Lloyd A. Brown of Barron, owner of Brown's Karate Academy of Martial Arts, was recently promoted to 9th degree black belt at the Universal Martial Arts Association's (UMAA) 25th annual summer camp in Havelock, North Carolina.
Martial arts legend and karate historian, 10th Dan Black Belt Tetsuhiro Hokama from Naha, Okinawa, served as the featured instructor for the camp. After a thorough examination of Brown's martial arts technique and knowledge of martial arts history, the UMAA Board of Directors awarded Brown his 9th Dan and Dan Certificate and certified him as a “Hanshi.”
Hanshi is the highest title given to a martial arts instructor. The committee was made up of martial arts masters from Texas, North Carolina, New Jersey and Okinawa, Japan.
“I've been doing martial arts for 55 years,” Brown said, “I started when I was 10 years old and now I'm 65.”
“From my years of experience, I knew I could handle most situations with respect, humility and self-control, but I had never been more nervous than when I presented my skills in front of such great masters and one of the great living legends of the martial arts world, Master Tokama.”
Dr. Tokama left Brown with these words of wisdom: “Only those who work hard, never give up, and are prepared to go the extra mile can truly understand the value of living truly.”
