Fred Ettish - Biography

Fred Ettish began his life-long pursuit of of martial arts knowledge in 1969 as a teenager in Norwalk, CT. In 1979, he began training in Okinawan Karate and Kobudo (Old Weapons) in the style of Shorin Ryu Kenshinkan. The Okinawan arts were especially of interest to Fred, since as a Marine, he had been stationed in Okinawa from 1973 - 1974 and develop a deep love and respect for the island, it's culture, heritage, and people. In 1984, Fred switched to the Shorin Ryu Matsumura Kenpo, a style related to the Kenshinkan by lineage, but is, in fact the family style of the late Kuda Yuichi Oshinshi, and was led by Mr. Kuda until is death. Although Kuda Yuichi passed away on 26 April 1999, Fred continues to train in Matsumura Kenpo together with Kuda Tomosada Shinshi, Kuda Yuichi's eldest son. Fred has been blessed to have had a long, close, and personal relationship with both of the Kudas, having hosted and traveled with them extensively for many years in the U.S. and Germany, as well as visiting Okinawa on several occasions.

Currently, Fred is honored to hold the ranks and titles of Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt), Kyoushi (Chief Master), Shihan (Similar to "Professor"), and Honbucho (Chief Director) in the Okinawa Shorin Ryu Matsumura Kenpo Karate and Kobudo Assn. Although he firmly believes that ranks and titles do not make the person, Fred is proud and humbled to have received the recognition that he has from the Kudas, and at all times tries to the best of his abilities to live up to the responsibilities and emulate the internal and external qualities that should be commensurate with such honors.