MARTIAL ARTs

Hawaii Martial Arts
In Filipino Martial Arts, weaponry Kata is applied to empty hand.  From family we hone and pass on.  I had help.  Sifu Al Dacascos, (as in my Olelo series, Episode 4:  'Roco for Senator:  Martial Arts Discipline and Nunchaku') taught Wun Hop Kuen Do and of Chinese principle, Wenwu, needing be learned in books, as in gungfu, hard work training.  I took this principle throughout graduate school. 

When speaking of Hawaiian Martial Arts, names immediately are Jason Scott Lee, Mark Dacascos (Sifu Al's son), and not as trained, Keeanu Reeves of Hawaiian descent doing films with martial arts.  Bruce Lee is our forerunner popularizing martial arts in film.  Few know Danny Inosanto taught Bruce Lee nunchaku.  Truly though, Hawaii is where agility and strength go hand in hand in ancient Hawaiian Lua, as painted by Evan Webber and described by Surgeon's Mate Samuel in melee where Captain Cook died.  

An elegant history, Okinawan Martial Arts, recently exhibited at University of Hawaii's Hamilton Library from the Hawaii Karate Museum.  Other Japanese arts are Judo, needed prior to Jujitsu.  Besides Judo, another Olympic Sport is Korean Taekwondo, where a friend medal-ed in the 1996 Atlanta games.  In my MOVIEs page, I mention a wushu practitioner and champion, Ho Sung Pak.  The list and range of Martial Arts in Hawaii is on this dojos website.  

Two huge names are in Mixed Martial Arts of Hawaii:  BJ Penn and Egan Inoue both champions who have popularized the life, work, endurance, and heart that goes into MMA.  Nationwide, the UFC is the biggest organization with president Dana White, and the most prominent Filipino, as wrestler Mark Munoz.  However, Eduard Folayang hopes for strong marks, as Manny Pacquiao in Boxing. 


John Roco
Oahu, Hawaii

June 25, 2010
Revised July 1, 2010