It has been almost 8 years since Sensei Sam Lonewolf passed away on January 10th 2013. Sadly it appears that some online "unofficial biographies" have cropped up from people who took advantage of Lonewolf's passing and falsely claimed to have trained and received rank from him. Some claimed to be partnered or affiliated with Lonewolf and promoted themselves to higher rank abusing Lonewolf's name and actual martial arts rank.
I feel the need to somewhat try and clear some things up.
Lonewolf was an 8th Dan black belt in Kajukenbo Kenpo karate, he also held 6th (1990) and 7th degree black belts (1997) in Tracy Kenpo. His name is found on both Kajukenbo and Tracey kenpo family trees. Lonewolf did have some honorary ranks awarded him but he didn't consider himself as tenth degree or master, even in his own system he only claimed a 8th degree Black Belt.
https://web.archive.org/web/20030826061145/http://www.tracyskarate.com/Tracytree/Shichidan.htm.png) |
| 7th Black 1997 |
 |
| 6th Black 1990 |
Lonewolf identified with Native American culture and he explicitly merged his Kajukenbo Kenpo Karate with Native American philosophy and traditions. Lonewolf openly credited the strength and resilience he drew from Native American spirituality as crucial not just in martial arts, but also in overcoming personal adversities such as illness and family hardship.
Lonewolf’s Native American beliefs shaped his martial arts
by instilling values of spiritual balance, respect, service, and
adaptability, blending combat techniques with indigenous wisdom and social
responsibility. This synthesis set his philosophy apart from more traditional
Asian martial arts approaches. He emphasized the importance
of spirituality and respect for nature, drawing from Lakota and Apache
traditions. This was reflected in his connection to animals (such as running a
wolf sanctuary) and using martial arts not just for fighting but for healing,
empowerment, and community service.
His blend of Native American philosophy with his Kajukenbo kenpo practice formed the foundation of his teachings, school ethos, and approach to life. Lonewolf’s training involved both the physical techniques of Native American weapon use (tomahawk) and survival skills and Kajukenbo. This resulted in a unique, practical self-defense system. His system emphasized survival and practical self-defense, paralleling warrior traditions from Native cultures that focused on real-world threats and adaptability. Traditional Native fighting methods include the use of weapons such as knife and tomahawk. Lonewolf’s curriculum adapted these tools into both historical study and modern application.
Traditional weapons like the tomahawk were taught with
emphasis on flow and adaptability in combat reflective of Native American
fighting techniques. Lonewolf adapted Native American weapons techniques
alongside Kenpo/Kajukenbo weapons work to create realistic, versatile weapons
and modern applications.
He integrated Native American fighting skills with Kajukenbo/Kenpo striking and joint work for a comprehensive stand-up and close quarter system. (Some tribes, such as the Apache, practiced grappling, wrestling, and striking as both training and real combat skills). Lonewolf’s teachings stressed quick adaptability, using environment and situation awareness alongside mixed martial techniques.
Lonewolf was known for his no-nonsense and direct approach to his martial arts system which was dear to him. Because he held it so close he only promoted a couple of people to the level of black belt within it. I was one of the two and I along with his daughter were solely left in charge of his system. This was verified by Lonewolf in his own words.
