Chapter 19

As the NCAF was the single Hombu recognized organization and the IAF member, it tried to live up to its responsibilities. Since there was no job-description it tried to define its role based on the three lines I have described:
– what followed from the Hombu regulations
– what followed from membership of the IAF
– what followed from government policy

However, as more and more groups left the NCAF, for different reasons* we realized that we could hardly claim to be the single representative for Aikido in the Netherlands. However, the remaining dojos were actually strongly committed to being a decent democratic organization. So, the NCAF tried to remain open, cooperating, exchanging information with the other organizations, providing information on international policy, developments in Hombu policy, etc

To express that we no longer claimed the pivotal role, the name of the organization was informally changed. We started using the name Festina Lente, rather than NCAF.

As the majority of Aikido organizations moved to the FOG, the contours for an umbrella organization took shape. With the ever increasing number of organizations it became more and more apparent to everybody that some form of structure was needed. As slowly the concept of the umbrella organization took shape.

During that period in time Hombu changed its policy from informal recognition to multiple recognition. As we struggled to find solutions for the informal recognition we were now confronted with all organizations being recognized. This in fact went so far that organizations that until then had claimed they were not Aikikai now could apply for Hombu dan-grades and get them awarded**.

The spectrum of organizations was so broad, that it deserves credit that an umbrella organization was formed. However, part of that solution needed to be to safeguard the IAF membership. This was done in several steps.

First of all, as AN was formed, a section for Aikikai-organizations was established. The second step was that the NAF/Festina Lente was asked to create a new organization Festina Lente and apply for Hombu recognition***. The NAF was then offered as an empty body to all the Aikikai-organizations that were in the new umbrella AN. The NAF was appointed institutional member of AN****.

These steps all worked well for parties involved. The ministry of sport and the NSF were happy, the Aikikai-organizations were happy they were now on equal footing, the other Aikido-organizations were now happy they were under a recognized umbrella. The IAF was happy because the NAF was still only an Aikikai organization. Hombu was happy because the complex situation in the Netherlands was now resolved.

And this summarizes the transition period. What should follow is a description of the current situation. Which will be the next chapter.

* I will try to summarize the splits in a later chapter, but this will be a sensitive topic
** this is one of the reasons why AN initially had in its regulations that if an organization applies for Aikikai-grades it is considered Aikikai. Later this was rephrased and that it must have the right to conduct Aikikai gradings to be member of the Aikikai section. This section structure was later abandoned, but traces are probably still to be found in the statutes of AN.
*** Contrary to Hombu policy that an organization must exist for at least 5 years, the newly formed association was given recognition immediately.
**** Until today nobody has any idea what that actually implies.