*Master Nakamura was born in 1892 in the northern town of Nago. Nakamura learned the basics of Te from his father who unfortunately died when Shigeru was only ten, and his uncle. He then trained under his uncle and his uncle's good friend Choki Motobu. From Motobu, Nakamura learned free fighting and the Naihanchi kata. Nakamura studied under Kentsu Yabu and Chomo Hanashiro, two of Itosu's students at the Prefectural Number One School. Upon graduation from middle school, Nakamura returned to Nago where he continued his training under Shinkichi Kunioshi, the successor to the legendary Naha "Bushi" Sakiyama. While at the Prefectural Teachers' Training College, Nakamura was able to study with Itosu himself. In 1953 Nakamura opened his own dojo, simply calling his style Okinawa-te as he disliked the idea of Karate being divided into separate styles. In 1955, Masters Shigeru Nakamura and Zenryo Shimabuku formed "Okinawa Kempo Renmei" in an attempt to unite all Okinawan Karate and raise its status to that of Japanese Kendo and Judo. Though the association disbanded upon Nakamura's death, his students retained the name Okinawa Kempo for their style. (the above bio on Nakamura Sensei come from a variety of credible resources).
|
Kyoshi Anthony Carnemolla, born and raised on Long Island New York, became a personal student of Hanshi Albert O. Geraldi at a very young age. In 1993 he won the Annual International Ryukyu Kempo Bogu Championship in the Brown belt division, and went on to successfully compete in multiple full contact competitions over the next few years. In 1995 Kyoshi Carnemolla earned his Instructor Certification from Hanshi Geraldi. In 1997 Kyoshi Carnemolla opened his first association sanctioned dojo to further the proliferation of the Original form of Ryukyu Kempo Kobudo. In 2010 was awarded title of Kyoshi. Today he and Kyoshi Kenneth LaPeters are Hanshi Geraldi's Senior Students and the organization's Senior Instructors.
|
*References:
- Shigeru Nakamura "A study of the man responsible for Okinawa Kenpo Karate", Written By Matthew Apsokardu
- http://www.ryukyu-kempo.org/#!repairs/cuy0