Also known as

Description

Portuguese aikido master (8th dan Iwama Shin Shin Aikido / Iwama Ryu), founder and Technical Director of the Associação Portuguesa Aiki-Shuren Dojo (APASD). Began aikido in Melbourne in 1980/81, was uchi-deshi of Morihiro Saito at Iwama from 1986, and continued with Hitohiro Saito after 2002.

Teachers (4)

• 
  Tony Smibert

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

  Tristão da Cunha states he began aikido practice in 1980 or 81 at his university in Melbourne, first under Tony Smibert (4th dan Aikikai)

  (1980-1981)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Tristão da Cunha states he began aikido practice in 1980 or 81 at his university in Melbourne, first under Tony Smibert (4th dan Aikikai)

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Iniciei a minha prática de Aikido em 1980 ou 81, já não me recordo precisamente, em Melbourne, Austrália, na Universidade onde estudava. O meu primeiro professor chamava-se Tony Smibert que era 4º Dan de Aikido, Aikikai."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo
• 
  Barry Knight

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  Confirmed

  Well-documented first traditional (Iwama) aikido teacher in Melbourne, trained with daily until the end of the university course, named Barry Knight in the CAO interview and Barry Night on the Aikishurendojo pages

  sports_kabaddiRensei Dojo badge (1981-1985)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Well-documented first traditional (Iwama) aikido teacher in Melbourne, trained with daily until the end of the university course, named Barry Knight in the CAO interview and Barry Night on the Aikishurendojo pages

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Passado um mês comecei a treinar com um outro professor que fazia Aikido Tradicional, chamado Barry Knight que na altura era 3º Dan, creio, hoje penso que é quinto. Este foi o meu primeiro contacto com o Aikido de Iwama."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo

  "Morihiro Saito (1928 – 2002) taught Aikido to many generations of students. One such student Barry Knight (1945 – Present) continues to refine and explore those mind-body Aiki concepts in his Rensei dojo in Caulfield Melbourne, Australia."

  — About Aikido - Taku Ma Dojo (Geelong)linkinfo
• 
  Saitō Morihiro

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  Confirmed

  Well-documented uchi-deshi of Morihiro Saito at Iwama, first in May 1986 for six months, returning repeatedly; the Aikishurendojo bio and the CAO interview both detail this relationship

  Uchi deshi sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (1986-2002)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Well-documented uchi-deshi of Morihiro Saito at Iwama, first in May 1986 for six months, returning repeatedly; the Aikishurendojo bio and the CAO interview both detail this relationship

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Viajou pela primeira vez ao Japão em 1986 onde ficou como uchi deshi de Morihiro Saito no dojo do Fundador do Aikido. Voltou para Portugal com a tarefa de implantar o Aikido tradicional em Portugal. ... Tristão da Cunha foi uchi deshi do Grande Mestre Morihiro Saito, no último ano em que este esteve activo antes de sucumbir a um cancro dos ossos."

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalinkinfo

  "A minha primeira ida foi em Maio de 1986. ... Eu fui o primeiro português a ir lá e Sensei recebeu-me como recebe todos os alunos."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo
• 
  Saitō Hitohiro

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  Confirmed

  After Morihiro Saito's death in 2002, Tristão da Cunha continued with his son and successor Hitohiro Saito, who awarded him the 6th, 7th and 8th dan grades and the Shihan title

  sports_kabaddiIwama Dojo badge (2002)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  After Morihiro Saito's death in 2002, Tristão da Cunha continued with his son and successor Hitohiro Saito, who awarded him the 6th, 7th and 8th dan grades and the Shihan title

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Depois de Morihiro Saito falecer continuou com o seu filho e sucessor, Hitohiro Saito Shihan. ... Desde então voltou várias vezes ao Japão para ser uchi deshi de Hitohiro Sensei."

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalinkinfo

  "Morihiro Sensei was still alive and healthy when his son gave me the title of Shihan of the Tanrenkan. I was 5th Dan back then."

  — (2011). Interview with Tristão da Cunha Sensei linkinfo

Ranks (5)

• linkIwama Ryu

  military_tech4 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Tristão da Cunha describes himself as 4th dan (5th dan from 2001) in the CAO interview

  Dan-Kyu System (2000)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Tristão da Cunha describes himself as 4th dan (5th dan from 2001) in the CAO interview

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "O meu nome é Tristão da Cunha, tenho 38 anos e sou 4ºdan (5ºdan desde 2001-ed) de Aikido, Iwama Ryu."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo

  military_tech5 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Received 5th dan in taijutsu and bukiwaza from Morihiro Saito in 2001 in Iwama, confirmed by the Aikishurendojo bio

  Dan-Kyu System (2001)

  granted by Saitō Morihiro

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Received 5th dan in taijutsu and bukiwaza from Morihiro Saito in 2001 in Iwama, confirmed by the Aikishurendojo bio

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Recebeu a graduação de 5º Dan, taijutsu e bukiwaza, de Morihiro Saito em 2001, em Iwama, Japão."

