1st Annual World African Martial Arts Conference 2007 ; Overview of a great educational experience

By Headmaster Hardy "Ultimate Lutalo, the Black Lion"

Introduction

Friday October 19 to Sunday October 21, 2007 I attended the World African Martial Arts conference in Detroit, MI. This conference was hosted by Ahati Kilindi Iyi and the TaMerrian Institute. It consisted of seminars, workshops and demonstrations by many masters and noted individuals in the fields of African martial arts, African history and spirituality, and other African knowledge and cultural studies. At this stage in my development I had been at self imposed studies and scholarship for a long time. This was my first experience in taking knowledge directly from the source, as well as making the connections to those whom of their works I would grow to follow, study and emulate in years to come. The following are some of the individuals and experiences that stood out in my mind from the trip. Its not everything, but its the most notable aspects from memory.

Me "Lutalo" (right) with Ahati Kylindi Iyi ( left)

Instructional video of Kilindi Iyi (from youtube) https://youtu.be/dg7_e5jcGQU

Author Gregory Walker “Brother G” (Shades ofMemnon)

At the hotel I met author Gregory walker AKA Brother G and likewise we shared why we were attending the conference. I was there as (at that time) someone who was founding an organization to act as a modern representation of African warrior education and training, preserving the knowledge and history as well as passing on. He was there in regards to his monumental Book series The Shades of Memnon. The Legend of Memnon, the great warrior hero was amazing. He summarized the story as well as history of this figure that I never had heard of. He felt it was so important I knew, he actually dug into his luggage and gave me a copy of the first book, and autographed it for me. He made sure I knew where I could get the other books in the series as well. Just book one alone gave a lot of insights, foremost promoting the name, history and lineage of the Kushite Pan Kau Rau Shen system. I would adopt that name into my fighting systems lineage later after much research and studies.

Wayne Chandler (left,) Mfundishi Jhutyms Salim (center), me Lutalo (right)

Wayne Chandler

Wayne Chandler did a lecture on the African/Black foundations of Chinese civilization and the importance of expanding our human consciousness via meditation and holistic living. He was a wealth of information and I recall being impressed with all of the jewels he dropped. He knew so much detail bout so many things it was hard to keep up and I left with a large of quickly handwritten notes.

Interview with Wayne Chandler (from youtube) https://youtu.be/rb3mlmTzqFU

Grandmaster Dennis Brown (left) and me "Lutalo" (right)

Grandmaster Dennis Brown (Shaolin Wushu Kung Fu)

Me and my group wound up encountering the end of Grandmaster Dennis Brown workshop. Conversation struck up and though he was finished and we did not want to hold him up, he sat and talked with is privately for a very longtime. If im correct, he was the first, or among the first African Americans to train at the Shaolin temple in China. He told us about his career and experiences but a lot about how it actually was training at the Shaolin temple. It was an amazing experience just to sit in his presence and listen to him speak. He was very kind, warm and had so much to share.

My comrades "Segobin" Singh (left), Stic man of Dead Prez (center) with Grandmaster Dennis Brown (right) photo taken by me

Video interview of Grandmaster Brown from youtube https://youtu.be/27_JHsV2TvM

Me "Lutalo" (left) and Daniel Marks (right)

Daniel Marks

I attended Daniel Marks' 52 Handblocks workshop. It was a packed roomful of enthusiastic people, many folks standing and lining the walls. Daniel Marks talked at great length about the history of 52 blocks and about how it developed over time, as well as talked about the techniques and demonstrated some as well.

Instructional Video of Daniel Marks (from youtube) https://youtu.be/MpkoP4GUJ-c

Egbe Ogun and Vita Sanaa

As me and my group roamed, we came across what I recall must have been a workshop already in technique demonstration. Baba Balogun's presentation on Egbe Ogun-African Wrestling but also Mwanzo Mwalimu Umeme Mpingo (Vita Sanaa) was doing knifework. The knifework by Vita Sanaa was incredible. It was simple, smooth and effective. According to Baba Balogun, Egbe Ogun is a warrior society. He explained how the idea of "wrestling" or subduing one's opponent is central to all African fighting. That is, whether one subdues their opponent via arrow, spear, hand strike, kick, or takedown they have still in effect "wrestled" their opponent to the ground, the “method” did not matter, it was the end result.

Me "Lutalo" (left) and Mfundishi Jhutyms (right)

Mfundishi Jhutyms Salim

One of the things I remember a lot was the lecture by Mfundishi Salim, creator of the Aha Kemet system of Kupigani Ngumi. Again, I was awestruck by the knowledge and experiences he shared about life in Tanzania and other places in Africa he had been, as well as concepts into African thought and spirituality. Starting with a discussion of the objective of his work Spiritual Warriors are Healers, Mfundishi went further into the warrior aspect stating that martial arts are a tool to heighten consciousness and spirit. He said that the martial arts are a gateway to culture and that culture situates you within a two sided matrix. There is the artificial matrix of white supremacy and the natural matrix, which is the African way (our way) and that our culture is our key power source. Mfundishi even posed that our fear to overcome the enemy is born of our having become too much like the enemy, and in destroying them we fear destroying ourselves. So we see them (the enemy) in ourselves. With regards to healing Mfundishi said that culture is our medicine and went into details of that. He also had one of his students Heru Ur Nekhet demonstrate a form/dance of Simba (lion) and Nyoka (snake) techniques. Mfundishi went on to talk about his own martial arts background in Hung Gar Kung-Fu and his eventual transition into and development of African fighting arts. He noted his observations of fight dances in Tanzania and his eventual initiation into a secret society there, which allowed for him to learn their martial science.

"Mfundishi would be one individual that i followed his works and teachings later from books to presentation on video and embrace and incorporate a lot of combat and spirituality teachings in some way, shape or form. "

Lecture by Mfundishi Jhutyms (from youtube) https://youtu.be/En68K_F7SlQ

Stic Man of Dead Prez (left) and me "Lutalo" right

Stic Man (Dead Prez)

Music artist Stic Man of Dead Prez was apart of the warrior contingent i was with at the conference, this being the first time we met in person. He was there filming a documentary called "The Black Fist" in which he did an lengthy interview with me (as well as many others of course) and the development i had made with my fighting sciences at the time. Then we actually did several rounds of sparring afterwards with one another, and i will vouch that this warrior has some skills. It was a great time and great memories.

Videos from youtube ;

Interview with Stic Man https://youtu.be/MJ9E-QW2fKo

Music

I Belive - https://youtu.be/82y5y36gDbA

Back on my regimen - https://youtu.be/1OlA1xjI0Wk