Early Kenpo History
When my Dad trained in Honolulu he took Chinese Kenpo from a friend at church named Frank Chow. The cause of my dad's training with Frank is based upon the following story.
Frank was talking to my dad and he said that he got jumped by 3 attackers somewhere in the streets of Honolulu.
To lend some perspective to this event, Frank was half my dad's size, so my dad is thinking as this played out, "how could Frank tell a lie in the doors of God right there in the church at Kalihi?"
As my dad was already skilled at the use of Judo when this conversation took place, he couldn't understand how someone in a fighting art could take on more than one attacker at a time.
Frank explained to my dad that he used his brother's art of Chinese Kenpo which contained a skillset for dealing with multiple attackers.
This is where the lessons between Frank and my dad started. In a short amount of time Frank said to my dad that he could teach him no more and that my dad had to train with his older brother William if he wanted to gain more knowledge in the art of Kenpo.
So my dad found himself going to the Nu’uanu YMCA where William professionally known as Professor William Kwon Sun Chow taught Kenpo.
Under their uniforms they wore a Nu’uanu YMCA shirt. I recall first finding that shirt when I was a teenager.
In order to give honor and pay tribute to my father’s past I have artistically recreated the Nu’uanu YMCA shirt that my dad and fellow students wore when they trained at the Nu’uanu YMCA in Honolulu, Hawaii.
You will find my tribute in the text on the outside ring of the design.
Currently the Nu’uanu YMCA where they trained has been relocated as the old YMCA was demolished and in the old location today sits a Safeway store.
On the walls of the new Nu’uanu YMCA location is a tribute plaque to Professor Chow.
The names of endorsements from my father, myself, and other key people connected to the lineage of Professor Chow are included on the brass plaque.
The address of the original YMCA is in the text on the shirt and was located on the Pali highway not far from the Nu’uanu Pali Lookout where countless visitors have traveled to see on the island of Oahu.
I call this Professor Chow Tribute shirt the:
'Nu’uanu Kenpo Club' shirt.
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