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalinkinfo

  "sou 4ºdan (5ºdan desde 2001-ed) de Aikido, Iwama Ryu"

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo

  military_tech6 dan 2

  Probable

  6th dan Shin Shin Aiki awarded by Hitohiro Saito, stated in the Aikishurendojo bio without an exact date

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Saitō Hitohiro

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  6th dan Shin Shin Aiki awarded by Hitohiro Saito, stated in the Aikishurendojo bio without an exact date

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Mais tarde, recebeu a graduação de 6º Dan Shin Shin Aiki do Kaicho Hitohiro Saito, filho e sucessor de Morihiro Saito."

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalinkinfo

  military_tech7 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Stated as 7th dan since 2006 in the Aikishurendojo bio and as 7th dan in the 2011 English interview

  Dan-Kyu System (2006)

  granted by Saitō Hitohiro

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Stated as 7th dan since 2006 in the Aikishurendojo bio and as 7th dan in the 2011 English interview

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "É 7º Dan desde 2006."

  — Mestre Tristão da Cunhalinkinfo

  "What is your grade? — I am 7th Dan."

  — (2011). Interview with Tristão da Cunha Sensei linkinfo

  military_tech8 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Promotion to 8th dan (VIII dan Dentō Iwama Ryu) confirmed independently by the APASD Iwama News blog and an Enrico Neami article with photographs, both placing the conferral at the Kagami Biraki ceremony in Iwama on 17 January 2016 by Hitohiro Saito

  Dan-Kyu System (2016-01-17)

  granted by Saitō Hitohiro

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Promotion to 8th dan (VIII dan Dentō Iwama Ryu) confirmed independently by the APASD Iwama News blog and an Enrico Neami article with photographs, both placing the conferral at the Kagami Biraki ceremony in Iwama on 17 January 2016 by Hitohiro Saito

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Il capo scuola dell'Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai Saito Hitohira Jukucho ha conferito ai Maestri Alessandro Tittarelli Shihan e Tristao Da Cuña Shihan il grado di VIII dan Dentō Iwama Ryu in occasione della cerimonia del Kagami Biraki che ha avuto luogo in Iwama il 17 gennaio 2016."

  — Enrico Neami. (2016). Conferito l'8 dan ai Maestri Tittarelli e Da Cuñalinkinfo

  "é com enorme orgulho e felicidade que informamos a passagem no nosso estimado Mestre a 8°Dan. Um magnífico reconhecimento de Hitohira Saito Sensei ... A entrega do 8ºDan deu-se na celebração do Kagami Biraki em Iwama, no Japão."

  — A Direcção APASD. (2016). OMEDETOU GOZAIMASHITA, MESTRE!!!linkinfo

Students (1)

• 
  Pedro Escudeiro

  linkIwama Ryu 3

  Confirmed

  Escudeiro states he began aikido in January 1983 at the Aiki-Shuren Dojo de Portugal, the school founded by Tristão da Cunha; he is listed as an Iwama Ryu instructor in the dojos list, thanks Tristão da Cunha in the Surya project intro, and is explicitly named among Tristão da Cunha's students in the Esgrima Lusitana technical programme acknowledgments

  sports_kabaddiGinásio da Faculdade de Ciências de Lisboa badge (1983)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Escudeiro states he began aikido in January 1983 at the Aiki-Shuren Dojo de Portugal, the school founded by Tristão da Cunha; he is listed as an Iwama Ryu instructor in the dojos list, thanks Tristão da Cunha in the Surya project intro, and is explicitly named among Tristão da Cunha's students in the Esgrima Lusitana technical programme acknowledgments

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Comecei a praticar Aikido em Janeiro de 1983. Tinha na altura 11 anos de idade. ... A minha escola, Aiki-Shuren Dojo de Portugal."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2002). Aikido em Portugal (Pedro Escudeiro, Surya). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo

  "Ginásio Luddance ... Treinos dirigidos por Pedro Escudeiro (2º Dan Taijutsu) e Luís Pires (1º Dan Taijutsu)"

  — João Cruz. (2003). Iwama Ryu Aikido em Portugal - Lista de Dojoslinkhistoryinfo

  "ao mestre Tristão da Cunha (Aikido Tradicional) e aos seus alunos, Pedro Escudeiro, José Carvalho, Jorge Feio, Vasco Moleiro e Nuno e Tozé Cotovios"

  — Nuno Russo. (2021). Programa Técnico da Escola da Esgrima Lusitana do Santo Condestávellinkinfo

Honors (1)

• receipt_longShihan 3

  Confirmed

  Shihan title of the Tanrenkan awarded by Hitohiro Saito while Tristão da Cunha was 5th dan, per the 2011 English interview

  Title

  granted by Associação Portuguesa Aiki-Shuren Dojo

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Shihan title of the Tanrenkan awarded by Hitohiro Saito while Tristão da Cunha was 5th dan, per the 2011 English interview

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Morihiro Sensei was still alive and healthy when his son gave me the title of Shihan of the Tanrenkan. I was 5th Dan back then. ... Later on, on the same day, I was eating with the venerable old master and he said 'Omedetou (congratulations). You are now a Shihan!'"

  — (2011). Interview with Tristão da Cunha Sensei linkinfo

Sources