Karate Can Kick Hopelessness

A bright day for talibés and for karate

This summer at Maison de la Gare, on July 1, the fifth annual karate tournament among the talibé karate students of the center took place.

The karate program at Maison de la Gare was founded seven (07) years ago by Robbie Hughes and his mother Sonia LeRoy, martial arts enthusiasts from Canada, and has been sustained over the years by generous donations from abroad. Maison de Gare, in partnership with Sor-Karate’s Sensei Ignéty Ba, has welcomed and trained hundreds of talibé children, instilling in these vulnerable boys self-confidence, perseverance, a sense of respect, and important self defence skills.

On tournament day, the young karatekas competed with pride under the gaze of Maison de la Gare President, Mr Issa Kouyate, the members of the MDG team, and the program founders, visiting from Canada for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic. Over 30 hopeful and excited Maison de la Gare karatekas wearing their gis (karate uniforms) competed, showcasing kata, kion and kumité skills. The competition was judged by referees from the World Karate Federation.  

The tournament aroused a craze among the competitors as well as among the spectators. The participants were more numerous this year, and more talented than in previous years. Many of the competitors had been training with the MDG program for many years, and had earned higher belt ranks. Twelve were awarded their yellow belts on tournament day, after strenuous testing earlier in the week.  Sensei Ignéty Ba, president of Sor Karate, said, "this year unlike previous years, the tournament welcomed many more participants, and was of remarkable technical quality". These children seized the opportunity during this tournament to exploit their potential, and to express their desire to learn, succeed and move forward.”

A very special guest watched the tournament with interest. Because of his passion for karaté and his love for these talibé children, Senegalese National Champion, the winner of the Senegalese cup of karaté, Mr. Lamine Ndiaye came to admire these bearers of hope in the field. He even asserts that "these children have all the potential and rigour it takes to become great champions in this discipline and participate in international tournaments in the future".

After the competition the talibé children receiving their yellow belts were awarded them by the founder of the program, and a great inspiration to them, Robbie Hughes and made their transition to a higher rank. Many trophies and medals were awarded to the big winners of the competition; in three (3) different divisions, beginner, intermediate, and advanced.  The medals and trophies were donated by Canadian and World karate champions to celebrate and further inspire the karatekas. The  finalists in the kumité fight,in kata and in keon, each received their trophies and medals. Grand Champions in each of the three divisions were awarded special prizes and the intermediate and advanced Grand Champions were presented with the Douvris Cup and the Douvris Young Guns Cup by Robbie Hughes, who is a Canadian WKC karate weapons champion.

After a glorious day of competition Seinse Ignéty BA described the hope that this day will further instil in these talibé children, in view of their emeritus performances. He states that they have all the necessary technique to compete at the national and international level. He furthermore urges the serignes de daaras who control the difficult lives of these talibés to allow them to be free to reach the summits of which they are capable.

Amadou, winner of the Douvris Cup, expressed his gratitude to the founder of the MDG karate program. He also expressed his satisfaction for the prizes he won, and for what karate brought him such as discipline, wisdom and other skills.

Karaté is a Japanese martial art, a fighting technique that allows participants to have general physical maintenance and cultivate self-defence skills. But it offers much more than this. Karate forges the mind and learns respect, discipline, self-confidence and surpassing oneself. This competition  was therefore a great opportunity that the talibé children were able to seize, to show not only their love for this discipline but also to bring out the best in themselves.

Because the Talibés of today are the Men of tomorrow!

Links:

• Maison de la Gare website