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International Alliance
of Martial Arts
USA
Master Edmund Parker
The father of the American Kenpo Karate
1931-1990
The history of Kenpo Karate
Kenpo Karate was once known as the Ed Parker system because many of the Kenpo instructors trained directly under that great martial artists. However, the founder of Kenpo Karate was not Ed Parker but rather his instructor, Professor William (Willie) K. S. Chow, who began calling his system "Kenpo Karate" in 1949. Chow trained in "Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu" under Great Grand Master James Mitose who had learned the Kenpo art in Japan from his grandfather Sakuhi Yoshida.
| Kenpo Karate is, therefore, a distinct form of Kenpo, although its techniques are virtually indistinguishable from Mistsoe's Kenpo Jui-Jitsu. The difference is mostly in Katas. There were no Katas in Chow's Kenpo Karate while Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu has 4 Katas, Nihanchi 1 & 2, the Bear Kata and Old Man Kata. |
| Professor Chow abandoned the name "Kenpo Karate" as
the complete name of his style in 1952 to create his own style which he
called "Go-Shinjutsu". This was more a change in name than technique,
and his students still called the system Kenpo Karate; and, the
certificate Professor Chow gave me in 1961 awarded me "Kenpo Karate
Shodan (next line) Honolulu Go-Shinjutsu Kai". Others were also teaching
Kenpo techniques under different names, but starting in 1956, Ed Parker
began teaching Professor Chow's system of Kenpo Karate, which is now
known as Original Kenpo Karate.
Many have tried to give a Chinese origin to Kenpo Karate, but the fact is, Kenpo is a Japanese/Chinese art. The word Kenpo is Japanese (not Chinese) and is loosely translated as "Fist Law". However, Kenpo in Japanese refers to a Chinese root. Karate on the other hand is purely a Japanese word that means "Empty Hand". Karate also shows a Chinese origin as kara in Japanese means both empty and China. The two words Kenpo - Karate together would be, as Ed Parker used it, Law of the Fist and Empty Hand. There is not a single Chinese system teaching anything that resembles Kenpo today, although nearly all of the Kenpo techniques can be found scattered among the hundreds of Chinese kung fu styles. However, I was told by two Tai Chi masters who had trained with Yang Jain Hao, that the fighting techniques of Yang Ban Hao, who was known as "Yang the Invincible, were very close to Kenpo techniques. |
| So what is Kenpo Karate?
Kenpo Karate is the oldest style of Kenpo being taught in the United States. It was created in 1949 by William K. S. Chow and taught by his student, Ed Parker, from 1956 to 1961; and, taught by the Tracy brothers from 1962 to the present. In early 1962 Ed Parker changed both the style he taught and renamed his new style "Chinese Kenpo"; and no Ed Parker student was taught Kenpo Karate after January, 1962. Ed dropped "Karate" from the name of his system at that time, even though he continued to issue belt certificates under the Kenpo Karate Association of America (KKAA). NOTE: Ed Parker taught a closed group of "Island Boys" at Brigham Young University from the fall of 1954 to early 1956. Seven members of the "BYU Kenpo Club" whom I knew personally were: Frank Mohoui and Ralph Mohoui, Tom Loura, and Tom and Kip Kiphunna, and Mark and John Kalima. |
Now, there are many organizations and federations that teach this style. These organizations were developed by Master Ed Parker's students in the USA.
The international alliance of martial arts is authorized to teach and rank masters and instructors who believe in Master Ed Parker's way.