David Kawaiikoolihilihi Nuuhiwa, who was known to many as 'Uncle David,' was born to Elizabeth and David Nuuhiwa on December 30th, 1925. The Nuuhiwa family had been living in Kauai's Hanalei River region, now popular with kayakers and rafters, before the family moved to the Oahu Island, finding a home in the suburbs of Honolulu not far from Waikiki Beach.

Uncle David loved the water and spent a lot of time during his early years at the beach, becoming both an accomplished surfer and a responsible member of the community who liked to give back. Nuuhiwa was a member of the Waikiki Beach Boys, who, with Duke Kahanamoku, helped bring the sport of surfing to tourists and American servicemen during the 1930s. Uncle David saved many lives later in his own life, both as a lifeguard at Waikiki Beach and as a police officer with the Honolulu Police Department. These accomplishments reflect back to his youth, when he spent time as a Waterman (a hawaiian group who hung out at the beach providing informal life saving services) and lifeguard, even being awarded the John F. Kennedy Lifesaving Award.

Nuuhiwa became something of a celebrity in surfing, but fewer people were aware that he was also an outstanding proponent of the martial arts, winning more than 100 consecutive matches and making appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "The Steve Allen Show." His television credits also include some stunt work on the Mr. Roberts movie, a guest appearance on "You Asked for It" with demonstrations of his strength and prowess.

Nuuhiwa was well known to locals for his employment as a doorman at the Waikiki Consolidated Theatres as well as to many locals and mainlanders in the burgeoning surf scene during the sixties. It is a testimony to his athletic skill and personal humility that the links to the martial arts side of his life were so low key.

Dan Zan Ryu was the name Okazaki gave to the Jujitsu system that Okazaki, the founder of Dan Zan Rye (sometimes called the Hawaiian Martial Art) developed himself. It was a hybrid system, derived from Yoshin-ryu, Hawaiian Lua, Okinawan karate and other forms of Japanese and Chinese martial arts. It seems that Uncle David was not in the first group of students to train under Master Okazaki, but he was among the earliest students taught.

Nuuhiwa eventually moved to Anaheim, California. In Anaheim he met and then worked for Walt Disney, where he was instrumental in setting up the Disney security team for the theme park Walt was working on a little place called Disneyland.

In terms of martial arts, he took much of what he had learned under Master Okazaki and worked into a new style of his own creation. Called Kaito Gakko (School of Schools), the system was believed to originate between 1935 and 1945. Nuuhiwa was awarded the title of Doctor and Professor Kaito by high officials and Black Belts of the Orient. Kaito literally means "The Best of the East and West." Even more impressive, he was presented with the rare red belt in Karate and achieved the rank of 12th Dan. David Nuuhiwa is one of only five in the world to hold this rank and the only American ever to hold this honor.

Influential in many ways, Nuuhiwa was an elder statesman. Although he never participated directly in professional surfing, he nonetheless worked hard during the formative years of the sport in Hawaii. He is, of course, the father of surfing great David Nuuhiwa Jr., holder of two world championship titles. He maintains a link back to the great Okinawan teachers through his association with and instruction under Okazaki, and built a link to the future through his own unique style of Kaito Gakko and his spiritual oversight of the current generation such as Sijo Gascon, flowing down to Professor Rash and Professor Tanaka, Shihan Geary, and others. Although he was not a direct part of the historical lineage of these branches, it can be understood nonetheless that to be guided, assisted and empowered by a legendary figure such as Uncle David must bring with it an infusion of the man's spirit that cannot help but color everything else.

Surfing, community service, martial arts, Disneyland, intimate connection with the spirituality of the Hawaiian Islands, Polynesian dancer, teacher, mentor, husband and father, Uncle David Nuuhiwa is one of the giants that seem to be rarer in these times than they once were. After his passing, the legacy he built has been entrusted to others and they, in turn, will pass it on. Uncle David's family continues to grow and prosper, and it serves us well to remember our ancestry from time to time and give thanks that we can stand among its members. For that, we thank him.