The Kyokushin style was recently talked about during a series of events in the Capital. The MOKKO association is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the adoption of this style in Madagascar in 2024.
The Madagascar Kyokushinkai championship took place in the presence of Reunion technician Sébastien Boulerand at the ESCA Antanimena dojo who was dazzled by the quality of work of Sensei Harena Rakotobe, he said. Congratulations Sensei for your work this weekend. The karatekas from the Esca Antanimena club and the Sons of MOKKO competed in the categories of chicks, pupils, juniors and cadets. They met again after years of truce caused by Covid-19. The president of the Karate-Do Federation of Madagascar, Emile Ratefinanahary, came to encourage the fighters. It was an opportunity for the number one of Malagasy karate to announce to the great Kyokushin family that this style will soon be associated with the national body. “We are all karatekas whatever our original style. We are united by the same spirit of karate: to begin and end with courtesy. We have the same objective of promoting this discipline. The Federation is here to support you,” the president said. Just like the president of the FMK, the MOKKO Madagascar Oyama Kyokushin Karate association also has the same vision of bringing together all Kyokushin practitioners in Madagascar in this legal structure. “Certainly Kyokushin is not an Olympic discipline, but we are seeking compliance from all organizations in order to bring the quality of kyokushin to us. As in Kyokushin, rank is not a gift. The certificate and the belt are issued from Japan to prove that the person has succeeded,” explained sensei Harena Rakotobe of Sons of MOKKO.
25th anniversary
The term Kyokushinkai is made up of three words: Kyoku-Shin-Kai which can be defined as the karate of extreme truth. He was inspired by boxing, muay thai, goju ryu and shotokan karate. Kyokushin is a full-contact karate, which emphasizes effectiveness in real combat or street fighting. Kicks and knee strikes are permitted and some are very powerful like “kakato geri”, “hiza geri”, “do kaiten geri”. Kyokushin arrived in Madagascar in 1999 through sensei Rinà Rakotobe, officially a pioneer, and was certified brand-chief or national representative by Kuristina Oyama, the daughter of Mas Oyama, the founder of kyokushin. Shortly after, the MOKKO association was formed and trained many practitioners. As recently as last March, a new club called Sons of MOKKO appeared. Currently, Kyokushin has several members in different regions. And to mark these 25 years of existence, several activities will be on the menu for the next 2024 season.
Manjata Razafy