Grandmaster Marino Tiwanak

     Grandmaster Marino Tiwanak was born in Honolulu, Island of Oahu on March 3,1927. In the year 1944, he had the distinction of being the state of Hawaii A.A.U. Flyweight Champion. That same year his manager took him to California to fight some of the top-notch and world-renowned fighters. One of the world-renowned fighters was the flyweight champion of the world, Dada Marino, whom he fought in Honolulu.
     After retiring from professional boxing in 1947, he studied the martial art of Kenpo Karate under the Tutor-Ship of Professor William Chow, Professor Adriano Emperado and Professor Woodrow McCandless.
     Tiwanak stated that he started his Kenpo training in the area of Halawa Housing in Honolulu, Hawaii. Later the Emperado group moved to Palama Gym in the Kalihi area of Honolulu, Hawaii. Tiwanak stated that when they moved to Palama Gym, they were joined by Woodrow McCandless who was a certified black belt from Professor James Mitose. McCandless merged his class into the Emperado group.
     Tiwanak trained eight years under the tutorship of Adriano and Joe Emperado, and Woodrow McCandless and was promoted to the rank of black belt in 1955, at Dot's Drive Inn located in Wahiawa, Hawaii. Tiwanak then became one of the four black belts who were in charge of the infamous "Palama Gym".
     In 1956, after the death of Woodrow McCandless, Tiwanak left Palama Gym and started the first branch of the C.H.A.3 Kenpo System in the Central Housing Area #3 located in the Pearl Harbor area. When Tiwanak left Palama Gym, two color belt students, Frank Suan and Leonard "Manini: Cuarisma, also left and joined the C.H.A.3 school.
      In closing, our Founder would like to stress this point to all students, as well as Instructors --- to always respect your fellow being, your country, and a man's home and family. A quote from the Professor, " He is a great man who can walk away from a fight."

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