Karate Zen Malawi eyeing to resuscitate dormant karate sport

Don Bosco karate club 

By Moses Nyirenda, MANA

Blantyre-based karate school, Zen Malawi has organised a championship tournament set for November 7 at College of Medicine Sports Complex with an aim of promoting the sport that has been dormant in the country.

In an interview on Tuesday, the championship’s coordinator, Sensei (instructor) Joseph Kawerama said “karate has been practised in the country for long time but not much has been done to nurture more talent or to expose those that have the hunger and ability to promote the sport”.

“The country has potential but we let it fade bu this time around we want resuscitate it for Malawian athletes to be participating in international games within the SADC region and around the world,” Kawerama said.

He added that athletes, whose karate styles are registered under World Karate Federation (KWF), are those eligible for the championship and these include Shotokan, Guju Ryu, Shito Ryu and Wadu Ryu karate.

He also said the tournament is open to all qualified karate practitioners starting from the age of six upwards, who will be grouped according to their age and gender.

They will also be rated according to their belt ranking and these athletes will compete in Kata (demonstration of basics) and kumite (freestyle fighting).

Registration fee is K8,000 for those to participate in one activity such as Kata only or Kumite only and K10,000 for those to participate in both categories.

In his remarks, Lilongwe-based Shotokan Karate instructor, Sensei Andrew Mwampita commended Karate Zen Malawi for organizing the championship, saying that would encourage karatekas train hard and improve their skills.

“I also believe that through the championship, we karatekas will be able to create a national karate team that would put Malawi on international map.”

Mwampita also said the championship will also help the public to understand the true meaning of karate, saying most people have wrong impression of the sport.

“Karate is a Japanese martial art which has 5 pillars — seek perfection of the character, be faithful, endeavor to excel, respect others and refrain from violent behavior and these pillars make karatekas to be disciplined.

“However, many people think that karate is about violence, therefore the championship will also help people to understand the true meaning of karate based on its pillars,” he said.