hombu instructors
Peter Brandon Hanshi, Chief Instructor
Peter Brandon Hanshi is a visionary and pioneer that has catapulted Africa into becoming one of the most formidable continents in the world in the art of Gojukai. He has worked loyally and passionately alongside the Yamaguchi Family for the past 35 years and was appointed President for Africa by our founder father Grand Master Gogen Yamaguchi 26 years ago.
Peter Brandon Hanshi built Gojukai on an idea of true belonging brought to reality by instilling the values a true hierarchy. Peter Brandon Hanshi stands at the top of five generations of students. He understands the vital importance of our history deeply rooted from the olden days in Japan, ‘life gives us back what we put in’, and a true example of this universal truth is South Africa’s realisation to have been able to stage the most significant World Championship ever held. Peter Brandon Hanshi believes that the next 100 years will be as prosperous and that our President Saiko Shihan and his son will propel Gojukai into the future with continuous learning. The legend of Yamaguchi must live on.
Frank Brandon - Western Province Head
I began my karate career in 1975 at the age of 4 and have been fortunate to learn from a number of wise teachers who have influenced my life.
My first teacher was my father - Hanshi Peter Brandon. He is a visionary man whose mission is to spread Goju Kai karate in its traditional form adhering to the original Japanese precepts, inspiring pride, honour and respect in the students he teaches. His primary focus has always been the under-privileged communities and he began teaching in the townships at a time when he was required to have a pass to enter these areas.
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Craig Kansley
I started karate in 1977 at a small scout hall in Pinelands, unaware that 13 years later, I would be starting my career as an instructor in the very same hall.
I have many fond memories of my years studying under my teacher Peter Brandon Hanshi as a junior karateka, but none stand out more than the times Peter Shihan used to take Frank and I with him to the township dojos where we would train with the students and visit their homes after training. I was amazed at how dedicated they were and how grateful they were to be able to train - even in the appalling conditions that surround them. Seeing what confidence and self belief karate gave these people made me understand what a wonderful art Goju Kai is.
At the age of 9, Peter Shihan took Frank and I, along with other students of SA Goju Kai to Japan to train with Kaiso Gogen Yamaguchi and his son Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi. This was my first visit to Japan, a trip that would be repeated several times in years to come.
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Anton Dorman
Sensei Anton Dorman has been training with Goju-Kai Karate under the instruction of Shihan Peter and Sensei Frank Brandon for over twenty five years. He is a fifth Dan Japanese graded black belt and assists to teach at the Mowbray hombu dojo. He also trains at the hombu dojo in Mowbray.
On a competitive level Sensei Anton represented the Provincial All Styles Karate and Boland All Styles Karate team for several years and was selected for, and competed for the National All Styles Proteas Karate team. He has also previously won the Champion of Champions title at the SA Goju-Kai National Championships. At the World Goju-Kai Championships in Australia (2001) he won the silver medal in his respective Kumite weight division. He has furthermore won several gold medals in National championships for Kumite and Bunkai and he subsequently represented South Africa Goju-Kai in the World Championships in Rotterdam 2005, taking part in the team event as well.
"My main reason for starting the art of Goju-Kai Karate (apart from self –defence) was to achieve self-development-discipline of the body and mind. Karate teaches the maxims/aspects of courtesy, etiquette, control and most importantly to me, respect. Through the art of Goju-Kai Karate you cultivate friendship and understanding of members/friends from different cultural backgrounds/socio-economic groups and we are all united by something, which words can’t fully explain. My message to fellow Karateka is to strive to live to these maxims and follow the traditional art of Goju.It is through the discovery of you and pushing your own limits that you can help and discover/respect others and that which is true to yourself."
Emmanuel Dyantjies
Emmanuel Dyantyi is my name. I started karate 28 years ago under the instruction of Patrick Plum. I fell in love with karate. Then I was introduced to provincial karate through Hanshi Peter Brandon and met Sensei Frank Brandon and Sensei Craig Kansley. They would go and train in the townships with Peter Hanshi. As young boys we did not know what apartheid was. When I was in my teens it became clear to me that there was difference between white people and black people, but did not feel that because Peter Hanshi did not allow such practices within Goju Kai.
I grew up to be a fine Karate Competitor. Patrick Plum and Hanshi Brandon were on my side, and we were winners. I fought at a national level throughout the country, within Goju Kai karate and All Style karate. Karate became the centre of my life. We travelled abroad and in Africa. I am a Gold medallist of yester years.
In 1995 I took on a leadership role because my Sensei became busy with other things. At the time there were only three karate dojos in the township. Today, I command 10 dojos with potential to reach other areas. I have put my life into karate.
