An anti-bullying martial art
When Clayton Kerehoma asked his Brazilian Jui Jitsu class if they had ever been put in a head lock, more than half raised their hands.
‘‘It’s not very nice, eh?’’ he asked.
The class of 30-odd children shook their heads.
Kerehoma, who is the coach of the South Taranaki CO45ST Southern Tribes Brazilian Jiu Jitsu club, takes the classes for fun, competition and as an antibullying scheme.
The anti-bullying tactics aren’t about the children fighting bullies back to give them a taste of their own medicine, it’s about making themselves safe.
‘‘I tell them it’s not so you can get a dominant control over what’s going on or that person, but it’s control for long enough for you to stay safe to get help,’’ Kerehoma said.
He addresses bullying with the class as a whole, ensuring not to single out children who are getting bullied.
‘‘It just opens the floor up for them to all talk about it,’’ he said.
‘‘A lot of the kids I’ve had come have been bullied. Their parents have kind of looked for something out there that is going to help them.’’
Kerehoma said once he gained the children’s trust they’d start telling him about bullies.
‘‘They’ll share their struggles that they’re having at school and then they can show me situations that they’re getting in and I can show them defensive mechanisms to get them safe again,’’ he said.
The Brazilian Jui Jitsu classes focus on a range of moves, positions and techniques, as well as games to keep it fun.
‘‘The kids just love it,’’ Kerehoma said. ’’With all the skills that come along with it, there’s a lot of discipline and respect for each other.’’
He said since September when he started the classes he had received a lot of feedback from parents who could see their children’s confidence growing.
‘‘Every kid loves to play fight, and it’s just like controlled play fighting,’’ Kerehoma said.
He said he even had one boy who loved the classes so much that on his birthday he didn’t want to party, he wanted to be at the class.
There are beginner and advanced children’s classes and adult classes on a Tuesday and a Friday each week at the Hawera Chrsitian School Hall from 5pm.