André Nocquet

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André Nocquet (30 July 1914 – 12 March 1999) was a French aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan from the Aikikai. He was one of the very earliest non-Japanese to practice the art.

Contents

[edit] Early life

Nocquet studied Greco-Roman wrestling as a young man. He began the practice of Jujutsu in 1937 with Israeli professor Moshé Feldenkrais. Later Mikinosuke Kawaishi came to Feldenkrais's dojo to teach and Nocquet became Kawaishi’s 17th student.

[edit] Aikido career

In 1954, Nocquet was encouraged by Tadashi Abe to travel to Japan to see Morihei Ueshiba and study at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Nocquet stayed for nearly three years (1955-57), living in the dojo. This was a difficult time for him as a westerner as there were virtually no other non-Japanese practicing aikido at the time.

During Nocquet's time at Hombu he was the only uchi-deshi[citation needed]. Later Nobuyoshi Tamura and Masamichi Noro took up residence there. Nocquet and Tamura, both of whom held the rank of first dan at the time, trained extensively together.

He returned to France in the summer of 1958. He practiced alongside Tadashi Abe when the latter came to France. In 1959-1960 Abe returned to Japan, leaving Nocquet to teach aikido in France.

[edit] Writings

  • O'Sensei Morihei Ueshiba: Presence and Message (1975) Originally published in French in 1975 as Présence et Message and subsequently translated into English in 1994 by Robert Cornman. A collection of reflections on the philosophy of the founder of aikido together with some 80 photos of Morihei Ueshiba, Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei (amongst other Aikikai.
  • Aikido: Heart and Sword (1991) Originally published in French in 1991 as "Le Coeur Épée," and subsequently translated to English in 1996 by Aiki News. The author trained extensively in Japan, and this book contains some of his perceptions of the teachings of O'Sensei, and the basis of the spirit of Aikido.

[edit] External links

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