History of Alaskan Kempo
アラスカ拳法の歴史

RYU-TE KEMPO, KAKU-TE KEMPO, & DEVELOPMENT OF KOISHIDOKAI KEMPO (ALASKAN KEMPO)

 

Modern American Founding Styles of Kempo in Alaska 

This old system from native China and Japan integrated with the warrior systems of Okinawa, America, and more specifically Alaska, giving form to various American versions. Today, there are hundreds of different styles of Kempo in existence throughout the world. Regardless of the style of Kempo, those who practice Kempo all seem to cover the same ground even though there may be different methods of teaching as well as emphasis in technique.

 

Alaskan Kempo (アラスカ拳法) is a generic location description of our martial art and where it was born, circa 1958, by Cunningham Sensei {Hankonan Kempo 半硬軟拳法 or Kaku-Te (Crane Hand) Kempo 鶴手拳法} and Stuart Sensei [RIP] {Ryu-Te (Dragon Hand) Kempo 龍手拳法 or Ko-Ken (Tiger Fist) Karate 虎拳空手}.

 

It has become the historical personification of the two masters that united efforts to teach their unique skill set to military and police beginning the early 1960s. In 1978, Cmdr Cunningham took the helm to perpetuate Alaskan Kempo in use and teaching within military and police circles.

 

HANKONAN KEMPO (KOISHIDOKAI KEMPO)

 

The official style name of his father, Cunningham Sensei, was created by Cmdr. Ty Cunningham based on his father’s teachings & techniques with his blessing. Hankonan Kempo (はんこうなん拳法 or 半硬軟拳法) meaning half-hard & soft was born mainly from Cunningham Sensei’s Kaku-Te (Crane Hand) Kempo (鶴手拳法) principles and concepts. It was strictly a self-defense system so it also became known as Kempo Goshinjitsu (拳法護身術) meaning Fist Law of Self-Defense.

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Later, due to Cmdr. Cunningham’s work within the US Army, he petitioned his two masters for the formation of the strategic doctrine of Koishido Tatakai Karate (古石道戦い空手). Kaku-Te Kempo and Ryu-Te Kempo blended to reach the modern reality of engaging with a violent adversary.

 

ALASKA TAIHOJUTSU/MODERN POLICE JUJITSU

 

This became the curriculum that the US Marshals Service, District of Alaska approved as Modern Police Jujitsu (現代の警察柔術) receiving accreditation by the Alaska Police Standards Council in the 1990s.

 

Therefore, the strategic doctrine of Koishido Tatakai Jujutsu (古石道戦い柔術) meaning Old Stone Way of Battle with Gentle/Pliable Techniques became the amalgamation of Koishido Tatakai Karate and Modern Police Jujitsu.

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MARTIAL DOCTRINE

 

The evolution of true self-defense must stay ahead of the ends, ways, and means of a violent adversary based on the acceptable societal or cultural rules of engagement/use of force.

 

A complete understanding of the laws that govern criminal statutes must be understood in order to only use the force necessary to ensure personal survivability without criminal culpability in violation of established law.

 

APPLICATION RELATIONSHIP MODEL 

 

In 2011, while I was attending the US Army Command & General Staff College working on a graduate degree in Military Art & Science, I developed the Application Relationship Model (ARM) for the projection of personal combat power for perseverance, legitimacy, and restraints that must be balanced to the constraints of martial cultural (rules of engagement or use of force) and societal rule of law (self-defense as a legal defense).

 

TRAIN THE WAY YOU SURVIVE.™

生き残るための方法を訓練しましょう。™ 

 

TWO PRIMARY FOUNDATIONS

 

In their early young adulthood, the actual fighting or fighting spirit of Mr. D.R. Cunningham (Cunningham Sensei) and Mr. K. Stuart, Sr. (Stuart Sensei) was very corporeal and binding on the truth to their respective styles of kempo.

 

This often translated into training sessions where blood was shed to purify useful applications necessary for Kempo development. It was during these mock fights and exchange practices of these two masters that the two founding styles that makeup Alaskan Kempo were established. Cunningham Sensei was agile, and fast, while incorporating supreme circular and linear angles to strike and retreat. Using the open hand of the crane, eagle, mountain lion, knife-sword, palm-heel, backhand, and elbow sequences with speed striking, became his model.

 

Stuart Sensei was slower, stronger, and more linear in angle penetration. Crashing-in techniques (Butsukari) of the tiger were mastered and the one punch, one kick theory (Hito Zuki, Hito Geri), or more precisely, Ikken Hissatsu (一拳必殺) meaning One Fist, Certain Death became a dominant tool. This philosophical construct of a kempoka’s attitude must always be present. Much time of these two masters was spent on body toughening drills, punching objects (Makiwara) training to develop the hands for striking hard surfaces showed calloused hands worthy of any battle.

 

These two styles of Kempo became an objective basis for the future of White Eagle Kempo Jujitsu.

 

RYU-TE (DRAGON HAND) KEMPO (the name I gave to Stuart Sensei’s style because of the Dragon Ta Association he perpetuated) was founded by Stuart Sensei. This Kempo style was brought to Southeast Alaska in the mid-1950s. Stuart Sensei was a stocky powerful fighter who learned hand-to-hand combat and traditional aikido while in the U.S. military. With the trickle of Okinawan Kempo and Japanese kempo systems entering the United States, he aligned himself with the Dragon Ta Association and branded the dragon on his forearm to represent his life-long commitment to Kempo. He blended kempo, karate, aikido, and U.S. Marine Corps hand-to-hand combat into a style of kempo that was completely devastating and realistic.

 

KAKU-TE (CRANE HAND) KEMPO (GO SHIN JITSU) was founded by Cunningham Sensei. This Kempo style is a blend of Ryu-Te Kempo, Okinawan Karate, and U.S. Army hand-to-hand combat. By the applications of Kempo in actual fighting, the crane & eagle techniques were refined and solidified to produce a self-defense system that was tried and proven. The method was to strike hard (creation) and retreat quickly (sanctuary). Speed, smoothness, timing, and breath control expressed Cunningham Sensei’s center. Through the employment of various angles, motion side to side and in and out while redirecting the opponent's attack and breaking the balance was paramount in defense theory. The objective is to create blind spots within the opponent’s defense to counter the attack. Cunningham Sensei would step quickly and smoothly utilizing the fortified three battle and combat three battle stance stepping as though he was sliding his feet, attacking vital areas of circumstance following anatomical positioning concepts while utilizing the open hand and fingertips. Sometimes soft (smooth & sticky/crane, eagle, raven) and sometimes hard (heavy & sticky/tiger, wolverine, mountain lion, and timber wolf). His Kempo personified inner and outer strength that made his Kempo a fortification of defense—a shield of blows.