This annual street festival was first held in 1978 when the influence of the Italian community was at its peak in Lygon Street in Carlton. It was organised by the Carlton Traders’ Association as an adjunct to the Italian Arts Festival. Lygon Street was closed to traffic between Elgin and Queensberry streets for the weekend of the festival to encourage the event’s family and community spirit.

The Festa is held annually in October, and celebrates Italian food and culture with music, street theatre, food stalls, entertainment, and traditional events such as dancing, waiters’ race and greasy pole competition.

Tino Ceberano Shihan and the Victorian Goju Kai regularly put on public demonstrations to raise the awareness and profile of karate. The club members were well practised and rehearsed in their demonstrations and routines which might include tile and board breaking for a little showmanship and colour, kata performances, pre-arranged sparring, kumite and weaponry.

Generally a club member would be describing the routines from a PA system reading a well rehearsed script. There would be many, many karate students who were exposed to the martial arts by seeing a public demonstration in one of Melbourne’s many cultural festivals and events.

Whether it was the Goju Kai up to 1989 or the I.G.K. after that year, the Tino Ceberano brand of traditional karate was regularly seen and recognised. These photos beautifully capture the colour, fashions and spirit of Tino Ceberano Shihan performing kata and kumite against Morgan Abouzeid, a senior student of the day who became a leading tournament competitor and instructor in his own right.