A pragmatic American martial art that was developed in Honolulu, Hawaii, between 1947 and 1949. The name of the art is an acronym from the names of the martial systems that served as its basis. KA refers to Korean karate (Tang Soo Do), KEN refers to Okinawan kenpo, JU refers to Japanese Kodokan Judo and Kodenkan Jujutsu, and BO refers to Chinese boxing and European boxing. The Kajukenbo system of self-defense is an eclectic blend. The roots or various martial arts (including the ones cited above and others such as Filipino escrima) ground the trunk of the Ka-jukenbo family tree, but as the martial art continues to evolve, its heart remains kenpo.
Within the traditions of Kajukenbo the creators of the art are known as “the original Black Belt Society.” They were Peter Y. Y. Choo, Joseph Holck, Frank F. Ordonez, Adriano D. Emperado, and George “Clarence” Chang. These men quit their day jobs and met secretly in abandoned buildings to develop the ultimate self-defense system over a two-year period. They aspired to combine their deep knowledge of Eastern and Western martial arts into one complete and unique system of self-defense. Afterwards, they tested their system against the reality of barroom brawls and fights on the streets of Honolulu. The traditional history of the system identifies their opponents as huge Samoans and big American sailors stationed on the island.
The components of the art, as catalogued by the acronym Kajukenbo, are the following. From karate were borrowed the high-line kicks and circular hand strikes of the Korean martial arts, techniques that are said to be derived from Northern Shaolin Boxing. These techniques were contributed to the system by Peter Y. Y. Choo, a professional (Western) boxer and a black belt in Tang Soo Do-Moo Duk Kwan, one of eight major kwan (Korean; styles) that formed taekwondo, Korean karate, established in 1955. From judo/jujutsu came the throwing and grappling techniques of the Japanese martial arts. These came to the art of Kajukenbo as the legacy of
Joseph Holck, a black belt in Kodokan Judo and Danzan-ryu (Kodenkan) Jujutsu. Judo was created in Japan by Kano Jigoro in 1882. Danzan-ryu Jujutsu was founded by H. Seishiro Okazaki, a Japanese immigrant to Hawaii, in 1924. Frank F. Ordonez contributed elements of Sekeino Jujutsu to the new system; the origin of this style of jujutsu is obscure. Adriano D. Emperado added kenpo to the Kajukenbo arsenal. Kenpo, commonly translated as “law of the fist” because of its reliance on atemi (Japanese; striking techniques), is said to be of Chinese origin. Tradition holds that the twenty-eighth patriarch of Buddhism, Bodhidharma (Daruma in Japanese), brought Shorinji Kempo (Japanese; Shaolin Boxing) from India to China in the early sixth century a.d. Kenpo was introduced to Japan (Okinawa) during the Kamakura period (1192-1333). Emperado had learned kenpo from William K. S. Chow (in the form of Kara-ho Kenpo) and James M. Mitose (in the form of Kosho-ryu Kempo-Jujitsu, known as “Old Pine Tree Style”). Mitose was the twenty-first consecutive bloodline kenpo master. Adriano left Chow’s tutelage in 1946. Adriano’s brother Joe and his sister DeChi also studied under Chow and were later to play important roles in the history of Kajukenbo. Adriano Emperado also contributed the European boxing he had learned from his natural father, Johnny “Bulldog” Emperado, and Filipino escrima (i.e., fencing), a martial art of the Philippine archipelago, which he had learned from his stepfather, Alfred Peralta. As has been noted, boxing came to Kajukenbo from a number of sources. Peter Choo was a welterweight champion and Marino Tiwanak—flyweight boxing champion of Hawaii, one of the first students of Kajukenbo, and first recipient of a black belt in the art—obviously brought a strong European boxing component to the art as did Adriano Emperado. The other boxing influence was Chinese boxing, the striking arts popularly labeled kung fu, contributed by George C. Chang.
The tradition of Kajukenbo is based upon Hawaiian culture, where family comes first. In keeping with this value, there is a modern Black Belt Society that meets annually on Father’s Day to celebrate Adriano D. Em-perado’s birthday on June 15. This family reunion allows practitioners of Emperado’s Method to gather for seminars, tournament competition, and a ritual luau (Hawaiian festival).
Kajukenbo practitioners wear black kimono as uniforms. The colors used symbolically by the system are black, red, and white. In 1965, a coat of arms was created, with a white clover as the central feature. This symbol refers to the Old Pine Tree Style of kenpo-jujutsu. Adherents of the Ka-jukenbo Self-Defense Institute (KSDI) practice Emperado’s Method, which is based on kenpo. According to Emperado, the sole purpose of Kajukenbo is self-defense. Nevertheless, Kajukenbo competitors can play exceptionally well in open tournaments against other martial arts styles, due to their ability to adapt themselves to any rules of engagement in the arena. For example, Kajukenbo practitioners compete in sport jujutsu in their annual tournament, following the increased popularity of grappling arts during the 1990s.
