The record, not the rumour
WE ARE THE SOURCE
In many traditions people claim titles, patches and lineages they were never granted. A mantle is not taken. It is passed — in writing, by the hand that held it, before witnesses and under seal. This house keeps the paper. Here it is.
The Menkyo of 16 November 2009
GRANDMASTER LAWRENCE DAY → SENSEI STOFFEL VAN VUUREN
Transcript
Sensei Stoffel van Vuuren
It is with great pride that I pass to you my Black Dragon Fighting Society mantle of leadership. This legacy and my place as a Grandmaster on the Governing Council to be placed in your trust upon my passing.
It is an honor to bequeath the Black Dragon lineage, knowledge and traditions I have accumulated over these many years to an outstanding martial artist like yourself who has done so much to promote the martial arts not only in your own country but worldwide and who has always upheld the highest standard of excellence and skill. Very few men can actually earn a living solely as martial artists. To assemble the necessary resources, delegate responsibility, support and maintain the logistics of not just one, but many schools, and hold that network of fiercely independent warriors together, is a great accomplishment.
Of all I have known, only you and Ashida Kim have demonstrated the true spirit of the original Black Dragon Fighting Society. It would be my wish that you share this responsibility, you in South Africa and Kim in America, for only we have held to the original purpose, teachings, signs, symbols and logos as our own.
For all you have done thusfar, you have proven yourself more than worthy of this request. It is therefore granted. In Japan the tradition of passing the Menkyo is a formal ceremony, delivering the family scrolls or similar symbol of lineage from one generation to the next. This scroll will serve as the official token of that ceremony.
Thank you for your willingness to accept this great responsibility and share it with others. I could not have chosen a better man to continue this Great Work. We will do all we can to insure your continued success.
signed, Grandmaster Lawrence Day
This 1st day of the 11th Month Year of the Ox [16 November 2009]
The marks on the document
- The Black Dragon Fighting Society header block, in the original mark and lettering.
- The Seiei Kan · Okinawa torii stamp, lower left.
- The Dojo — Academy of Martial Arts stamp, lower right.
- The gold embossed seal, struck into the paper at the foot of the scroll.
The chain from that day
Grandmaster Lawrence Day
Governing Council · passed the mantle, 2009
Soke Hanshi Stoffel van Vuuren
Received the mantle · held the line 1990–2025
Dai Soke Jacques van Vuuren and the present holders
The living transmission → view the lineage
Disclaimer
The Black Dragon Fighting Society makes no claim over unrelated groups that use similar names, marks or wording. We state only what our own records show, and we show them.
Every record on this site is kept, dated and attributed. Scanned transmissions in the sealed archive are fingerprinted with SHA-256, gathered into batches and anchored on chain, so that a page cannot be quietly altered after the fact. We have a proof of record for everything we do.