Thank You, Sijo Emperado

In 1947, Sijo Emperado and four other black belt masters created the art of Kajukenbo. Imagine the difficulties for masters in various arts to come together bringing their knowledge and expertise to create something even better than what they each had individually. I often think about the humility that each of the founders had in order to be able to work together and create something so new, unique, and powerful. Yet they had a certain arrogance that allowed them to rise to the challenge and create what is known as the first mixed martial art.

Last weekend I had the opportunity to represent Kajukenbo Arizona at Sijo Emperado’s memorial service in Maui. Sigung's Kailani and Aiau Koa did a wonderful job to coordinate the memorial. They performed a Haka that was created especially for the memorial. They recognized the several Grand Masters that were in attendance. They allowed the family time to pay the respects and then allowed the 200 or so Kajukenbo Ohana members to pay their respects. There was time given to the Grand Masters to speak and share memories and express appreciation for Sijo. The pastor spoke about Ohana and the importance of us remembering and respecting. The reception had an unbelievable amount of good food. I think everyone in attendance could appreciate the good feelings and the good Ohana spirit. Thank you for making that happen!

Sijo's legacy will have a profound effect on my life forever. Doing what I love as an Instructor of Kajukenbo, having my wife and family share in this experience and having all the vast and varied experiences and relationships are all reasons for me to be forever grateful to Sijo Emperado.

The previous weekend was spent at a memorial to Grandmaster Allen Abad. Grandmaster was Professor Lim’s mentor and I was very fortunate to spend time with him as he lived nearby and taught Tai Chi at our school on weekends. I met him around 12 years ago and was impressed with his attitude regarding life. His technique was often described as watching "liquid fire." I was blessed to have been his uki a number of times and was always impressed that although he was a small man, he hit like a giant. He outlived the doctor’s expectations and towards the end of his life, I cherished the unexpected visits to the school during class. It is sad to no longer have such a fine mentor among us. His spirit will always be reflected in the lives of those he touched.

During my Maui weekend, I had the pleasure of spending time with Papa Sol Kaihewalu. We spent time discussing his life experiences. He has quite an amazing history and is full of stories and facts about the people and places surrounding the Hawaiian martial arts. He has been married for 50 years and has been training since he was very young. He has a great attitude and perspective. I especially appreciated the fact that he has had many experiences with Grandmaster Abad, Professor Lim and other masters.

In all these events, it was great hearing all the life and martial art stories. I challenge our students to learn our history, and never forget their own. Talk to your instructors and mentors – don't waste precious time and don’t be shy! Most masters will be happy to share their experiences with you. Take advantage of these golden opportunities while you can!

During Sijo's memorial, a lot of people expressed their gratitude to Sijo for creating such a powerful martial art. Kajukenbo is truly the first mixed martial art and it is also the first original American martial art. What a gift we have in Kajukenbo - it is a powerful, beautiful martial art. We should all be grateful! I had much time to reflect about the various instructors I have had (even those that I do not currently train with) and how I can better show my gratitude for the art.

Because knowledge of the art is priceless, it is very difficult to pay back my instructors for their time and knowledge. In fact, it is impossible. Yes, I paid the monthly fees for my training but there’s something more to it. I believe that it’s about what I can do for others using the skills and the principles that I have been taught. For both students and instructors, showing gratitude comes in several forms.

Students and instructors should show our gratitude to our instructors by the time we spend in service to the school, time with each and every student and the time we spend with the instructors and mentors above us. We should, when called upon, send cards, gifts, flowers, and donations, as they are needed. We should support events by attending even if we cannot perform. Many times I have paid for a seminar although I was not able to attend. I do this to support their efforts even if I do not personally benefit. It's worth it to help keep their legacy alive.

I truly believe that the proper way to show respect from student to instructor is by attendance, attention, commitment, service to the school and the fellow students, and by showing gratitude at every opportunity, such as showing up at tests even when you are not getting promoted, helping out when possible, and not expecting to always be paid back in kind.

Professor Lim shared a story recently: Private lessons were 30 minutes each and a student was attending and pay for these on a regular basis. The instructor was never greedy with his time and most of the lessons lasted an hour long, even though the student was paying for only 30 minutes. One day, due to a previous commitment, the instructor had to conclude the lesson after 26 minutes. The student looked at the clock and said, “I believe I still have 4 more minutes left.”

Take stock of where you are at in your martial arts training – are you helping someone or are you expecting something? Are you showing up for the glory and being absent during the rough patches? Is your training all about you? Are you focused only on your next milestone?

Are we this kind of student to our instructors? Do we take more than we give, and then expect more? Or do we give more than we take which allows us to gain even more beyond our expectations?

The art of Kajukenbo is strong, and it will get stronger as we grow and work hard together and perfect our skills and knowledge. It grows stronger as we strengthen those around us and become the proper ambassadors of the art. It is always important to remember that we are examples to everyone around us, whether we realize it or not. To me, it is just seems easier to be a good example all the time. It is definitely a goal I strive for daily.

Train Strong To Remain Strong and be grateful for all that blesses your life.

Sifu Kelly Corder