Twenty years ago, on November 26, 2004, Bernard Pariset left us.
He was my father, my teacher and my mentor. He was a judoka with an exceptional record, he marked the beginnings of judo in our country and well beyond our borders. A father who also possessed exceptional qualities in other areas, we will discuss them below.
This text – very personal – also signifies the need, in general, not to forget those who have taught us so much and given us so much. (I know that some people have short memories!)
In 1947 a young man of seventeen opened the doors of one of the first dojos established in the capital: the French Jiu-Jitsu Club, located at 11 rue des Martyrs in the ninth arrondissement. Roger Piquemal, the owner, very quickly detected the qualities of this young man who did not have exceptional physical abilities. At the beginning, it was more his “warrior” side, in the noblest sense of the term, which stood out, he was not embarrassed by technique, the sequel largely corrected this fact.
Very quickly he built up an exceptional track record at a time when weight categories did not exist: it was the era of “all categories”. The one where the little ones could bring down the big ones, he made it his trademark, oh so much!
Several French champion titles, alternating with his best friend Henri Courtine, a European champion title against Anton Geesink, the legend of Dutch and world judo and a semi-final at the second World Championships in Tokyo in 1958, all this in all categories.
His career was not limited to this extraordinary journey, he worked, and in what way, within the Judo Ju-Jitsu Federation, occupying different positions, including those of national coach and director of the French teams. .
He was the investigator of the revival of ju-jitsu, with the “Atemi ju-jitsu” method in the early 1970s, which is no small thing. I know something about it. Being an outstanding judoka (no pun intended) did not prevent him from being interested in other combat methods. During his two years at Fort Carré in Antibes, he was an instructor in combat sports.
With his friend Henri Courtine, they were the first in France to wear the famous white and red belt; in 1968 they were named 6th Dan by the Tokyo Kodokan. Together they climbed up to the 9th. (Henri Courtine obtaining the 10th a little after the disappearance of my father.)
Apart from martial arts he had two other passions: sculpture and horse riding. This gift for sculpture came to him when he was an apprentice cabinetmaker when he started judo. As for horse riding, it was later that he discovered what would become another passion and even a communion with “man’s most beautiful conquest”.
As he never did things by halves, he opened an equestrian center in Yonne. The martial arts club during the week in Paris, horse riding at the weekend in Burgundy.
Concerning sculpture, the oldest remember this series of magnificent figurines produced at a time in his life when, strongly impacted by the excesses of “all categories”, he retreated into a less physical activity. His designs featured judokas and samurai on foot and on horseback, with a striking sense of detail and reality.
He was a person with a character that left no one indifferent. He was very talkative, always to good effect. His thoughts and assessments were sometimes severe, like the “ippon” he distributed on the tatami mats. He defended what he called the spirit of conquest, he liked to discover what was on the other side of the hill. He was a visionary endowed with surprising good sense, he was not devoid of a sharp sense of humor and derision inhabited him, including towards himself, he was not fooled by anything. He sometimes looked at his contemporaries with a somewhat disillusioned look. He was sharp, never cutesy, sometimes excessive as in the way he chose to leave us.
He was my father, but also my teacher, and what a teacher! I was not entitled to preferential treatment, compliments and encouragement were rare, very rare. It wasn’t always easy being his (only) son. But even if it means having a father, he might as well be called Bernard Pariset.
www.jujitsuericpariset.com
Below are a few memories among many others. Horse riding in Yonne, in both senses of the word. A magnificent figurine representing a samurai, specialists and others will appreciate the attention to detail. A phase of the victorious final against Anton Geesink in 1955 in Paris. A ground fight refereed by Master Kawaishi. A ground technique with a prestigious Uke: Jean Paul Coche.
