Aikido not where we'd like it pictured, sadly - Sumatra Earthquake

Janet Rosen · 10-01-2009, 09:39 PM

My husband and I were reading the New York Times today and he thrust this page at me, asking, hey isn't that a gi and hakama?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/wo...01pacific.html
It looks to me like they are carrying out a casualty from university gym.

Maarten De Queecker · 10-02-2009, 01:18 AM

Yeah, seen that picture too in a Belgian newspaper yesterday. Indonesia got hit pretty hard, again.

Eva Antonia · 10-02-2009, 01:43 AM

Same yesterday in www.spiegel.de...and I thought the same.

I know the horror of earthquake from the big one in Turkey 1999...still having sometimes nightmares about it.

But then there is much to do in the construction sector, not to prevent earthquakes, but to prevent their disastrous consequences. In Turkey at that time, over 90 % of the collapsing buildings were cheap constructions of the nineties, and especially lots of government buildings because the government is (or was?) forced to give the tender to the lowest bidder, so the temptation to recover some benefits from material and manpower economies is high. Similar things were observed for China (that's why schools were hit especially hard), and I fear it might be the same also for Indonesia.

I wish all the best to the Indonesian aikidoka here and hope sincerely you and your families weren't affected!

Best regards,

Eva

Abasan · 10-02-2009, 02:16 AM

I'll be going there end of the month to train... we can only persevere and carry on.

allowedcloud · 10-02-2009, 07:24 AM

The BBC has video of the rescue:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8287159.stm

lbb · 10-02-2009, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Ahmad Abas wrote:

I'll be going there end of the month to train... we can only persevere and carry on.

Ahmad, please keep us posted on how they're doing. Thanks.

DH · 10-02-2009, 09:14 AM

Fox news just aired the BBC video covering that particular dojo building's evacuation; including, the women and fellow in Hakama and another women in in keikogi and Muslim head covering wearing a green belt.
It appeared there were many people exiting out of an entrapped area at the floor level -sort of like a crawlspace that was created in the debris.
In the last bit of the BBC video, the kanji on the fellows gi is ai ki do.
Since it is Aikido we must know of the instructor(s) some how.
Dan

akiy · 10-02-2009, 12:34 PM

Hi folks,

If anyone has any further information on this group of aikido practitioners in Padang, West Sumatra, Indonesia, please do let us know.

In the meantime, I encourage people to please send in a donation to help and relief organizations such as the Red Cross to help out those in need of assistance. (I just did.)

-- Jun

akiy · 10-02-2009, 12:38 PM

Hi folks,

Here's a link to a video of the aikido practitioners coming out of the rubble of their collapsed building:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8287159.stm

(Link courtesy of Janet Rosen. Thanks, Janet.)

-- Jun

Erick Mead · 10-02-2009, 12:59 PM

Thalib is in Jakarta, or was -- he may know. I'll PM.

Janet Rosen · 10-02-2009, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Jun Akiyama wrote:

Hi folks,

Here's a link to a video of the aikido practitioners coming out of the rubble of their collapsed building:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8287159.stm

(Link courtesy of Janet Rosen. Thanks, Janet.)

-- Jun

Actually, I got it from Joshua's link posted above in this thread!

ze'ev erlich · 10-02-2009, 05:15 PM

This is an email I got today:

dear mumei aikidokas, friends

Very sad news today came from Padang in Sumatra, Indonesia. Through the Wednesday earthquake Padang Dojo that was only open last February collapsed during the class and many people got injured. Tomyono--sensei passed away during evacuation. He was trying to save his students smashed by ruins.

Some pictures from the news channels:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/wo...ef=global-home

http://www.20min.ch/news/kreuz_und_q...mmern-27002746

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/wo...ef=global-home

Last exam notes at Padang Dojo:

http://translate.google.com/translat...e%26artid%3D34

The Padang city is under restricted access now. You can only help praying.

Will try to keep you updated..

Janet Rosen · 10-02-2009, 08:33 PM

So very sad. I'm sure there will be many losses like Tomyono Sensei, local unsung heroes giving their lives to save others.

rulemaker · 10-02-2009, 08:57 PM

condolence. The dojo is affiliated with the Kobayashi Dojos of Yasuo Kobayashi Shihan, 8th Dan in Tokyo.

Ketsan · 10-03-2009, 06:15 AM

Seeing that video really hurts. I wish all injured a speedy recovery and heartfelt condolences for the people they have lost.

rulemaker · 10-08-2009, 04:01 AM

Message from Aikika Hombu Dojo:

Condolences of Natural disaster victims

....We wish to extend our deepest condolences and prayers to the the families and survivor of the catastrophic natural disasters in Philippines, India, Indonesia, and Samoa.

http://www.aikikai.or.jp/eng/index.htm

sakura-saku · 10-13-2009, 10:12 AM

Hello,

The dojo is affiliated with the Kobayashi Dojo in Kodaira-city, Tokyo, Japan.
Head of dojo Yasuo Kobayashi-shihan wrote about it and asking for donation on his website in Japanese.

They're accepting money by postal mail (genkin kakitome), from @500yen to up. Has to be arrive there by Nov.15th that he wrote.
His son Hiroaki Kobayashi-shihan from Kobayashi dojo will go visit Jakarta on Nov 23th and he's planning to bring that donation money there.

I sent an e-mail to them asking what I can do from the US. Soon as I got some reply from them, I'll post it here again.
Please keep in tune!

Thanks,

sakura-saku · 10-14-2009, 11:26 AM

Hi,

I've got reply from Kobayashi dojo.
They'll accept money by wire, too. It's citibank N.K. account, so I'm pretty sure you can send US$.

I'm hoping Aikiweb or some org. would handle or organize fundraising effort in the US side...

Is it possible?

Thanks,
Hiroko

akiy · 10-15-2009, 01:05 PM

Hi everyone,

I have just set up a donation collection page for the Padang dojo in Sumatra:

http://www.aikiweb.com/sumatra/

I will be collecting donations through October 31st, 2009, to ensure that there's enough time for the donation to be sent to the Kobayashi dojo.

Please help out if you can. Every little bit helps.

Thank you,

-- Jun

sakura-saku · 10-15-2009, 08:16 PM

Hi Jun,

Thank you so much for doing this!

sakura-saku · 10-16-2009, 10:51 AM

Hi,
I asked Kobayashi dojo that if possible to open a Paypal account.

The bank account that Kobayashi dojo has is Japanese branch.
I actually have a account in same bank over there, and I wire some money from there to Kobayashi dojo yesterday, so I'm familiar how it work.

My point is, it may cost some fee to wire money from the US.
It's kind of shame that we have to pay that instead give that amount to Aikido People in Padang. between Paypal transfer would save up some of that.

Just FYI, yoroshiku.