User:Donald Munro

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Donald Munro is a Canadian instuctor of ninjutsu. He holds a 13th dan and the title Shihan in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu (武神館武道体術). He is a student of Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭), the founder of that organization.

Example of a Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu Dan Grade Certificate – 13th Dan, held by Donald Munro

[edit] Martial Arts Background

The martial name given to him by Masaaki Hatsumi (初見良昭) in 1995 is Mu Ryu (夢竜 – the Dream Dragon), owing to his early work as a stunt performer in the film and television business. He began his training in Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu (戸隠流忍術) in 1988, by studying with practitioners that included Jayson Creasey of Canada, Stephen K. Hayes of the United States, and Wayne Roy of Australia. He continued training in the art, and in 1992 was granted his first teaching license by Hatsumi. In 1995, Hatsumi granted Munro his Shidōshi (Senior Instructor) license in Japan, after passing the Godan (5th Dan) Sakki (殺気 – Killing Spirit) Test administered by Hatsumi. Since that time, Munro has been considered one of Hatsumi's personal students (as are many of those at the rank of 5th Dan and above).

As a result of being relentlessly bullied as a child, his father enrolled him in the study of Taekwondo at the age of 12. He continued on to compete extensively in the sport into adulthood. In the late 1980's he pursued the study of Hapkido as a more practical and effective means of self-defense, for use in his work as an Emergency Services professional. Through the pursuit of Hapkido, he connected with a scattered handful of teachers throughout North America who had received training in Togakure Ryu Ninjutsu from Masaaki Hatsumi. After attending his first Ninjutsu seminar with Stephen K. Hayes and Jayson Creasey in 1989, Munro made his decision to pursue only those martial arts housed within the nine schools (ryūha) of the Bujinkan Dojo (武神館道場). These martial schools include:

• Togakure-ryū Ninpō Taijutsu (戸隠流忍法体術)
• Gyokko-ryū Kosshijutsu (玉虎流骨指術)
• Kuki Shinden Happō Bikenjutsu (九鬼神伝流八法秘剣術)
• Kotō-ryū Koppōjutsu (虎倒流骨法術)
• Shinden Fudō-ryū Dakentaijutsu (神伝不動流打拳体術)
• Takagi Yōshin-ryū Jūtaijutsu (高木揚心流柔体術)
• Gikan-ryū Koppōjutsu (義鑑流骨法術)
• Gyokushin-ryū Ninpō (玉心流忍法)
• Kumogakure-ryū Ninpō (雲隠流忍法)

Munro is the founder of The Martial Arts University, an organization that uses modern, cutting-edge educational technology to teach the public those arts contained within the Bujinkan. Over the past two decades, Munro and others have faced some criticism from individuals within and outside of the Bujinkan, owing to the popularity of his and other programs that have openly advertised to the public. Some individuals feel that this training should remain esoteric in nature, where Munro and many others feel that it should be made as accessible as possible to the public at large.

Munro has trained several well-known media personalities in the art of Budo Taijutsu, in part owing to his ongoing career in the film and television business. Although some celebrities prefer a degree of privacy and confidentiality in their pursuit of this martial art, there are those who have written about Munro in their biographies. One such person is actor Traci Lords, who writes about her martial arts training with Donald Munro in her autobiography "Traci Lords: Underneath It All".

Munro has appeared in international releases of Japanese Bujinkan training videos and DVDs, most notably as a foreigner passing the Sakki (殺気 – Killing Spirit Test) in Japan in 1995. Rockstar Games has consulted with Donald Munro on the interactive combat portions of their games.

[edit] Quotes

• "The study of martial arts should be a necessary and pleasant part of one's life – not an all consuming passion that erodes away one's true identity."
• "The pursuit of the modern Ninja should be one of patience, compassion, and endurance, coupled with the willingness to come to the aid of those in need."
• "Some of the most dangerous men you could meet in the world of martial arts and covert operations, don't always look the part – many look more like 'George Costanza'."

[edit] Medical Background

Donald Munro began his medical career as an EMT-P (Emergency Medical Technologist – Paramedic) in the Advanced Life Support Ambulance Division of the Calgary Fire Department in the early 1980's, and continued his career with the Calgary Emergency Medical Services Department upon it's inception. After a decade of service as a Critical Care Paramedic, he resigned to continue his martial arts career and further his pursuit of underwater exploration and education. He has continued to instruct critical care personnel throughout North America (including; physicians, paramedics, nurses, and the military) in ACLS (Advanced cardiac life support), PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support), and BLS (Basic Life Support).

[edit] Underwater Exploration and Diving Medicine

Donald Munro has been an instructing member of PADI (the Professional Association of Diving Instructors) since 1986. He is a PADI Course Director, former PADI Instructor Examiner, DSAT (Diving Science and Technology) Instructor-Trainer, DAN (Divers Alert Network) Instructor-Trainer, and former ANDI International (American Nitrox Divers International) Instructor-Trainer. Munro has continued to train diving instructors in specialized areas of diving that include: Underwater Crime Scene Investigation, High Altitude diving, Deep diving, Diver Propulsion Vehicles, and Ice diving. In the early 1990's he became one of the early Canadian proponents of Instructor training and exploration in the areas of Technical diving, Trimix diving, Gas blending technology, and Semiclosed Rebreather diving. In 1989, Munro was certified as a Handicapped Scuba Association Instructor and undertook the training of divers with physical disabilities. As a Surveillance Submarine Pilot Trainer and ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Instructor, Munro trained personnel from several countries in the use of these vehicles for counter-terrorism purposes. Munro also continues to teach courses in several venues of Emergency Diving medicine.

[edit] Film and Television Production

Although he began his film and television career as a Stunt Performer, Donald Munro works as a Producer, Director, Composer, and Cinematographer in the film and television business. He is sometimes credited as Dondon Motoyama. His profile may be viewed on the International Movie Database (IMDB) [1].

[edit] Trivia

• Former Military Service – Canadian Forces
• Fixed-wing aircraft Pilot
• Vegan Vegetarian

[edit] External Links

• Listing of Bujinkan Black Belts of Canada
• Bujinkan.org – Bujinkan Dojo Listings of the World
• International Movie Database Listing for Donald Munro

This user comes from Canada.