 2020, SAGA realised that technology was the obvious short term way to keep going. An alien concept for traditionalists, as Traditional Karate is between Teacher and Student in a personal environment in a Dojo, but extraordinary circumstances called for extraordinary methods!
A positive of the online option is there is no limit on who can take part and eventually members from 20 countries participated – from USA to Europe, UAE, India, Hong Kong, Australia and Singapore!
Replays of the sessions were done to accommodate members from 9 different time zones.
OKINAWA GISHIKI BUDOSAI 2019
In August 2019, a SAGA contingent attended the 40 Year commemoration of the founding of the IOGKF in 1979.
2019 IOGKF Budosia Gishiki 
Sensei Bakkies and Sensei Higaonna 
SAGA Group at Sayonara Party 
IOGKF Senior Dan Grading Announcements 
SAGA Group
SAGA NATIONAL BLACK BELT GASSSHUKU 2019
The annual SAGA Black Belt Gasshuku was held in Honbu Dojo on 1 – 2 November 2019. This event is only for Nidan and higher members where higher level input is provided. At the conclusion of the Gasshuku, senior Dan gradings were conducted which saw two new SAGA Godans – Chris Keet and Deon Claassen, plus Sam Ekandjo from Namibia, as well as eight new Yondans and four new Sandans!
Senior Grading Group 
Yondan+ Training Group 
Godan+ Training group 
Group Photo
Senior Brown and Black Belt Gasshuku August 2021
Here’s a short video to illustrate the Gasshuku!
Nidan Richard Kellond and new Shodans Simon Uys, Ivan Jansen van Vuuren, Johan Smit, Andrea Swart, Marthinus van Schalkwyk and Wessel Taljaard
The SAGA 70/50 Club!
SAGA has three members over 70 years old and 50+ years in Okinawan Goju Ryu Senseis Bakkies Laubscher, 9th Dan, Danie Steenkamp, 8th Dan and Francis Monyatso, 7th Dan!
