MA and ME (Cap.10 PROFESOR Carlos Damasco

MARTIAL ARTS and ME (p. 10)

Professor Carlos Damasco

Interview with SBN Mario Da Silva

In 2016 in Minas, Department of Lavalleja, I met Sabon Nin Mario Da Silva, fourth Dan of Hapkido. From 2017 I started practicing with him. And today I approach his person to walk his path through Martial Arts, and mainly through Hapkido.

MARIO, TELL ME YOUR BEGINNINGS IN THE MARTIAL ART.

Well Carlos, I'll tell you that my practice dates back to the 80's in Taekwondo at the hands of Master Lee, graduating with him as a green belt, later I continued practicing with Master Gadea also of Taekwondo. But my interest was always above all Self Defense, the discipline of Taekwondo not fulfilling my expectations. So I focused on the Art of Sipalkido, very focused on self-defense. Over the years I graduated as a Black Belt, I taught for a long time and by chance I met Master Daniel Rolla of Hapkido, and he caught me with his knowledge and techniques from the first moment. I became his student and from there my History in Hapkido begins, something complete and effective for me. I spent years traveling to Argentina to practice with the Master, and to graduate with him. Today I have been teaching at the Lutheran Center for 20 years, I am the Director of the Uruguayan Hapkido Center, which has Legal Status. Currently, I supervise 7 Black Belts, and hundreds of students have passed through my teaching sites. I have been a Police Instructor since 2006, in the Metropolitan Guard, I am also a Teacher in the Police Education Division. For 2 years, I have been in charge of the Teaching and Instruction of the Security Guard of the Ministry of the Interior. Currently, I am still a Teacher and Instructor of the Republican Guard Hapkido adapts very well to the Police function, to control and transfer a detainee in a correct Legal Framework, despite the fact that Hapkido has all kinds of kicks and punches, especially in police work, for my point of view sight is the Art that is best suited to that function. I also teach the use of the Police Rod. Currently 60 years old, and more than 40 in Martial Arts, I can say that I feel great satisfaction in my work as a Teacher, Instructor and trainer of better people. Since Hapkido is not just an art of fighting, it has its spiritual part for mental development, and improve our day to day.

MARIO, I ask you, since I've known you, you've been a Fourth Dan, what is the reason for the delay in the graduation of more Danes?

He answers me: that a few years ago I separated from Master Rolla, due to different visions in some aspects. Making it very clear that he is one of the best teachers I have ever met. Today my school belongs to the Word Kido Federation, but it does not offer any technical improvement. I disburse a large sum of money and I can graduate from 6th Dan which is what corresponds to me, but I refuse to disburse the money, to have a certificate hanging on the wall. I prefer to earn that money doing Technical Seminars, both in Argentina and Brazil, as well as in the country that I can access to continue learning. It is more I add that in recent years I have participated in more than ten Seminars including two trips to the United States. Participating in classes with great Korean, North American, Brazilian and Argentine teachers. As of 2020, due to the Pandemic, I have been prevented from traveling and for personal reasons within this year I will not be able to do them. In October of this year, my student Mr. Carlos García Arocena, 2nd. Dan of the School, he travels to Korea to carry out a special training of 15 days, in the city of Busan, in charge of Master UN SEO JU, 8th DAN OF HAPKIDO, of the Euljikwan Word Union and also 8th. DAN from Taekkyon-- KTA. We met the aforementioned teacher in 2019, in Brazil, having participated in a three-day seminar with him; along with more than 100 practitioners. The aforementioned Master offered us the change of Federation; something that is going to be studied fundamentally when Sabon Carlos García Arocena returns from training. I want to emphasize that here in Montevideo I am a pioneer in the development of HAPKIDO since Master Pereira was there more than 20 years ago, a Uruguayan who came from Australia, where he was based. Shortly after being here, he died in an accident and was unable to develop our art. It is important to point out that in 2018, at the request of Master Gerardo Olson, to whom we are linked for years and I traveled to Oberá Province of Misiones in Argentina, to participate in a Seminar dictated by the worldrenowned GRAND MASTER JOHN PELLEGRINI, who He is an Elite Forces Instructor in the United States. He also offered us the possibility of joining the Combat Hapkido that the Master directs. Thing that for the moment was undone.

Finally I am going to mention the Brazilian Master, Alexandre Gomes, 8th. Dan of HAPKIDO AND 8th. DAN of Taekwondo-- WT, with him we carried out several Seminars in Brazil and Argentina. In November 2019 he wasin Montevideo, and held a Seminar at the headquarters of our school, in which different martial artists participated. It should be noted that with the teacher, we maintain a very good friendship.

MARIO: thank you very much for giving me your time for this note.

It will be until next time.