Born as Sebastian Victor 1953 in Cape Town, South Africa. After finishing school in 1969, Sebastian soon became caught up in the Hippy, Flower Power movement of the era. Indulging in the activities of his group, such as Yoga, Tai Chi Chuan and meditation, along with the study of philosophies of both Buddhism and Daoism fascinated Sebastian.
Whilst participating in a meditation retreat at a centre, Sebastian was introduced to the martial art of Wing Chun by another, who had spent three years learning Wing Chun Kung Fu at the Ip Man Wing Chun School, Nathan Road, Hong Kong.
Here, Sebastian learned the first three hand forms of Wing Chun and spent many hours practicing Chi Sau - a practice to develope sensitivity of touch and chi energy flow in the arms.
After returning home during 1986, Sebastian drew the attention of a few friends who also wanted to learn Wing Chun. So, Sebastian opened his first school in the backyard of his home. It soon became known as "The Wing Chun School!" At the time, Sebastian's school was the only school around that specialized soley in Wing Chun.
As Sebastian's reputation as a Wing Chun specialist grew, he attracted the interest from other Kung Fu schools. Sebastian introduced and taught Wing Chun to a number of teachers and instructors from these schools. Some of these teachers are still around, teaching Wing Chun within their own Kung Fu schools. Sebastian soon became known as Sifu Sebby within the martial arts fraternity. A nickname that has stuck with him ever since.
Over the following years, Sifu Sebby hosted a number of internationally well known Wing Chun Masters at his school. Master Randy Williams, Gavin Blackburn, Sifu Philip Nearing and Grandmaster Samual Kwok to name a few. Seminars held by these highly respected Masters greatly promoted and influenced the attraction to the martial art of Wing Chun.
During the 1996 seminar, Grandmaster Samuel Kwok graded Sebastian to instructor level - and so, Sebastian with his "Wing Chun School" became the first official representative in South Africa for the
SAMUEL KWOK WING CHUN MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION
During 1998, Grandmaster Ip Chun and Grandmaster Sui Yuk Men (President and Chairman, respectively, of the Ip Man Wing Tsun Athletic Association, Hong Kong), with their wives, came over to tour South Africa. Grandmaster Samual Kwok arranged for Sifu Sebby to link up with them and be their host for the time that they would be spending in Cape Town. For Sifu Sebby, this was a "once in a lifetime opportunity, not to be missed".
At that time, Sifu Sebby could not even afford the costs to travel overseas to train with his own teacher, Grandmaster Kwok.
Over the course of four days, when time allowed, Sifu Sebby was fortunate to often receive Chi Sau sessions with these two highly accomplished Wing Chun Grandmasters.
The two Grandmasters enjoyed the company of Sifu Sebby so much that they offered to spend more time with him if he linked up with them again at their next destination, Johannesburg. Sifu Sebby followed the Grandmasters to Johannesburg and again, for a further two days, received some more Chi Sau lessons.
For Sifu Sebby, the quality of the training from these two Grandmasters, even though it was all too short, took him to an even higher, next level of understanding Wing Chun applications.
Grandmaster Samuel Kwok's gift to Sifu Sebby - the opportunity to meet and learn from his own teacher, Grandmaster Ip Chun, shall forever be held close to Sifu's grateful heart.
Throughout the years, Sifu Sebby kept meditating, in and outside of his school, offering guidance to those students who became interested in the practice. Although not incorporated into the practices at his Wing Chun School, developing his Internal Chi Energy Flow had occupied much of Sifu Sebby's personal training.
During 2007, Sifu Sebby decided to take up an offer to go live for three years as an apprentice monk at a Chan/Zen monastery. The creator of Wing Chun, Abbess Ng Mui, was a Chan/Zen nun. The opportunity to experience some of a Chan/Zen monk's lifestyle and "MIND", was enough for Sifu Sebby to pack his bags and embark on a venture of a lifetime.
After the three years at the monastery, Sifu Sebby came back home to Cape Town and re-opened his Wing Chun School.
During 2012, Sifu Sebby again organized with Grandmaster Samuel Kwok to hold a seminar at his school. News of the upcoming seminar attracted interest from a number of practitioners training in other forms of martial arts. By now, Wing Chun's reputation as one of the most effective self-defence systems to learn, had spread all around the world and now had finally reached the shores of South Africa. Once again, Grandmaster delivered an outstanding seminar.
Unfortunately, a year later, an old delibitating lower back/sciatica injury resurfaced, which prevented Sifu Sebby from practicing Wing Chun for a while. Sifu Sebby had no choice but to close the doors of his beloved Wing Chun School to allow himself time to heal.
It took almost three years of chiro work and physical rest to bring Sifu Sebby back to his old self - and ready to teach again.
By popular demand, mostly from ex students, Sifu Sebby agreed that the school shall, from then onwards, be recognized as:
THE OLD WING CHUN SCHOOL
After all, it is the oldest operating Wing Chun School in Cape Town.