Growing up on the Streets of Hawaii

(Black Belt Magazine Jan. 1991 V-29 No. 1)

To many, the name Hawaii has a magical ring - land of enchantment, tropical paradise, memorable sunsets and the Hula.  But to the natives of the 50th state, it has a deeper meaning: roots, heritage, friends, relatives, a melting pot of cultures, and the many celebrities the islands have proudly produced.  Being Hawaii born and raised, I share this point of view.

I was the sixth of seven children and grew up in the Kalihi district of a Oahu, where survival was the daily concern.  It didn't take much to get into a fight there.  The philosophy was "If you get a main dish on me today, I'll get a sandwich on the way down, and tomorrow I'll get my main dish and you'll get nothing."  I witnessed street battles I will never forget.  In one particularly brutal fight, one combatant bit off most of his opponents nose.  At this point, I was sure the other man would give up.  No such thing.  He came back like a madman and ruthlessly incapacitated his opponent.  I quickly learned that there are no rules on the street, and that all avenues of fighting should be contemplated.

Looking back at those early years, I feel grateful for the many chances to develop my fighting skills.  This environment made me an adult at a very early age and contributed to my later innovations in Kenpo karate.

My parents were deeply religious and created a home of spiritual, physical, educational and economic stability.  They taught us children right from wrong and expected us to bear full responsibility for our decisions and actions.  Each of us felt their deep affection, and this legacy alone has sustained me throughout my life.  In a way, it was their affection that made me turn to Kenpo, to uphold their beliefs.  As I internalize these beliefs, I learned to resist the pressures of my street-corner friends, going so far on occasion as to convince them physically that "No" meant just that.  But I felt justified in doing so.

It is ironic that my introduction to Kenpo originated at a church meeting.  I was 16 when Frank Chow, a member of my church, told me he had beaten up the local bully.  Now Frank was light in stature, and the bully was big, solid and vicious.  It was only when Frank showed me how he had done it that I believed him.  I became interested in his methods and began to study under him.

I became a Kenpo addict, and Frank recognized my burning desire to learn.  Having boxed, and having been involved in many street altercations myself, I questioned, disagreed, and stood corrected.  One day Frank told me he had taken me as far as he could.  He was not qualified to go beyond what he had already taught me, and arranged for me to further my Kenpo education with his brother William.

William K.S. Chow’s class at the old Nuuanu YMCA was closed to outsiders, but Frank's introduction opened it to me.  I was impressed with what I saw.  As I watched William Chow's movements and appraised his students, a strong spiritual feeling penetrated to the very depths of my soul, and I knew then that Kenpo would be my life's work.

Working with other students who had varying arm and leg lengths, mannerisms, and methods of moving proved fruitful.  Heretofore, it had been just Frank and me - I had no one other than him to compare my ability with.  The other students made me aware of the need to learn motion thoroughly.  As I began my new classes, I compared the instruction with my street-fighting experience and immediately saw the need for some adjustments to modern-day methods of fighting.

I reviewed training films of myself religiously, extracting new concepts, theories and principles for practical combat.  An even greater discovery unexpectedly occurred one day when I flipped the "reverse" switch on the film projector by accident, playing the film backward.  Watching my moves in reverse, I uncovered a dimension I had never even suspected: I had been aware of only half the value contained within my moves; the other half had remained hidden.  Since this disclosure, untold avenues have opened up, giving me a more thorough understanding of what Kenpo really means.  Because of this added knowledge, I have learned how to convert embryonic moves into sophisticated moves, how to differentiate between the terms "opposite" and "reverse," and how movements in reverse can also supply answers for defense and offense.