Kajukenbo utilizes a dual rank system, blended from Japanese/Korean and Chinese grading systems. First, there is a belt ranking system proceeding from the lowest rank of white, progressing through purple, brown, black, and finally red. Some schools add an orange belt after the white belt and a green belt after the blue belt. Traditionally, five years are required to progress from white belt to black belt. Black belts are ranked from first through fifth degrees. At sixth through tenth degrees, red belts are worn. The founders hold tenth degree ranking and wear red and gold belts. The second set of categories is based on the Chinese model of ranking by means of kinship titles. The Cantonese term sifu (pinyin shifu; teacher, literally father) is the title awarded to holders of the fifth degree black belt, but this term traditionally refers to any instructor, regardless of rank, among Chinese systems. Sigung (pinyin shigong; teacher’s teacher, literally grandfather) is the title awarded to the sixth and seventh degree ranks. They usually wear red and white belts in Japanese tradition. In the 1990s, the title of professor was awarded to certain eighth and ninth degrees. Only the five founders retain the title sijo (pinyin shizu). Sibak (pinyin shibo) is the title for a student, usually a black belt, who studies directly with a founder. Unlike many Chinese martial arts, Kajukenbo does not use the term for student, toedai (pinyin tudi), nor does it use the familial term for co-students, sihing (pinyin shixiong).
During the Korean War (1950-1953), four cofounders, Choo, Ordonez, Holck, and Chang, left Hawaii for military duty, leaving Emperado to teach Kajukenbo with his younger brother Joe and his sister DeChi. In 1965, the Emperado family incorporated as the Kajukenbo Self-Defense Institute (KSDI) in Honolulu. This organization became the vehicle for spreading Kajukenbo to the mainland. Kajukenbo was taught to military men in Hawaii, who afterward spread this uniquely American martial art all over the world.
Although kenpo continues to represent the trunk of the system, Ka-jukenbo ultimately produced three branches: Tum Pai, ch’uan’fa, and Wun Hop Kuen Do. Adriano D. Emperado developed Tum Pai in 1959 by adding taijiquan (tai chi ch’uan). Incidentally, there is an Emperado “Tai Chi,” which is a formal exercise that implements the “alphabet” of self-defense patterns for Kajukenbo. Jon A. Loren now heads up Tum Pai. Emperado also developed ch’uan’fa in 1965. This so-called soft style, because it relies on parries rather than blocks, blended Northern and Southern Shaolin Boxing. Ch’uan’fa (pinyin quanfa) means “Fist Way” in Chinese, and the Japanese word kenpo is translated as “fist law.” Ch’uan’fa is now headed by Bill Owens. Albert J. Dacascos developed Won Hop Kuen Do in 1969. This branch was inspired by Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do (pinyin Jie quandao), but has “long-fist” (i.e., long-range) techniques. Thus, Won Hop Kuen Do appears heavily influenced by Northern Shaolin Boxing.
The techniques of Kajukenbo are a blend of many styles, encompassing multiple ranges of combat into a cohesive system. Anyone cross-trained in the styles, methods, and systems that comprise Kajukenbo could recognize root elements of original sources. The high-line long-range kicking comes from Tang Soo Do (pinyin Tang Shou dao). The throwing and grappling techniques come from judo and jujutsu. Kenpo brings to Kajukenbo low-line kicking and hard-style striking. (In hard style, there is an emphasis on meeting force directly with an opposing force for offense and defense.) Shaolin Boxing adds soft-style parries, low kicks, and fluid strikes. Soft style means there is an emphasis on deflecting attacks with indirect counterattacks. European boxing adds “bob-and-weave” defense (lowering the level of the body and swaying) and efficient punching. Filipino escrima adds rhythmic striking and angular footwork that is designed to evade attackers and deliver indirect counterattacks, a principle that is also useful for managing multiple opponents.
Kajukenbo uses deep “horse riding” (i.e., straddle) stances, not only to strengthen the legs, but also to create a stable position from which to deliver pulverizing blows from above to a downed opponent. Another reason for the “horse” stance in Kajukenbo is to save wear and tear on the knees when using follow-up techniques against an opponent who is on the ground. For example, should a downed opponent grab a defender in the horse stance, there is the option to either spring away or drop to the knees in order to pin the opponent. Moreover, no padded floor mats are used in traditional practice, because no mats are available on the street. The horse stance brings one closer to earth, lowering the center of gravity and giving stability to uproot and off-balance attackers.
