About Us

Northland Kenpo Karate Self Defence

Northland Kenpo Karate Self Defence has as a core goal the raising people’s awareness and focus on the issue of personal safety and encourages people to take steps to increase their awareness and confidence in relation to self defence. Confidence gained through the relevant type of training sees people able to defuse situations, walk away or have a good chance of remaining safe. The alternative can be fear and victimisation, which essentially robs you of any chance. Consider for a brief moment the scenario described in the New Zealand media last year (2008) of the attempted armed highjack of a domestic flight. Violence for whatever reason has certainly made many headlines of late and we consider that people should at least think about improving their safety.

Usually there are three main areas to consider when thinking of personal safety. They are, one – the environment you find yourself in, two – the demeanour of an assailant and lastly – yourself – are you equipped? Taking instruction in self defence is a way of taking care of yourself. By learning self defence techniques you are sending a message to others and yourself that you value your safety. Learning and actioning self defence is like locking your door at night to prevent intruders, it can’t guarantee your safety but it can enhance your chances of remaining safe.

Our lessons are fun and our techniques interesting to learn and happen in a welcoming and friendly environment. In fact the key word here could be EMPOWERING. With huge pride, the vehicle we use to teach people these skills comes from a total system we practice that being the exciting art of Kenpo Karate. This is a modern art in terms of relevance incorporating ingenious use of circular, fast and powerful technique. All our techniques are considered building blocks in the overall shape of the art. Most schools of Kenpo Karate can trace the lineage of their information back to ideas and systems developed by the father of American Kenpo, Edmund Parker. Grandmaster Parker was a native Hawaiian who learnt his craft from authoritative members of the Asian Martial Arts population of Hawaii. He moved to the American Mainland in 1954 and set up and developed an amazing circular art now taught and admired the world over.

Northland Kenpo Karate Self Defence has a very strong link with Grand Master Larry Tatum of Pasadena, California and indeed are his representatives in North Auckland. Ron Mason and his wife Gail have trained with Larry and Jill Tatum and put great store in the connection. Grandmaster Tatum is considered by many to have been Senior Grandmaster Parker’s leading student. That we teach this international syllabus in its purest form allows Northlanders the chance to train in and under instructional techniques designed to meet the needs of the 21st century.

We have separate junior and adult classes in Dargaville and Whangarei and apart from self defence ability, students gain confidence, respect, discipline, leadership, co-ordination. Flexibility and friendship. This is a complete martial art with weaponry taught from black belt once a student has a comprehensive understanding of the natural weapons of the body and how they are used.

We train at Selwyn Park School Hall in Dargaville and Maunu in Whangarei. Our first lesson is free – come and check us out.

Founding Instructor – Ron Mason – 7th Degree LTKKA

Gail Mason – 4 th Dan Northland Kenpo

A task I’ve avoided these last two years has been the adjustment of the website page for my wife
and best friend, Gail Mason, who passed away with cancer after a courageously hard fought battle.
Personally, Gail’s loss has been extraordinarily difficult in all regards, but here, amongst those who
knew her in her capacity as Head Instructor of our martial arts school, the loss of her friendly, calm,
caring personality, as well as her tremendous skills has been huge.

Gail was across everything, whether it was ordering equipment, keeping our books in order,
enrolling new students, or instructing. She had an incredible ability to absorb new information and
she was a wonderful teacher at all levels of proficiency. She would help anyone in the classes and
always maintained a steadying and kind influence.

The school is the poorer for her loss, but her significant contributions to the school, and to those
who knew her need to be acknowledged, and these words are to honour her, and keep us driving
forward to be the best martial artists and human beings we can possibly be.
Gail was widely respected among our students and I’m pretty sure she keeps watch over us.

Ron Mason – 9 th Dan
21 March 2023