LIHUE — Adrian Labrador said he uses the discipline (in karate) to help with his life.
“My wife passed about a year-and-a-half ago,” Labrador said. “I use the martial arts discipline to help overcome my sorrow and grief.”
Labrador was installed as assistant instructor, and Luis Soltren was installed as branch chief, for the gojukai gojuryu school of karate by Tino Ceberano, a ninth dan black belt, recently during Ceberano’s return to Kauai for a visit.
“I was a Kauai boy,” Ceberano said. “Lawai and Koloa. I used to live in the house by the reservoir in Lawai where my father used to help the reservoir caretaker. We moved to Koloa later.”
His father was a Filipino migrant who came to Hawaii as a professional boxer, and Ceberano studied boxing and judo, reaching the black belt ranking in judo. He became acquainted with karate, known as kempo, from a Korean War veteran.
When his family re-located to Honolulu in 1958, Ceberano continued his karate study under instructors Anton Navas and Masaichi Oshiro. A year later, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps, but continued to do his karate study, reaching black belt, first dan in gojukai karate under Oshiro in 1963.
“Goju karate, founded by Chojun Miyagi, was made well known by ‘The Karate Kid’ movie,” said Ceberano. “I was attracted to karate’s discipline, its intricate breathing methods and the principles of mutual respect. I noticed that in addition to the physical benefits of practicing karate, my mental improvement really impressed me.”
In 1966, Oshiro invited Gogen Yamaguchi and his son Goshi to visit Hawaii. This was Yamaguchi’s first visit to the West and the occasion was celebrated with a large tournament where it was noted that Miyagi had also traveled West via Hawaii.
Yamaguchi, during this visit, graded Ceberano, then a senior student assistant instructor of Oshiro, to third dan. It was on this trip that Ceberano, following extensive training under Oshiro and Yamaguchi, departed for Australia to help establish gojukai karate in that country.
With the appointment of Soltren and Labrador, Ceberano is returning to his roots after planting the seeds for a new school.
“I’ll be coming back for frequently,” Ceberano said.
Soltren, who claims he is too old for fighting but makes a good teacher, said they are accepting registration for this new school, which places the emphasis on the discipline rather than the physical fighting.
“We are looking at affordable rates and teaching the traditional values of martial arts,” Soltren said.
For more information, call Soltren at 639-4836.
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Dennis Fujimoto, staff writer and photographer, can be reached at 245-0453 or dfujimoto@thegardenisland.com.
