That would tell you something. Before he started doing his own thing, Scot was one of Kuoha's first black belts from the 80's. So if anyone would have known of Vernon Kam in 1988, it would be Scot. And no longer being connected to the Kara ho organization, he has no reason to support their recent claims about Kam. Now that you mentioned the year 1988, I dug thru my notes. 1988 was the first time I met GM Kuoha. It was at first a professional meeting, as I was writing for "Inside Karate" and "Inside Kung Fu" magazines at the time. In my notes I have a list and some pictures of all the Kara ho black belts and instructors in 1988. People like Scot Conway, Kerry Sageman, Chris Mendoza, Ben Kahananui, Rob Sheppard,and a few others. But no listing of a Vernon Kam. Not even in any of the organizations newsletters I've got. After the Professor died, many people came out of the woodwork and claimed to have been one of his black belts. Some were taken at face value, until a little background checking was done. Anyone that was a black belt of Prof. Chow's from about 1955 on, will have a black belt certificate. Anyone from around 1975 and on will have a notorized certificate. So all Mr. Kam has to do to be taken seriously, is produce a certificate.
Found this over at San Jose Kenpo this morning. I talked to this man at the Memorial. He was troubled about some items and said he wanted to straighten them out if he could. So now is the time to contact him and help him out. Gary ******************** Hi! I happen to be surfing the Internet, when I came across your forum and I saw the notice about Professor Chow's Memorial Legacy Seminar. I was a guest of Bill Chun, Junior, at that seminar and this was my first martial arts seminar. I have my own thoughts about the Professor and about all of the past happenings in Hawaii. I would never want to make an enemy of any martial artist or group, because I have a fond love for the Asian arts. I feel that all martial arts groups should be one and together, yet divisions and differences exist as well as bad blood. This, in my opinion, is not good for the art! Being a nephew (second-nephew) of Professor Chow's and being president of the Chow clan society (The Chou Clansmen Association of America), I take a keen interest in everything Chinese. My grandfather came to Hawaii in 1871 and he was followed by four younger brothers. These men made up the nucleus of our family's structure and dynasty, China's current ruling family. Misfortune seems to befall people and my small family clan was no different. Yet, in today's day, I would like to rebuild my family roots and enlist the aid of Hawaii's martial artist or martial artist that knew or were associated with my uncle, Professor Chow. I am wondering how many people are going to read this message and how many are going to volunteer to help out. I read the Encyclopedia Wikipedia about the Professor and browsed the Internet as well as spoke to many people in Hawaii and on the mainland about the martial arts practice in Hawaii. Some of these people are now deceased, while others are still alive. It is said that the Professor was the best or one of the best in his day in the martial arts field, yet he did not receive the credit due him. This is what I've been told. It seems that after the Professor's death many people in Hawaii and from Hawaii claimed to be the Professor's successor. From everything that I have learnt, doing it the hard way, and making a few enemies along the way, that Sam Kuoha is the Professor's successor as this is what the Professor had verbalized to Mr. Kuoha. I believe that after Chow's death Kuoha purchased everything of Chow's and Chow's wife Patsy granted Sam Chow's successorship, which was vouched by chow's medical doctor. Patsy did have some right as Chow's wife, but Chow's doctor could not legally speak for Chow. It is also believed that hidden winds, people behind the scenes, approved and suggested that this occur (my assumption based on what I know about my family (family's culture and history) and uncle). It is wrong for any man to lie and lies will be discovered with the passing of time. Both men, possibly, have not been truthful with the general public. Consequently, some people feel like screaming "Fraud!" someone has stolen the Professor's succession!!! It is always best to be honest and to speak to people in private, so they as honorable people won't have to say negative things in public. Is Sam the real successor? Is anyone the successor? If I were Sam, I would not avoid private questioning by people and I would be most honest and open witrh everyone. Did Sam advertise his successorship in the newspaper and did he make an honest attempt to find kin (especially family members who did martial arts with the Professor)? How much does Sam know about the Professor and how long did Sam train with Chow? So, is Sam really the legal inheritor of Chow's system or is Sam merely a fraud taking advantage of a system that was purchased by his money? There are a lot of questions that needs to be answered, which Sam refuses to answer! I read about Sam Kuoha and he is a wonderful man, who has achieved much and what he has done for the Professor would certainly make the Professor proud! Sam appears to be a good man. He appears to be a smart man and a gifted martial artist, but he hides from the truth! Only recently, does he publish the facts about him and Chow. After reading some of these things, I've found some flaws and falsehoods. Seems as if he did not know everything about Chow and some of what he writes is interpretations based on the writings of others. That is not the way for any man of integrity to act or behave! Many of the oldtimers know chow and they will agree with me. Not many will say anything, though, because (they've told me) it's just not worth it! Many have forgotten about making claims for Chow's system and have gone on their way. Sometimes the truth is not told and everyone now believes that Sam teaches Chow's system! Because I am the family historian and by the culture of my family (as practiced in Hawaii and I am the one to grant rights as I am the one to protect these rights), I would like to put up a website on my uncle and call it professorchow.org "The Official Website of the late Professor William Kwai Sun Chow". I am the foremost authority on the Chow family history. Though there is bad blood between the Kuoha group and myself, due to Sam not answering or returning my calls and due to Sam's people speaking harshly to me and yelling at me on the phone! I would be willing to allow old wounds heal, because people should be civil and it is the Professor's good name at stake. I hope that the Kuoha people would stop using the Professor's name and tell the real truth behind his claims! Professor Chow comes from a very traditional Chinese family, from my family traditions, so in someway, though I have never met the Professor, I know many things about him and how he would behave. Sam seems very afraid of coming to terms with truth and wants to protect his claims (false claims)! I am a very accommdating person and would have yielded to the right person! If anyone can help straighten this mess, please get in touch with me in writing. Lester D.K. Chow P.O. Box 4604 Honolulu, Hawaii 96812 Tel: (808) 538-1855
So the gist of this is, "Sam's a wonderful person who is a lying fraud"? I'm not sure how some distant relative who never met Chow and never trained in the Martial arts can claim to name successors over and above his widow. As John Bishop has stated, there were many that trained with Prof. Chow for a long time. Some longer than Kuoha, but it was Kuoha that was with him at the end and that's the way it goes. I've never seen Kuoha come out and say that Chow's other black belts (legitimate ones) don't teach Chow's system. Prof. Chow taught for a looooooong time and not all of his black belts stayed in close touch with him till the end. Had they done so, perhaps they would have inherited the system instead of Kuoha, but timing is everything sometimes. Kuoha has the certification directly from Prof. Chow as far as rank goes, and the authorization from his widow and advisor, so that's that. As to Lester knowing how Chow would act better than those that actually knew him, what can I say? That'd be like Pat Boone saying he knew his relative Daniel Boone better than those that lived with him.
