Cape Town, a Metropolis situated at the base of the majestic Table Mountain, many people have been here or even visited Cape Town. No matter if you have visited the City or not, or know Cape Town only from seeing it on a map, the fact remains that many of the potent Martial Artists originated or came to settle in the City of Cape Town and its suburbs, unknown to a lot of people in the Martial Arts community. And that is unfortunate until now. One of these Martial Artists is the Shihan and Director of Ashihara Karate, Kaicho Hoosain Narker. Kaicho leaves an impressive account behind him.

The birthplace of Kaicho Narker was in Cape Town in 1963. His love for the Martial Arts is very evident for in 1974, at the age of 11, he joined the Shotokan Karate dojo (instructor - Ismail Behardien) in Retreat. After three or four months the club relocated to Grassy Park and he ran 4km there and back to train. When that club eventually closed down he "hijacked" a friends karate book (Karate by Bruce Tegner - now a prized part of his book collection) and learnt all that he could out of it. (He laughs now when he recollects how he interpreted Heian Nidan from the book due to inexperience).

In 1976, he joined Shukokai Karate (Eric Smith & Jonathan Tommy) and when that club closed, he continued at another branch (Neville Williams). When that club closed down too, he moved to a Kyokushin dojo (Shihan Neville Paulsen) in Retreat. In 1978, at a national tournament, he met and befriended a person who played a very important role in his future karate career, nl. William Quantoi. Early in 1980 he started training in Sea Point at the Headquarters of Kyokushin Karate, training under Hanshi Len Barnes (now 8^th Dan), Shihan Trevor Tockar (now 6^th Dan) and others.

In September of 1980 he opened his own dojo in Retreat (today the Ashihara Honbu), and three months thereafter he was joined by William Quantoi. An association, lasting for many years, was formed between the two and this association played a major role to what is in existence today. In 1981, he had the honour of training with the late legend of karate, the great master, Sosai Masutatsu Oyama as well as with two leading Japanese Sensei. He was also fortunate to perform the kata - Tensho, and to receive critique from Sosai Oyama. In that same year he stunned thousands of spectators at an open-air demonstration, when he allowed a motor vehicle to drive over his stomach. He was 17 years old at the time.
 

1981 - The First Time .............. 1996 - The 13th and Last Time?

Please visit Ashihara Karate International for more Information.

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