Trademark techniques of Kajukenbo are the “shadowless” kick, the double grab, the hammer fist, and the cross-cover. The shadowless kick is a low-line attack directed to the legs, groin, or abdomen. The kick is called shadowless because balance is not broken, and telegraphing, or showing preparation for the movement, is minimized. There is also a jump “switching kick” that is deceptive because of foot position replacement while in the air. The “double grab” refers to the cross-hand grab technique, which serves to open the formal movements of the art and, in practice, is designed as an attack and defense combination. The double grab with both hands crossed over hides the secret ripping and tearing movements, using the fingers as claws, which were taken from a Hawaiian self-defense art called Lua. The hammer-fist technique uses the bottom of the fist as a striking surface. From combat experience, especially in no-holds-barred street fights, the founders learned that the knuckles could easily be broken by punching. The “chopping” hammer-fist strike saves bare knuckles from destruction while permitting powerful striking against a downed opponent.
The cross-cover refers to the technique developed after Joe Emperado died in a barroom brawl on May 30, 1958. An unidentified assailant stabbed Joe from the rear in the kidney just after he finished defeating an attacker in front of him. Kajukenbo started practicing the way of stepping away from a downed opponent called cross-cover at that time. The cross-cover technique was angular footwork designed specifically to prevent backstabbing. One exits from a single-opponent encounter at an angle, and so pans 180 degrees of vision to take in possible attackers, before crossing over and panning another 180 degrees of vision to assess what threat remains. This allows safe engagement against other opponents.
Describing its use in self-defense may capture the principles of Ka-jukenbo best. Practice incorporates methods for both single combat and combat against multiple opponents. The objective is to intercept an opponent’s attack, such as a punch or kick, then trap the arm or leg with one hand and smash it with the other, causing immediate damage and pain to the attacker. The opponent is then taken down to the ground, usually by sweeping or throwing, where follow-up attacks with striking and locking techniques are used. These are systematic, intended to break joints and damage vital organs. Afterwards, the critical space or “turf” of the downed opponent is exited, usually by passing by the head to avoid getting tripped or grappled to the ground. The exit path facilitates further confrontation against other opponents. Against multiple opponents, the single combat techniques are applied for “overloaded” situational attacks, as for example when partway into a prearranged self-defense sequence another attacker joins the fray. These practice sequences are called waza (Japanese; tricks).
Kajukenbo has specialized training methods that are designed to work in reality fighting. For example, the method labeled “ad-libs” refers to thorough pounding and striking of a downed opponent. They are done in freestyle following a takedown. When one is swept or thrown to the ground, the tendency is to curl up into the fetal position. There are “can-opener” techniques designed to break an opponent’s covering in order to strike vital areas. Low-line kicks to the spine and kidneys will cause an arched back, exposing liver, heart, and spleen to striking. Strikes to the knees will drop the legs, allowing groin strikes and step-over footwork. Ka-jukenbo is playing pool in the sense that one shot is designed to set up another until a practitioner can “run the table.”
Kajukenbo techniques are battle-tested in actual combat or experiments. For example, Adriano D. Emperado got a job as a janitor in a funeral home to get access to the corpses. He is said to have hung bodies up and practiced joint breaking and striking techniques.
The philosophy of Kajukenbo, like its physical techniques, is derived from a variety of sources. The influences of family and Christianity are evident, as is the desire to maintain a symbolic tie to the Chinese heritage of the art. Practitioners characterize Kajukenbo as a family system. This goes beyond the hierarchy based on the family model, which is described above, to signify that there are powerful loyalties to the founders and among the practitioners, many of whom are related by blood and law. The founders of the art paid homage to their Christian faith in a prayer that was said before each practice session. The “Kajukenbo Prayer” paid homage to the “one true God,” asked His blessings for the United States, which was identified as “a nation founded on Christian principles,” and sought blessing for practitioners and their martial arts efforts.
Although Kajukenbo is a recent coinage composed of syllables from its parent arts, members of the system have used the rendering of these syllables in Chinese characters both as a means of maintaining ties to this element of their heritage and as a means of expressing the philosophy of the art. Following this translation, in Cantonese ka means “long life,” ju means “happiness,” ken means “fist,” and bo means “way.” The English translation is given as, “Through this fist way, one gains long life and happiness.” A similar rendering of the Kajukenbo philosophy appears in the motto “To train strong, we will remain strong.”
