What is Kajukenbo?

In 1947, in Hawaii five martial artists got together and formed a pact: they would take two years and create the ideal fighting art, they wanted to create a "unique street fighting self-defense method." These five men were Frank Ordonez, Peter (P.Y.Y.) Choo, Joe Holek, Clarence Chang, and Adriano Emperado.  There are currently four branch styles of Kajukenbo: Kajukenbo Kenpo, Tum Pai Kajukenbo, Ch'uan-Fa Kajukenbo and Wun Hop Kuen Do. 

Kajukenbo is ideally the first American Martial Art. It is the first art that truely created in North America.

The word Kajukenbo is derived from the letters of the styles that contributed to the creation of the art. 

KA (long life) - comes from the word KARATE. The Karate influence was from Tang Soo Do brought by Peter Choo. 

JU (happiness) - comes from JUDO and JUJITSU. These art forms were brought to the system by Frank Ordonez, and Joe Holek. 

KEN (fist) - comes from the word KENPO. This art form was brought to the system by Adriano Emperado. 

BO (style) - comes from Chinese and American boxing. Chinese boxing means kung-fu. The Chinese boxing influence was from Northern and Southern Sil-lum styles, brought into the system by Clarence Chang. 

Kajukenbo also translates into "long life;" "happiness;" fist;" "style". Therefore the Kajukenbo motto reads: Through this fist style one gains long-life and happiness. 

KAJUKENBO is a highly effective martial art system, teaching students techniques they can use against modern and classical weapons, grappling and striking skills, and how to protect themselves with a method of street fighting techniques. Students not only learn the art for the purpose of improving their self-defense skills they also learn the philosophy to improve their mind, body, and spirit.