Correction to Wing Chun Unity Article/Kung Fu Tai Chi Magazine
Guest Contributor, November 30th, 2007
First, I would like to congratulate Benny Meng, Don Grose, John Widener, and John Sterling on their article introducing the public to Don’s annual Wing Chun Gathering in Arizona. It is always worthwhile for people in the art to get together in a friendly and educational atmosphere. It is something I have strived to accomplish for quite some time now (starting with the first Internet based wing chun discussion list in 1993), and is also a reason I’m writing this letter.
It is a shame that an article promoting unity, gathering, and understanding in the Wing Chun family presents information that is inaccurate and attempts to leave out the actual principles involved. Specifically where the article portrays the VTM (Ving Tsun Museum) as the originators and organizers of the original Wing Chun Friendship Seminars (listed as the 1998 Victoria, Canada, 1999 Ohio, and 1999 Rochester dates in the article).
Those seminars were in fact the creation of my self and Rene Ritchie (and also included a Los Angeles 2001 date). I came up with the idea for those seminars as a charity/benefit seminar after a fellow Wing Chun Sifu’s (Ray Van Raamsdonk) wife was diagnosed with cancer. After approaching Rene who also agreed it was a good cause, we organized the seminar with Ray - who lives in Victoria, Canada - for Spring of 1998. All proceeds went towards providing some sort of relief (however minor it was) towards Ray’s mounting medical bills for his wife. Benny, (representing the VTM I assume) was present at the seminar as an attendee. The gist of the seminar was that Ray, Rene, and I present material from our separate wing chun lineages in an effort to promote unity, understanding, and tolerance. Likewise, anyone of the seminar attendees were also invited to share their perspectives and views during the 3 day event. The seminar was such a success and drew people from all over the US and Canada and from many different branches and styles of wing chun, that we decided to make it an annual event that traveled across North America. The idea that all proceeds continue to be donated to a charity or act as a benefit, with guest speakers rotating in with Rene and I at every location. It was at that time that Benny approached us about possibly holding the next one at the VTM. We thought it would be a great idea, since we wanted a Midwestern location for the next one and proceeded to work with Benny on organizing the next seminar at his location.
So, in the Spring of 1999 we headed to the VTM in Dayton Ohio. Again, with myself and Rene as the standard speakers and Benny as the rotation speaker (taking Ray’s place) for that event, and who also was soon joined by John Crescione Sifu from New York. To his credit, Benny also managed to bring in several other speakers for the event to join the lineup. It was here that I had the pleasure of meeting Garret Gee Sifu (Hung Fa Yi) who did his first public demonstration of his method, Pete Pajil Sifu (Moy Yat), Leo Immamura Sifu (Moy Yat), and Miguel Hernandez (Moy Yat). At the conclusion of another successful 3 days, Rene and I decided to donate the proceeds to the VTM - though I believe Benny had ultimately decided to turn and give the proceeds to the Moy Yat Association.
After the seminar, Rene and I approached John Crescione about hosting the next event, which was to be on the east coast. Benny and the other sifus were also invited to return as guest speakers. Because of John’s schedule at the time and Rene’s changing schedule we decided to do another one that Fall instead of waiting a year. Rochester, New York was picked because it was closer in driving distance for Rene and some of his Sum Nung brothers who also wished to come this year (one of which who had relatives living there that could put them up). Benny mentioned he had an affiliated group in Rochester and offered to have them help out John in organizing it there, as John was not from that city. Taking him up on the offer, the Rochester seminar was held in Fall of 1999 and again featured my self and Rene as the standard speakers, John as the rotating host speaker, and Benny and Antony Casella (Sum Nung) as additional guest speakers.
The fourth and final Friendship Seminar was in Los Angeles in January of 2001 (again moving back to the West Coast) and hosted by Dzu Nguyen (Chu Sau Lei) and Dave Mckinnon (Chu Sau Lei). By that time, John was asked to join as a main speaker with Rene and my self. Benny was also asked to return as a guest speaker, and after initially declining was able to make it the last minute. Also guest speaking was Hendrik Santo sifu (Cho), the late Jerry Mckinley Sifu (Wong Shun Leung), and Alan Kong (Hung Fa Yi). Another great success, it was becoming a burden for Rene and myself to get these together every year and coordinate everyone’s schedules. So we decided to take some time off from them. We hoped however that the idea would continue to spread and others were start their own gatherings, and are happy to see over the years that this indeed has happened.
Pictures and reviews of the events (written right after each one) are available at the bottom of my resources page: http://www.hanweionline.org/wingchun/resources.php
It is my hope that this letter sheds some light on the incorrect information presented in the VTM history section of the Wing Chun Unity article. I’m sure you can understand it is not joyful seeing something you put so much care and work in to being credited to others. Especially when the VTM has many great accomplishments on its own, that certainly far outnumber this seminar series.
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About the Author
Marty Goldberg started training in Kenpo Karate in 1981, at the age of 10. Through the years he continued furthering his love of the arts through studies of Northern Shaolin Kung Fu, Ninpo, Western Boxing and Wrestling, and Thai Boxing. In 1992, he made the choice to study the Wing Chun system of grandmaster William Cheung, and soon decided to follow the Wing Chun way permanently. In 1993, Goldberg was appointed the offical internet represntative of grandmaster Cheung. Goldberg also founded and continues to co-administer the Wing Chun Mailing list. In 1998, he co-founded the International Wing Chun Kung Fu Federation, the first organization dedicated to the promotion of all wing chun, all branches, across the world
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