Ohana Self Defense Instititue

Saturday morning: I woke up with some sort of peace that I didn’t understand. I took mason to met up with cliff and a few others. I sat there and continue to just reflect on all that’s going around.
I watched and studied the guys practice and saw that the spirit of professor will always be present. It was a calming feeling. I left and went to our lunch spot. That’s when it hit and hit hard. Each of you are going through this with us. We bond together for comfort. We break bread as one. Each of you have helped form the Thing we call OHANA! And thank you. The turn out was fantastic. You all made it what it is! Thank you for showing up and being present. Thank you for taking the time to celebrate each other, professor and our 10 years as one!
I could go on and on but I struggle finding the words to explain the set of emotions that I or others had. The out pouring of joy and happiness, good times, memories, love that Professor has instilled and set the foundation of. So I end this with a thank you and forever grateful for each and everyone of you. Professor Baba Darrell Sarjeant would be proud to see this continue . Please continue to post pictures as I did not get many)

Hello OHANA! I wanted to reach out and let you know we have come up with a plan.
We will be doing our celebration of our 10 year in honor of professor on Saturday March 26th at 3pm.
We will be doing dinner at Pho Ever on Nw expressway and Rockwell (address is listed below)
This will give us time to break bread and enjoy time with one another. We are OHANA we stand strong!
If you plan on attending please let us know. If you aren’t sure just show up, there is plenty of room for all of us!
Can’t wait to see each of you!

Happy Birthday in the Ancestral Realm Professor

( Please keep Sayfia and the family in your prayers)

Our hearts go out to the family of Sensei Syed Abdullah, who made his transition to the realm of the Ancestors this morning

Professor Darrell Sarjeant and I had the opportunity to spend some time with Sensei Syed a few years back in Detroit at Sensei Joe Dubose school.

Sensei Syed was a close friend of Dr Moses Powell. Upon learning that we were in town he caught a Cab to the Seminar. He shared some of the things taught to him by Dr.Moses Powell.

Sensei Syed was invited to and did sit in a place of honor on the mat. He and I would reach out to one another from time to time.

He was truly a gentle soul , and a man of faith

We pray that he be at perfect peace in the realm of the Ancestors

Professor Jason

We give honor today to Surpreme GM Dr.Moses Powell on his Birthday.

He is depicted on our Deibisu Ryu Ju Jutsu patch. Doing his famous one finger roll out that was first performed at the 1965 worlds fair in New York.

He was one of Professor Darrell Sarjeant’s instructors and arguably one of the best Martial artist of the 20th Century.

We pray that he be at perfect peace in the Realm of the Ancestors

Professor Jason

Tonight after two weeks of testing we finally let Senpai Melvin in on the secret about how hard his training has been the last two weeks.

Senpai Melvin started his martial arts journey over 20 years ago with Shihan Don Underwood. A little over four years he walked into our Dojo stating “ I feel like this is a huge void that is missing in my life” Senpai Melvin had already earned his purple belt under Shihan Don Underwood.

Knowing Shihan Underwood personally and knowing that he has been a member of USA Karate team under the AKJU umbrella and also with the AAU. Mr Davis was given the option to wear his purple belt that he had already earned until he had actually achieved that Kyu in our system.

Senpai Melvin insisted on starting from White belt and working through the ranks. Senpai Melvin jas since started attending private Jūdō classes with myself and my Jūdō instructor. Senpai has earned his green belt in Jūdō, and prior to COVID-19 Senpai Melvin was assisting in teaching our children’s Jūdō classes.

Senpai is extremely Dedicated to our Dojo. He regularly spends 4-5 nights a week on the floor training, and then goes home and studies his class notes and randomly picks two techniques to work on each night.

Senpai has also shared the floor with Members of our Akron Ohio VEE JITSU OHANA.

On this night we were blessed to have Shihan Don Underwood make the two hour drive to not only witness but also give his blessings on Senpai Melvin being raised to Black Belt.

Shihan Underwood was extremely pleased with our system. He stated that our belt Ceremony was the best he’d seen in his 50+ years of martial arts.

“ It is expected that the above named student will continue to develop Physically, Mentally,Emotionally and Spiritually through his studies of the Martial studies.

We began this journey in 2012 shortly after I became inheritor of Davis Jiu Jitsu and began our Deibisu Ryu Jujutsu.

Now I look almost 12 years later and we are now represented by both Deibisu Ryu black belts in the legacy of Professor Florendo Visitacion, Dr Moses Powell, Soke Billy Davis, Soke Haisan Kaleak, and Shidoshi Glenn Perry.

I also now see black belts to represent our Goshin Do Kempo, Hawaiian/Chinese/Filipino Kenpo Kuntao, and Go Kempo Jitsu my teachers Kancho Ralph Gastiaburo, Professor John Bain, Hanshi Rico Guy, and the recognition of GM Mark Tracy.

Today was monumental for our systems. Safiya Armstrong was with us in spirit and I’m grateful that she signed everyone’s certificate. She is and will always be Black Belt #1 and holds the Inheritor certificate taking her outside the ranking system signed by the late Hanshi Rico Guy, Soke Haisan Kaleak, Prof David Herbert, and Prof John Wheaton all when she was only 12 years old! Than she legitimately EARNED her black belt.

So now we enter a new generation coming up hopefully ready to one day take the mantle of leadership.

Congratulations to all who were elevated and recognition their hard work, dedication, and loyalty to our arts, elders, and Ancestors.

We soon say farewell to Suchitra as she goes off to college! I’m extremely proud of her and all she’s accomplished. We will miss her here but thank the Creator and Ancestors for her wide open future.

Blessings to you all and thank you all on behalf of ALL of my teachers.

Blessings

Happy Birthday to Both Grand Professor Vee and Grandmaster Billy Davis.

May they both be at perfect peace in the realm of the Ancestors.