Here we go again.....derailing a perfectly good thread with regard to Sid Asuncion with your agenda of now trying to debunk the Kara-Ho Organization. Get over youself man, move on and just train like eveyone else, and leave people to judge for themselves, no one from any Kenpo/Kempo organization has appointed you the Guardian of their respective group....at least not that I am aware of...
20 years too late. This question was asked and answered in 1987-88 after Prof. Chow died. Where's this guy been? And who (who actually knew the professor) supports his claims?
I have a very hard time even seeing how someone that never trained could even judge between people and be able to tell who was or was not teaching Prof. Chow's art.
Boy Gary you sure know how to pick them. Now this guy is over at San Jose Kenpo saying that the police beat him up because he was the nephew of prof. Chow. Even though he never even knew his 2nd uncle, somehow the police knew of the relationship, and beat him up out of fear of the Chow name. Always a good conspiracy out there if you look hard enough, huh Gary. Maybe you and Lester can hit the seminar circuit and lecture on "The Professor Chow I Never Knew".
It sounds like Lester was just like the Nephew Prof. Chow never wanted. He seems to have gone to the GAB school of posting over there at SJ Kenpo.
"In the future everyone will be famous for fifteen minutes." Andy Warhol Gary and Lester's time is running out fast.
Wow I am at a loss for words... SO Gary is posting a letter from Lester Chow? Calling Grandmaster Kuoha a liar and a fraud? Are you kidding me? I am livid so I will stop here..
Well Jamey, If you go to San Jose Kenpo you will see that I have contacted Lester and mentioned the Magazine article that I got (and sent to you) and am sending it to him to show that GM Sam is in the Magazine and was given the GM ship. He is upset with the treatment he is receiving from your group. Simple You could go there and write him if you like. I called him and explained that he should wait a few days before posting anything else. What are you doing? Getting mad at me LOL... Gary
See this is you not me, I have been now maligned because I show what is going on and you want to attack me LOL.. I am giving you the chance to discuss this legit with this Lester Jamey...Forget the anger, just write him back. Go over to the SJK board and write to his 6 or so post's. Another way to show good faith would to be to include him in the Memorial over in Hawaii. I believe you can see where he is coming from, same position as the Mitose school of thought. Family is everything. I don't believe I derailed this thread anymore than others have . If you had not locked the other one down it would have been there. You need to run this without the hysterics, because you are a Kara Ho student yourself Pacificshore. It can be handled very simple by the leader, and Lester the living relative who keeps the geneology records for the Chow's. Jamey take it to the bank, this guy will not go away. Might be the reason he posted over at SJK, is he knows about the moderator who closes threads because he is showing favoritism. I have done nothing to be getting the routine that John and his student Dan have been doing for years. LOL I have received many E-mails from folks out there that feel I have been maligned by this twosome. I think it is pretty obvious myself. :bang: Regards, Gary
Funny Gary. I should post the video clip of your insane parking lot rantings on "You Tube" for all to make up their own minds about you. You remember the video don't you? But that would be a whole differant topic, and if you forgot this one is about Sid Asuncion.
This is about Sid true... Kelly mentioned I was pretty weird. That time in the lot yea, I was playing to the camera that day. Same as I was on Bullshido. LOL Oh the fun times huh. Maybe you could forward that to me at my E-mail Gary
Boy Gary....you can't even keep the threads straight or even who you are addressing. For the record, me being the Moderator of this section has nothing to do with my status within the Kara-Ho organization. In fact, I've been a member here for sometime before Sensei Jamey even joined the forum. Heck, I've been here longer than you, and for now have found a place to last for a while. So if you haven't figured out why I lock your threads by now, you'll never figure it out. I for one hate to repeat myself over and over, so I won't :bang: Just so you know, I show no favortism to anyone in this section, enough said. If you have a problem with the way I moderate then that is you issue and yours alone. Here is an idea though, you are free to leave....and since you say you are a retired COP, maybe I can put it in terms you can understand.....you are not being 'detained' or 'arrested'...you are FREE to LEAVE... Please, I've followed up on your past antics over on the forums you've been banned from....only you have gotten yourself banned from those forums. I actually never thought anyone could be banned from BullShido, but you seem to manage that well and fine. So, if you don't like how I moderate here...do the right thing and move on.
One more side note to this whole thing: as Prof. Chow's 1st black belt, Emperado also said (in the 1992 video interview) that Kuoha was Chow's successor, and that Kuoha had even called Sijo on the phone to discuss this with him after Chow's death.
Professor Bishop, I am trying to create an archive of pictures of Sifu Al (as the WHKDIA secretary). Could you send along any you may have to me. You have my email (through the Cafe). Thanks!
