Dell Hamby

Dell Hamby, a dual-citizen of Switzerland/USA, began training Shotokan Karate in the city of Basel, Switzerland in 1988 as a pupil of Roland Schumann Sensei. Schumann Sensei had trained with, among others, the legendary Bruce Lee in California.
Dell proved to be an extremely diligent student and, practicing assiduously, was promoted to Shodan in 1991. He became
assistant to Schumann Sensei and by 1995 had attained 3rd Dan in the Swiss Shotokan Association.

It was his inquisitiveness and interest in the origins of karate which led him to Okinawa in 1996, his first of over 20 visits
to the island. He began training Uechi-Ryu (Sho Hei Ryu) at the Chatan-Dojo under the watchful and caring eye of Takamiyagi Shigeru Sensei, a pupil of Uechi Sensei. Dell's immediate fondness of the Uechi "style" and devotion to Chatan-Dojo was the beginning
of a long and rewarding relationship which has continued to this day. He was promoted to 4th Dan in 2005 by the Okinawa Karate Do Kyo Kai. He has trained with many of the Dai Sensei Gata including Tomoyose, Takara, and Nakahodo Sensei. His was the first licensed Uechi Ryu dojo
in Switzerland.

In 1999 Dell began Kobudo with the late Izumi Shigeo Sensei, a member of the Ryukyu Kobudo Hozon Shinko Kai. IzumiS ensei was a great mentor, friend, and Budo Ka. Unfortunately, he passed away in 2003. He recalls: "The experience of training in Okinawa and Switzerland with Izumi Sensei will never be forgotten." Afterwards, Dell became a pupil of Akamine Hiroshi Sensei in Okinawa, and is currently 3rd Dan with instructors-license from the association.

Dell is an avid multi-linguist who is fluent, in word and script, in 7 languages including Japanese and Chinese. He has resided in Beijing since
August 2005 and will be returning to Basel in the autumn, 2006. He returns to Okinawa yearly to nurture and "hone" his Budo skills.