THE FOUNDER

Brief background information on our Founder
and how he came about the Te Mana Combat System.

Family Name:
Tu Te Rangi Whaitiri (loosely translated: "A sign in the sky"). Grandfather, Ned, shortened the surname to Tu because Europeans found the whole name too difficult to pronounce and write.

TE KARAKA

Brook Benton Tu comes from a little town called Te Karaka , about 30km out of Gisborne; a micro-city on the East Coast of the North Island of Aotearoa (New Zealand). He was separated from his Whanau (Family) in childhood when his Mother brought him to Australia in the early 1960s. He happily rediscovered his brothers and sisters, and his birthplace, in the late 1980s.

Te Karaka is the 'traditional home' of the Te Mana Combat System and the immediate members of the Tu Family are the only recognised supervisory body. The integrity and philosophies of the system will be guarded by the Tu Family, and it's officially sanctioned representatives.

THE EARLY DAYS

Brook was first tutored in Catch style Wrestling and Amateur style Boxing from the age of four under his Step Father, Robert Bailey Dures. In 1960s Sydney, Mr Dures often took the young founder to amateur wrestling and boxing events. Robert Dures had competed in local (Surry Hills) tournaments in his youth and was acquainted with many celebrity wrestlers, boxers and rugby league players of the time.

In this environment of physical culture clubs and the last days of the old style catch-wrestlers, Brook found an element to his life which will always remain with him. His personal dedication to the science of combat and motion, as taught by the last generation to practice such pursuits within the community, is the driving force behind the establishment of the Te Mana Combat System and it's curriculum.

THE FIRST TEACHERS

Brook's first teacher, aside from his stepfather, was a Finnish immigrant named Haari, who had training in Glima and an unknown mid-range kicking style.

Brook's first view of Maori style combat craft came in 1970, on a trip home with his mother, where he witnessed a local display of maori martial arts.

By 1971-2, Brook was training under Sifu Le Heung in Wing Chun Si Lim Tao and Southern White Crane.

In 1972-3, he followed up this training with a brief study of Chausson Marseilles, under Guy and Thierry Marrot.

In 1973-4, he studied Kempo-Ryu with friend, Black Belt - Paul Wheeler. THis period began his exploration into the more disciplined movement of the Okinawan/Japanese styles.

In the middle seventies, Brook added Russian Martial Art to his training, under Antony Seranov.

From here on, the basic tools of Brook's approach to hand-to-hand combat were in place.

LATER YEARS

Mr Tu has made his living in a very broad range of fields but the most relevant, to this website, is his background in field combat, executive security and street defence.

At the end of the 1970s, going into the 80s, Brook was presented with the opportunity to become part of a private security group which invested a great deal of money and manpower in accessing the best training available, for it's staff and clientelle. That part of his life gave him the opportunity to train and study with some of the most accomplished, if unpublicised, practitioners of combat craft, in the world.

We do not discuss this aspect of his life, outside of our schools, but each one of us has been amazed and inspired by his experience and his knowledge of combat craft. Mr Tu's skills and experience have created a level of respect for him which other instructors may never enjoy.

ROBERT BAILEY DURES (1933-1998)

Mr Tu believes that his stepfather, 'Bobby' Dures, was the main influence in his understanding of the principles of dynamic geometry; through the natural consequence of Mr Dures' career in the Royal Engineers (Australian Army) and as a Master Carpenter. If it were not for Mr Dures' insight and open discussion, the Te Mana Combat System may never have existed.

"This system's view (of Combat) is the same as my father's.
Perfect motion comes down to Method, Structure and Timing.
If you master these three principles, then you can create
the variables. It's dynamic geometry, on a grand scale, and
it applies to every facet of your training!"
- Brook Benton Tu

(from left to right)
(The Late) Robert Bailey Dures -
Brook Benton Tu - and Mathew Robert Tu.

BROOK'S TRAINING BRIEF

Mr Tu's favourite systems for helping to understand combat mechanics read like a Who's Who of martial arts styles: Wrestling (Catch) - Classical Gung Fu & Tai Chi - Russian Martial Art - Kempo Ryu - Savate - Balisong - Kali/Eskrima - Muay Thai - Bujitsu - Korean Kicking Arts and Military styles.

Brook enjoyed his studies in these particular forms because they represent a broad view of what can be done with the body and how differing principles can often live together under one banner.

THE FUTURE

Mr Tu is continuing his work with students of the system and his plans for the future ensure that our system will be part of the martial arts and self defence industries for a very long time to come.

His faithful dedication to the curriculum and to each and every individual involved in our school also ensures that, with every passing season, our student base is not only growing but becoming more dedicated to the principles, ideals and philosophies of the system Mr Tu has founded.

One day, we believe, this system will be recognised as one of the premier systems of combat and martial art instruction, in the world; And Brook Benton Tu will be known for his mastery of the craft.

Thankyou for your interest!

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