Ray Zwicker
Professor Ray Zwicker
Professor Ray Zwicker is an Eighth Degree Black Belt with the Canadian Ninja Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Fellowship (CNJJBBF) and Chairman of the four-member Board of Directors. As the Senior Instructor of Kali-Jitsu he conducts the advanced curriculum of unarmed and weapon training for Fellowship Black Belts.
During more than 50 years of study he has earned Black Belts in four martial arts (Jiu-Jitsu, Kali, Korean Hapkido and Indonesian Penchat Silat). While working for the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade he had the opportunity to travel extensively and study martial arts in Asia and the U.S.. In 1984, he was appointed, by the Board of Directors of the Ninja Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt Fellowship, as one of two ambassadors for the organization.
In 1975, Ray Zwicker earned a Black Belt in Oikiru-Ryu Jiu-Jitsu at the Ninja Jiu-Jitsu Dojo in Ottawa, Canada. In 2003, after more than 30 years of training in Jiu-Jitsu he was awarded the rank of Shichidan (Seventh Degree Black Belt). In 2009, Professor Zwicker was promoted to Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt) . His eclectic martial arts background has enabled him to combine Jiu-Jitsu with elements of several complimentary disciplines. Kali-Jitsu is the result.
While on a five year posting in New York City he had the occasion to train in Pekiti-Tirsia Kali (Filipino stick and knife fighting art) under Tuhon (Master) Leo Gaje Jr., Tuhon Dan Inosanto and the then World Champion stick fighter, Tom Bisio. During his Arnis-Kali training Ray Zwicker studied several other styles of knife and stick fighting including Lanada (long range) style, Serada (short range) style of Arnis de Mano and Penchat Silat (Indonesian knife fighting).
At the first Majaphit Martial Arts training camp held at Big Springs, Texas in 1982 the examination Board, consisting of, among other Masters, Dan Inosanto, Leo Gaje and Suryadi Jafri, awarded him an instructor’s certificate in Pekiti Tirsia system of Arnis-Kali after successfully passing his test. He was one of the first two Canadians to receive a teaching diploma in this style. Also in 1982, he earned the right to instruct students in Penchat Silat, after receiving private instruction for several years in New York City under Indonesian Master instructor Suryadi Jafri.
During a two-year assignment in Seoul, South Korea, he received instruction from Korean Hapkido Grand Master Lee, Chun Moon. Master Lee taught Ray Zwicker traditional Hapkido as well as advanced cane-fighting techniques. He successfully passed his Black Belt exam in 1988, presided over by a board of eight Korean Grand Masters, at the World Hapkido Federation Headquarters in Seoul.
Ray Zwicker has taught classes and given seminars to civilians, diplomats, military and police forces in Asia, Canada, Europe and the U.S.. He has held the position of Deputy Mission Security Officer at the Canadian Consulate in New York City and the Canadian Embassy in Seoul, Korea. As a part-time bodyguard in New York City, Ottawa and Seoul, many of the theories, principles and techniques learned in his training were put to the test.