by Part 3: Reestablishment and the future
One of the things Sifu Steven Ngandang would also like to see for his Shaolin Kung Fu, is the establishment of a national body to run all its affairs in the country and affiliate with international bodies.
He wants to see all the Kung Fu styles in PNG get together to run their affairs more professionally and organised.
I call on the other Kung Fu masters and other styles such as Choy Li Fut, Wing Chun and others who are around to come forward and we work together to develop Kung Fu.
Ngandang
He said other arts like Karate, Taekwondo and Judo are doing well in terms of training, competitions and getting support because they have bodies that look after their affairs.
Ngandang is also appealing to the Chinese community in PNG to come forward with any assistance they can give to further develop the art in the country.
“This is their culture and I would love to see them involved in it as much as possible especially, in terms of training, exchange programs and cultural and education programs.
“This will strengthen our relationship with the people from the birth place of Kung Fu and our work to develop Kung Fu further in PNG will go well,” he said.
Ngandang once created and headed the PNG Shaolin Wushu Kung Fu Federation Inc. but had to close it due to lack of membership and support. Kung Fu in PNG has been through difficult times but it has the potential to draw a large following.
Sifu Ngandang has come a long way steering this ship through stormy seas but his mission is far from over.
He said there is no more time to waste, Shaolin Kung Fu must be established as a major martial art style in PNG for personal development, health, sports and a way of life under its philosophies and teachings.
Those who wish to enrol for the Shaolin Kung Fu programme in Port Moresby can contact Sifu Steven on 753 69 295 or Molen on 708 28 421.
After years of training in the Sifu’s backyard at Gerehu, the school is planning to bring their classes to a more accessible location in Port Moresby in 2016.
“Looking for good training venues has been hard for all the martial arts in the city but we’ll keep trying and we’ve found some potential places that might work for us.
“Cost is the main issue, some places cost a lot but we are not a business entity so it’s hard to really hold down a good training venue,” said Molen.
Finishing his routine, Ngandang cools down with some meditative breathing exercises and stretches, he bows and walks over to the old box under the mango tree.
He downs a bottle of water and sits on the box, sweat rolls over his forehead as he closes his eyes to wipe it off with his thumb.
Opening his eyes he relaxes against the tree, his eyes gazing off deep in wonder.
He had brought the ship through hard times and while his journey is nearing its end, there is hope that his legacy lives on in his senior students for a bigger and brighter future for the art of Kung Fu.
