In-Person Classes Are Back!

We’re very excited to announce that we will be offering in person lessons starting July 1st! 

Like Everyone Else – We Put Our Plans on Hold

It has been a long year for all of us here at Naga Kuning Institute – Seattle, just as it has for everyone around the globe. Normally trying to introduce a new martial art into your region would be a difficult task. When a global pandemic hits right after your first ever seminar, well that just adds a whole new level of difficulty. 

In January of 2020 we had a great first seminar. Then in February we traveled to Breda, The Netherlands, to participate in the Naga Kuning Institute (NKI) Group Leader convention followed by 5 days of training in Walter’s attic. Things were looking great and we were excited to bring back what we had learned and begin sharing it in our community. Six days after our flight landed back home in Seattle, the country shut down. We had to put all in person training on hold, so there went starting a new martial art school.

To say we were disappointed in having to put all our plans on hold for the school would be an understatement. But considering how quickly the pandemic was developing and everything else it impacted, our hopes for spreading the art we love was a small thing to lose compared to everything else going on. In fact, this shutdown had some surprising gifts that would forever help our training moving forward.

Positive Changes Caused by the Pandemic

Training with Technical Board Member Stefano Chiappella

First it started with our good friend and NKI technical board member Stefano Chiappella began inviting us to daily training sessions over Zoom. Being able to train almost daily with Stefano has been an amazing opportunity for us and an immense help in improving our understanding and overall movement using Bukti Negara. This would have never happened if COVID hadn’t shut down the world. We can’t thank Stefano enough for helping us and continue training with him over Zoom to this day.

Training with Technical Director Walter van den Broeke

The next change brought around by COVID was a change in how our teacher Walter van den Broeke, NKI founder and technical director changed his views about online training. Before COVID shut everything down we would see Walter 2-3 times a year in person and train together for about a week. Then go our separate ways and train on our own here in Everett/Seattle. Walter didn’t believe in online training and we didn’t think too much of it either.

Well when all travel shuts down, you have to be open to adapting to the world, just like how any good martial art changes and adapts over time. We adapted and Walter began offering weekly online private training to NKI group leaders. We immediately took him up on the offer and have been training and seeing huge improvement in our understanding for over a year now. This change has easily been one of the best things to have come to us in almost 20 years of martial arts training. Thank you Walter for everything you have taught us and continue to teach us about martial arts and life.

Back and Ready to Share Bukti Negara – The Unified Art

We wanted to share this with you to give a glimpse into what we have been up to. We weren’t able to offer in person classes, but that didn’t mean we stopped training. In fact we have had incredible opportunities to learn and deepen our understanding of this wonderful art, Bukti Negara – The Unified Art. We’re now ready to start sharing this art with anyone that is interested.

Contact Us to Check Out Dutch-Indonesian Silat!

Classes will be Thursdays from 5:30 – 7pm

First class is July 1st

All students must be FULLY vaccinated and must bring proof of vaccination.

First 2 classes are FREE

Email us at buktinegara.seattle@gmail.com for more information

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