We regret to tell you that Shihan Edwin Hamile has passed away. After a long battle against cancer the shihan died at home in Los Angeles (USA) on the 22nd of June (1999). The shihan was 75 years old. His cremation took place during a special sermon attended by his family on the 25th of June. Shihan Edwin Hamile will remain forever in our memories as someone who taught and exercised the martial arts for more than 40 years with heart and soul. Let’s keep this extraordinary man in or thoughts and remember him in our prayers.

Who was Shihan Edwin Hamile? (1924-1999)
Shihan Edwin Hamile was a very famous Karate instructor in South-California. He was involved in the Martial Arts for more then 40 years. He was one of the founders of the famous “Karate Association of Hawaii” and student of the masters Hirokazu Kanazawa, Tetsuhiko Asai and Masataka Mori. Shihan Edwin Hamile was the first non-Japanese who received the JKA Gichin Funakoshi award from the hands of Hidetaka Nishiyama. Shihan Hamile’s first teaching job came directly from master Masatochi Nakayama, who showed great interest in his career and the development in the karate on Hawaii. During his presidency of the JKA, his team on Hawaii beat for the first time in history the Japanese team in Kumite. In 1965 he was appointed to be the next JKA instructor by sensei Nakayama.

In 1968, Shihan Edwin Hamile founded the “West Coast Shotokan Karate Association” in South-California. Later on he became president of West Coast Shotokan Karate International and chief inspector in different countries. He taught thousands of students and travelled regularly to Europe, Mexico, Hawaii, and in the Mid-East to fulfil his teaching jobs. Shihan E. Hamile was involved for years in the AAKF (American amateur karate federation) and in the ITKF (international traditional karate federation) with master Hidetaka Nishiyama. He was one of the few ITKF class A examiners.

With his friends Ed Parker (also Hawaiian) and Caylor Adkins he issued the first regulations for the AAU karate and was appointed to lead the karate referee certification programme of the AAU. After he acted as the head referee during the legendary 3rd world championship karate 1975, shihan formed the referee arbitrators and judges association (RAJA) to train individuals and support them into getting their referee certification (founded on the WUKO standard).

In the fall of 1994, Shihan Ed Hamile founded the "World Federation of Karate-do Organisations" (WFKO). This was the result of a couple approaches from American and European instructors who had the need to create a new organisation culture in the traditional Karate. Edwin Hamile, was chosen as president and asked to act as the chairman of the federation.
In 1996, the Shihan chartered WFKO’s international Sogobudo development project (central research forum of the federation). He was very driven to explore the relationship between karate and other martial arts further, and to create a connection between the arts. His goal was helping budo taking form and prepare it physically as well as spiritually for the 21st century.

Shihan Edwin Hamile was the 9th Dan Shotokan Karate and received a few weeks before his death an honouree degree for his accomplishments.

Erik Mondelaers - Ludo Bellemans

The Shihan (in the middle), my sensei Ludo Bellemans and me (may 23th 1998)

The Shihan, Sensei Ludo Bellemans and Sensei Edouard Van Stiphout (chairman of V.V.A. and Euro Budo)

The Shihan in the middle, my sensei on the left and my sensei's daughter Tina on the right.