Gutsy granny Rosemary Braithwaite means business when it comes to getting her kicks. The Nelson 72-year-old is believed to be the oldest woman in New Zealand to earn her black belt in karate, making her a nana not to be messed with.
Rosemary, who has four children and nine grandchildren, reached the coveted status of black belt after 15 years of dedicated training. She first joined a Seido karate class with a friend who has since passed away, and right from the start, Rosemary was hooked. “I found it very interesting.
I thought it was very good for my mind and my body. It teaches about caring, love, respect and obedience,” she says. “Reaching my black belt was an incredible challenge for me and I think having challenges in life is one of the things that keeps us alive.”
But gaining her black belt was just one of Rosemary’s triumphs. She climbed Africa’s highest mountain, ot Kilimanjaro, with her husband Jock (74) when she was 70. She also does aerobics, plays bridge and is a patchwork whizz.
Anyone who chooses to pick on this gutsy granny is likely to get the chop. “If I was ever assaulted I’m sure I would act instinctively because I know perfectly well what to do to injure someone if I have to. I’d shout loudly or retaliate in a way that would give the person a shock. But I do hope I never have to. I think it makes me more confident in myself and that makes me less likely to be attacked.”
Rosemary says Seido karate has given her strong mental discipline as a natural result of her years of physical training. “I’ve gradually learned how to focus my mind. All students are encouraged to practise meditation as they move up through the belts. It takes a while to sit there and empty your mind – and I have to admit, I don’t think I’ve quite got to that point yet,” she laughs.
Rosemary has also helped produce a whole new generation of karate kids – her grandson Barney (7) is already learning the sport and a few of her other grandchildren are also showing interest in following in their nana’s footsteps. She firmly believes that age is no barrier when it comes to the ancient art.
“There’s no such word as ‘old’ in karate,” says Rosemary. “If you think you’re old, you feel old and once you start to feel old, you act old.”
