A while back, I shared a story entitled “Karate in Strange Places”, describing the surreal experience of observing from a mile away, a solitary figure performing the familiar Shotokan kata, Kankudai on the isolated beach of Kalalau Valley, while the early morning sun was rising. Â By the time we reached the beach, he was long gone. Years later, while talking story with a fellow seated next to me at a mutual friend’s wedding reception, I was to discover that he was the unknown karateka who performed the kata – on the same beach where he was married, shortly thereafter. Â I have always thought about what a coincidence that was and that it was a fitting end to a mystery that had bothered me for years. Â Well, it turns out, that wasn’t quite the end of the story.
Last weekend, my old mentor, Sensei Ed was guest instructor at our place as he does once a quarter. Â Afterwards, over lunch, we were discussing the recent passing of a mutual karate friend, Sensei Richard Lovell. Â Anyways, that reminded Ed that one of Richard’s assistant instructors was the first karateka that he had ever promoted to black belt many years ago. Â His name was Michael Knight – no, not the Michael Knight of “Knight Rider” TV fame, haha. Â He is Dr. Michael Knight, with PhDs in Geology and Geophysics and owner of a successful consulting business. Â I’m a retired environmental planner and Sensei Peter is a soon-to-be retired environmental planner. Coincidentally, Dr. Knight works in a related field, a scientific expert specializing in highly technical studies related to environmental remediation. Anyways, when Ed mentioned Michael’s name, I instantly realized that he was talking about….Kalalau Kankudai man! Â In confirmation, Ed remembered that he reluctantly declined Michael’s invitation to his wedding – to be held on the isolated beach at Kalalau, on the island of Kauai. Â The main reason being – he didn’t think he could make the 13 mile hike in and out of the valley…one of the more challenging hikes in Hawaii. To think, if he had accepted the invite, I would surely have recognized him, and the three of us would have been talking story together and enjoying one of the most beautiful places in the world…and possibly performing Kankudai on the beach in unison! Â And that’s the rest of the story….
2 thoughts on “Update to Kalalau Kankudai Man Story”
Hello Mark,
Yes, I agree, Lovell Sensei was a truly humble and dedicated Shotokan instructor. I assume that you were training with him when he held classes in the space adjoining his friend’s Tenrikyo Church in Palolo. With regards to a successor, I once heard a rumor that Michael Knight (the Kalalau Kankudai Man) was hoping to restart a dojo, but that was some years ago and I don’t know if it ever happened. Since he also trained at the Palolo dojo, perhaps you know Michael. I haven’t seen or talked to him in nearly 30 years. All I could find was the website for his environmental services company, Knight Enterprises Inc. I don’t know if the info on his site is still good: Contact.html
It’s funny, but among the several black belts I have acquired over the years, the one that I always wear has a connection to Lovell Sensei. Back in the early nineties, he was planning to take a trip to Japan and kindly asked me if I would like him to pick up a belt from there. I agreed, and from then till now, the belt he brought back for me, remains my favorite.
This posting was 5 years ago so I don’t know if anybody monitors this site anymore. Anyway, in reading this post in July of 2020 I was saddened about learning of the passing of Richard Lovell who was my shotokan instructor back in the late 90’s until 9/11. He was a major inspiration to me and I regret I never told him. Did anyone succeed him?