THE STORY
A SUMMARY
Shango Ja Martial Arts Academy (SJMAA)
The Academy is over 45 years old and was initiated by Ibrahim Da Silva, a former Black Panther member in 1970's in Nigeria during the Biafran war. Francis Fuster, a prominent musician was given permission to found the first SJ DOJO in Sierra Leone in 1978. Shihan Fuster commenced training under Da Silva by being ordered to clear the land and build a dojo in his backyard before any physical exercises began.
The first SJMAA student in Sierra Leone is Donald George, a veteran of the Iraq War and Specialist Educator also commenced training in a humble roofless backyard in Sykes ST Freetown. By kind permission of Nadette George United Nations Bi-lingual interpreter. Her backyard became the dojo and hub of creative expression and human flourishing for young people between 1978-1982. The first generation (list) karateka trained 5-6 days a week amidst a vibrant community of thinkers, artists and family-hood.
Surrounded by an increasingly unstable economic and political climate which ultimately led to a bitter civil war, the young people in the Sykes St dojo learnt to be men, women, citizens and leaders, who would go into live fruitful and inspiring lives of overcoming all over the world. The values that were forged in the Sykes St dojo are the heritage guiding principles of SJMAA today: Perseverance, Integrity, Excellence, Ancestral Allegiance to the betterment of our fellow Africans, Dialogue, Adaptability and Justice mindedness.
From 1982 to the present day, there followed several generations of SJMAA karateka (list) who were handed the leadership reins and challenge of running the Academy in increasingly turbulent times.
Name Significance and Philosophy
SJMAA is inspired by the positive qualities gleaned from the mythic figures of Shango. There are no religious or worship connotations associated with this name. The 4th king of the Yoruba Oyo Empire, Shango is the god of thunder, drumming, dance, fire and male virility. His symbol is the double headed axe representing justice and the energy or sound of thunder.
Just as Displaced Africans in the turbulent times of slavery drew inspiration to resist and pursue transformation in the crucible of oppression, likewise self-sufficiency, legitimate passion for justice and fair-mindedness, has been the hallmarks of karate training throughout the history of SJMAA.
The first student of SMJAA Donald George Chief Instructor and Founder of SJMAA USA has stated a vision of training 'Fuster added the 'JA' part of Shango-ja back in the day. It's more of a blended concept now. . . translated to mean Fists of God/Thunder/Truth and Justice. Much like Bruce Lee's Way of the Intercepting Fist and many of the kung fu translations of Tai Chi the universal form/fist/truth. . . I explain is as Fist of God/Thunder.'
1st and 2nd generations of SJMAA karateka always commenced and ended training sessions with the following prayer, a modification of JKS precepts.
ALMIGHTY GOD,
Maker of Heaven and Earth, Grant us the power, wisdom, knowledge and understanding
To Strive for the perfection of character
To Defend the paths of truth
To Forster the spirt of effort
To Honour the laws of etiquette
To Guard against impetuous courage
AMEN
The proximity to turbulent times of uncertainty and danger is a key to understanding the context of SJMAA philosophical positionality. The Academy was established during an ongoing phase of African History known as the 'Colonial Wound' - The lives of the founding first and second generation karateka still alive today were characterized by diaspora displacement in which character and identity had to be re-invented and forged like a double headed iron axe in a crucible of profound socio-political and economic instability.