Benjamin G. Galarpe (US-Veteran, Ret) is considered to be the father of Aikido in the Philippines. He began training in 1957 in Guam under Harry S. Ito. Four years later he earned his

Shodan (rank) , literally meaning "beginning degree," is the lowest black belt rank in Japanese martial artsAikikai Hombu Dojo to spread and propagate Aikido in the Philippines. Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, promoted him to the degree of

Nidan Nidan (sometimes known as Midan or Idan) was a Welsh priest and, according to some sources, a bishop, in the 6th and 7th centuries. He is now commemorated as a saint. He was the confessor for the monastery headed by St Seiriol at Penmon, and ...

after advanced training in the World Aikido Hombu in Sanjukuku, Tokyo,

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

. While teaching in the Philippines, he held exhibitions in Bicol, Pampanga, Baguio, Olongapo City,

Clark Air Base Clark Air Base is a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island in the Philippines, located west of Angeles City, about northwest of Metro Manila. Clark Air Base was previously a United States military facility, operated by the U.S. Air Forc ...

in Angeles City, Cebu City, Batangas City, and other places within the Philippines. Benjamin Galarpe's students, namely Chan Hok-seng, Ernesto Talag, Max Tian and Manuel "Omar" Camar, became the prime movers of the Aikido Movement in the Philippines. In 1963, Benjamin began teaching Aikido in San Andres, Bukid, Malate, Philippines. Monching J. Gavileño, later to found the ''Aikido Association of the Philippines'' (AAP), became his first student. The school later moved to Avenida Rizal, Philippines and finally settled in Quiapo located within Metro Manila, Philippines. the school was known as the ''Manila Aikikai'' and was under the supervision of Manuel "Omar" Camar. In 1965 Koichi Tohei, the chief instructor of Aikido Hombu in the World Aikido Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan visited the Aikido schools in Manila, Philippines and held Aikido exhibitions along with Benjamin Galarpe throughout the Philippines. Later that year, Koichi Tohei went on to promote Benjamin Galarpe to the rank of Sandan. The schism between

Aikikai The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai#Aikikai Foundation, Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Aikikai#Doshu, Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally thr ...

dōshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba and the head master Koichi Tohei in the early 1970s pressured Galarpe to take sides and choose his loyalty between the Aikikai and Koichi Tohei's Ki Society. In the end, Galarpe chose Koichi Tohei and joined Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido. The now orphaned Manila Aikido Club, which Galarpe founded for the Aikikai, was left in the hands of his student Manuel "Omar" Camar. As far as he was concerned, Galarpe's decision to ally himself with Tohei was his personal choice and was not supposed to involve any of his students nor the Manila Aikido Club. However, three of his students, Ernesto Talag of Quezon City, Chan Hok-seng of Pampanga and

Max Tian Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ( ...

of Cebu, did decide to follow Galarpe's example and remain loyal to Koichi Tohei. Ernesto Talag joined Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and founded the Ki Society of the Philippines. Max Tian did the same thing and established the Cebu Ki Society. Chan Hok-seng, founder of the Angeles Aikido Club and long-time friend of Galarpe, decided to follow his teacher's example to the letter. But unlike Galarpe, Chan Hok-seng decided to close down his school rather than pass it on to someone else. Galarpe returned to Guam in 1968. Once established in Guam he began teaching Aikido at the University of Guam Guam Police Science Academy for the next four years. While there, he taught college students and police recruits physical education and the arts of Aikido. In 1972, Galarpe founded the

School of Self-Defense A school is an educational institution designed to provide learning spaces and learning environments for the teaching of students under the direction of teachers. Most countries have systems of formal education, which is sometimes comp ...

in Guam. The school teaches Aikido under the direction of his students and family members who have gone on to become black belt Aikido instructors.

See also

References

Further reading