Wellington in March will blossom with a number of sports and cultural events planned.
Now local martial arts expert Ron Goninan is set to bring a major national event to town as well.
“Wellington has a lot of potential,” Mr Goninan said.
“We have the Caves, the wonderful Vintage Fair, the Wellington Boot and now we have the Wellington Martial Arts Festival.”
The Festival is scheduled to run for two days, Saturday and Sunday March 10 and 11, at the Wellington Soldiers Memorial Club Auditorium as part of the up and coming March Mania in Wellington.
“A non-profit event here will be information tables hosted by the various schools in attendance, martial arts demonstrations and a series of martial arts workshops featuring guest instructors from as far as Sydney and Melbourne,” Mr Goninan said.
Any money raised will be given to a worthy charity, to be announced.
“Each of the guest instructors are giving up their time to promote the positive values and spirit of the martial arts,” Mr Goninan said.
“The aim behind the Festival is to show people that the martial art is more than just fighting, punching and kicking.
“It is a total way of making good people better.”
Organisation has only just begun and already Mr Goninan says that people are lining up to take part.
“We have Masters Wayne and Melissa Hanley from the Kokoro Ryu Bujutsukan school in Campbelltown who have kindly offered to demonstrate and teach various aspects of Japanese Jujutsu and Sword techniques, Chinese martial arts instructors Jon Dupre, Sergio Francesco (Sydney) and Jamie Close (Melbourne) of the Southland Xue Xiao School are also taking part,” he said.
“I’m waiting on confirmation from Grandmaster Anthony Kelly of Hung Kuen Armidale and Isshinryu Karate Instructors from the Entrance as we speak.
“On a local level, there is Kim Macrae of IKiFit and Subak Martial Arts from Dubbo, Kym Housden and her display team from Kaishin Taekwondo Dubbo, Geoff Ford from the Kumiai-Ryu Martial Arts School in Dubbo, and Wellington Tai Chi Instructor Michael Reece who will also soon be teaching from my own school.”
Mr Goninan said his own school of White Crane Gongfu will also be giving a demonstration of their own special life-protection methods, Chinese Weaponry and the little known art of seizing and throwing known as Qinna and Shuai Jiao.
For those into all things health and fitness, Mr Goninan said Brett Conn and his team from Market Fitness will be in attendance.
He was also waiting on confirmation from a good friend and student who may be giving a demonstration of the Chinese health and energy art of Qigong.
“All in all, it’s shaping up to be a great event for the local community and that’s really what we are all about- showing the local community the value of the positive,” Mr Goninan said.
For anyone interested in being a part of the festival, and have something positive to contribute, please get
in touch with Ron Goninan
via phone at 6845 2846 or email at baihe@whitecranegongfu.com
Email a friend