Member of Tai Chi in the Park"I’ve always done martial arts. I can’t live without it."
-Gene Dumaran
Gene joined Tai Chi in the Park one month ago, but he has an extensive martial arts background. Beginning with Kenpo Karate forty years ago on the mainland, Gene soon after joined Japan Karate Association of Hawaii and eventually Ken Shu Kan in Waipahu. He tried kung fu but preferred karate.
He made sure to teach his daughter, a radiation therapist in Oregon, self-defense before releasing her into the world. His son is a nuclear submarine machinist at Pearl Harbor.
If you want a deep dive into local politics, Gene is a font of firsthand knowledge, having coordinated regional campaigns many years for both major parties. He also worked as a stockbroker at Shearson Lehman Hutton, an investment officer for Bank of Hawaii and First Hawaiian Bank, a business agent for HGEA(Hawaii Government Employees Association), HR labor relations specialist for various State departments, and HR manager in the State Tax Department.
Just be aware, Gene is the Red Pill (a reference to the 1999 Keanu Reeves movie The Matrix, in which the main character is presented with the choice of a red pill to learn about reality, or the blue pill to continue in blissful ignorance) because he knows why citizens should keep an eagle eye on elected officials.
Gene is a formidable addition to the Tai Chi Ohana. He appreciates the diverse martial arts background Kelvin brings to his tai chi instruction and the practical applications of tai chi.
By Wendi Lau