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The History of Kajukenbo Sijo Adriano Emperado, born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 16, 1926 had started his self-defense training at the age of 8 in Judo, while his Father and Uncle, both professional boxers, also trained him in boxing. By the age of 11 he was living with his brother in Kauai and had begun his training with Filipino Escrima. In 1943, Emperado began his study of Kodokan Judo with Sensei Taneo at the Palama Settlement Gym, advancing his studies several years later to Kenpo Jujitsu with Professor Chow, first at the Catholic Youth Organization, and later at the Kaheka gym on Kaheka Lane. He spent many years with the professor, eventually becoming his chief instructor and attaining the rank of 5th degree Black Belt. Taking his cue from Professor Chow, Emperado embarked on his own path, taking Kenpo on quite a revolutionary new course. During this period, Emperado was training feverishly 8 - 12 hours a day, pursuing a convergence point for all that he had learned. He assimilated the truth of these arts, as well as, choice techniques from ring boxing and Kung Fu styles, gleaned from impromptu visits to closed training sessions in the private Kung Fu classes of various Chinese masters he had befriended. Never one to deny the source of his knowledge, he credits Mr. Lau of Lau's Meat Market and Mr. Wong, Professor Wong of the Northern Shaolin system, Professor Lau Bun of the Choy Li Fut system, as well as, information shared by Grandmaster Ho Gau, a celebrated Choy Li Fut master who was visiting the islands.
At this point in his life, Emperado befriended four other young masters of different systems. In their mutual enthusiasm for martial knowledge, they overcame the typical defensive reflex martial artists commonly experience when confronted with a different art than their own. Instead, in 1948, they made a secret pact to collaborate and create a new art that would combine the most effective street applications and principles from all of their collective arts. They called themselves the Black Belt Society, comprised of: Adriano D. Emperado - Chinese (Kara-Ho) Kenpo and Escrima; Joe Holke - Kodokan Judo; Pyy (Walter) Choo - Tang Soo Do and Hawaii welterweight boxing champion; Clarence Chang – Sil Lum Pai Kung Fu; and Frank Ordonez - Sekeino Jujutsu. They quit their jobs, went on welfare and trained, moving their training from place to place to keep it secret.
Kajukenbo Evolves
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Because the founders wanted their creation to be one comprehensive system, not five systems combined, it was decided that Kenpo would be the base to build on. Added to this base were various Tang Soo Do kicks, Jujutsu joint locks, Judo throws, and Sil Lum Kung Fu circular techniques. Joe Holke devised the art's name of Kajukenbo: "Ka" for Karate, "ju" for Judo and Jujutsu, "ken" for Kenpo, and "bo" for Chinese boxing (as Kung Fu was often called).
With the start of the Korean War, Joe Holke, Walter Choo, Frank Ordonez, and Clarence Chang were drafted into service. Choo became part of Korean military intelligence, and Chang died in the war, leaving only Emperado to carry on the new Kajukenbo system. Thus, two years after they had started, Emperado, with his brother Joe who also trained under William K. S. Chow, took the initiative in introducing Kajukenbo to the public, by opening the Palama Settlement School in 1950.
The brutal training that took place there is legendary. Since the goal was to be invincible on the street, the training had to be realistic, and students sparred with full contact. Broken bones were an everyday occurrence, and the trauma of training caused others to become sick to their stomachs. The number of students at the school soon dwindled to a dedicated few. Those who remained developed into tough fighters with a reputation for employing their art in street fights with only a little provocation. Emperado's school turned out several future instructors who would themselves leave a mark on the international martial arts community: Sid Asuncion, Tony Ramos, Charles Gaylord, Aleju Reyes, Joe Halbuna and Al Dacascos, just to name a few.
In 1959, Emperado began incorporating Kung Fu into the Kajukenbo system, shifting the emphasis away from strictly hard-style Karate to a combination of hard and soft techniques. Kajukenbo has evolved into a style that is open to improvement and has shown a willingness to accept what works.
Today, Kajukenbo has four distinct branches, reflecting its wide spectrum of influences. The original base of Kajukenbo (often referred to as the Kenpo division) has been joined by divisions within the art known as Chuan-Fa (fist way), a combination of hard and soft Chinese techniques; Tum Pai (central way - the style taught at East West Martial Arts), developed by Jon Loren, adds Tai Chi Chaun; and Wun Hop Kuen Do, was developed by Black Belt Hall of Fame member Al Dacascos. Modern Kajukenbo, drawing on its Hawaiian heritage, is a large, extended family, but maintains its reputation as an art prepared for any street encounter. Emperado continues to travel and conduct seminars in the art that he helped develop more than 40 years ago. For a lifetime of contributions to the martial arts, Adriano Emperado was named 1991 Instructor of the Year by Black Belt magazine.
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