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6th Annual West Coast Training Camp '99:
Unity

By William Joseph Pemberton  

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Unity?

One of the goals of Kenpo Karate is to bring about the unity of Mind, Body and Spirit through the study of motion and the challenges we place upon ourselves. One of the purposes of United Kenpo Systems is to bring unity to those martial artist pursuing excellence through the study of Ed Parker’s Kenpo. Together we stand at the dawn of a new Millennium preparing to face whatever challenges we may find.

Nowhere was this more honestly obvious than at this, our last Camp of the twentieth century, where we stood united in our search for the perfect form, the perfect technique, the perfect motion. We know that it cannot be found because the more we know the more we want to learn and yet we come together to share what knowledge we have gained and our desire for more. It is in this striving, this search for perfection, that we find ourselves.

For twelve months of the year we study at our respective dojos with our instructors and our peers. We study our techniques and Katas and, if we are lucky, we absorb some of what out instructors have learned in their years of experience while we hope that someday we, too, will be instructors and do honor to our system.

Once a year we have the opportunity to come together to share with those outside our own “home,” to learn alternative ways of doing things, to break out of the complacency that can come from doing things “one way.” It is a chance to share ideas and, equally important, to meet others who share our love of Kenpo. It is a chance to connect with our history and to touch, even at a distance, our Senior Grand Master Edmund K. Parker. Many of us, who have been studying less than ten years, never had the chance to meet this great man but by coming together for events like this camp we keep his spirit alive. We see how rich the art of Kenpo Karate truly is.

Kenpo is so much more than 154 techniques, some Katas and sets. It is people. It is motion. It is the search for perfection.

Standing in the training hall with the various generations of our Kenpo family one cannot but be reminded of this. To receive guidance from such luminaries as Mr. Skip Hancock, this year’s guest instructor, is not only a great honor but a mind opening experience that must offer new ways of looking at what we do. To be offered new ideas on economy of motion by Mr. Howard Silva or to see the blindingly crisp motion of Mr. Bob Liles, both of whom have always been free and generous with both time and knowledge, is a joy beyond compare. Of course, there are the perennial favorites of Mr. Andre Simms, Mr. Mark Ainsley, Mr. Jim Diggs, Mr. Tommy Burks and, our friend from “across the pond,” Mr. Patrick Pace. To give account of all that these men bring in attitude, training and inspiration would involve more space than given here.

Of course, no camp would be complete without our awards dinner where we convene on Saturday night to socialize and visit in a more casual atmosphere. A special thanks must be offered to Mr. Wes Idol for offering his family’s restaurant, The Pacific Dining Car, for our use making it a greater success than any previous dinner with better food and a more comfortable atmosphere. It is here that we have the opportunity to honor those of special merit and quality. This year our special award went to Gurujodha S. Khalsa who has, as anyone who knows him will attest, given of himself on levels spiritual, physical and mental freely time and again. He is truly a man of distinction whom we were all glad to see receive the recognition he so richly deserves.

As one who has attended all of the last several camps I can say that this year’s camp was the greatest success of all. Not only was it the last camp of the twentieth century but it was the first camp that was attended only by United Kenpo Systems members. It was truly a unifying experience, a chance for the members of our association to come together one last time before moving into the next century and to see the growth of the preceding one. It was a time for us to revel in our grandness as a whole while assessing our potential for growth as individuals. It was both the end of one era and the beginning of another. Let us let unity be the word of the Twenty-first century as we bring Kenpo back to its roots so that we can go beyond ourselves and see over the next horizon into our future for it is only from roots strongly united in their outward search for nourishment that the plant truly thrives and grows.

And finally, let us all give our thanks and honor to Mr. Bryan Hawkins without whom this camp, this article and, most of all, this unity of purpose and direction would not be possible for he has, resolutely, refused to let the dream die and has given us United Kenpo Systems as our root to bind us with the freedom to search for our own perfection through the study of Kenpo.

As always, see you all next year.

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