There are lots of children that need to be saved from bad influences such as drugs, alcohol abuse and criminal activities. They come from all street corners in the townships, hence the birth of Inter-Township School of Karate, under the leadership of African Worriers of Light. The Inter- Township School of Karate is not base on the individual enrichment, but on all children getting the chance to live a clean life style. By using karate as a disciplinary sport we can achieve this if we stay focused on the job at hand. This year, 2009, I am training for my Godan at Hombu Dojo. With the help from Sensei Frank Brandon I will pass this grading.
I am looking forward to building a bigger and better Goju Kai in South Africa.
Glen Fookwe
In 1996 after two of my friends had a few private lessons with Sensei Frank, they convinced me to join. I had my first private class a few days later at 9 o clock in the evening and finished at about half past ten! From that moment I was hooked. A couple of months later, for various reasons my friends decided not to carry on with karate, but I was sure that I had found the best thing for me.
Over the next few years I trained hard with my instructor, Frank Brandon Sensei, and I trained with a lot of really good karate people. In 2000, I was invited to grade for my Shodan at a seminar in Margate, where I met Saiko Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi and Masatoshi Yamaguchi Shihan for the first time. The seminar was a great experience learning from two great masters, and grading to shodan was an honour (even with a cracked rib!).
Soon after that, I began assisting Frank Sensei in the dojo with the junior children.
In 1999 I was invited to begin sea training with the seniors which we still practice today, once a week. Sea training has become such a big part of my life, as a way to centre myself, calm my mind down and prepare me for another week.
In 2006, I was bestowed a great honour, by being able to travel to Japan for the first time, with Frank Sensei and Craig Sensei, and being invited to grade to Sandan. The trip was an amazing experience, being able to train with Tsukii Shihan when we first arrived, to grading in front of Saiko Shihan, Kikuchi Shihan, Peter Shihan and Masatoshi Shihan at Kishima Jimbuden. It was a trip I’ll never forget, and hopefully be able to make again.
As I said in the beginning, I was sure that I had found the best thing for me, this still holds true, but in much more ways than I could have imagined. Karate has given me belief in myself, self-confidence, respect for all people. These things should be things learnt from all martial arts schools, but sadly often aren’t. I can attribute the teachings of these aspects to the dedication of Frank Sensei and Craig Sensei (under Peter Shihan) to keeping us as close as possible to the tradition of Goju in its oldest and purest form.
Robert Dekenah
I started training with Sensei Frank Brandon at the Hombu Dojo in Mowbray, Cape Town in 1995. I was dragged there by a friend who wanted to try Karate and had 'heard' about the Hombu Dojo and Sensei Frank Brandon. I personally held Karate in very low regard at the time, having had an unpleasant experience with the art at an earlier age, which had driven me from it for, I thought, life.
I had pursued other avenues, the longest standing being Wushu (Kung Fu) which I studied intensively for three years, during which time I believed I had become something of a tough guy and gained an understanding of martial arts. This miss-held belief was dispelled within minutes...
The first class i took with Sensei Frank is still something of a blur, as is much of the first three months training, which consisted of intense physical fitness training, conditioning and stretching and not much (or so i believed) in the way of teaching. I do not know when it first became clear to me how important this early training was in my development, but i know without a shadow of a doubt, that without this intense training, i would never have developed the will, determination and ability to progress this far in this unbelievable art. The knowledge that you can do far more than you think physically, is empowering mentally. To push yourself beyond your limits again and again, helps you realise that the impossible may not actually be impossible.
Believe me when I say that what you know now in Karate is nothing to what you will know next year, or the year after, or the year after. More importantly, what you know, or think you know, is nothing compared to what you become, or the strength, confidence and self belief you will find in yourself the longer you continue your journey through Goju. The only true regret I have in my life is that I did not find my way to Goju Kai, the Hombu Dojo and Sensei Frank Brandon earlier in my life. The one thing I am truly grateful for, is that I did find my way to Goju Kai. Without it, I truly believe, I would not be alive today and I certainly would not have acheived even half of what i have in my personal life.
The study of Goju Ryu through Goju Kai and the Hombu Dojo and all it's instructors is LIFE CHANGING. Never doubt that you will be better for having been part of it, even if only for a day. Never question that what you are doing has a purpose, as difficult as it may seem at times, there is always a reason, even if it is not clear at the time.
I am currently living and working in the United Kingdom but visit South Africa and The Hombu Dojo twice a year, every year, to spend time training and teaching there. This Art. this Life. Goju Kai Karate Do. This is who i am.