MARTIAL ARTS HISTORY, ICONS HONORED WITH NEW MUSEUM.

Byline: Kerry Cavanaugh Staff Writer

In black ties and evening gowns, a who's who of the martial arts community was on hand Saturday for the opening of the Martial Arts History Museum's first exhibit and the addition of 10 men and women to its Martial Arts Hall of Fame.

The fledgling museum is still raising money to create a permanent home by 2006 in Los Angeles, so the new exhibit of historic photos and movie memorabilia was unveiled at the Woodland Hills Hilton. Still, museum founder and president Michael Matsuda called the event historic for the martial arts community.

``The museum has become a reality,'' Matsuda said. ``Our arts are thousands of years old. We deserve a museum, don't you think?''

The museum grew out of desire to showcase the rich history of the martial arts, from the earliest masters through the karate boom of the mid- 20th century to the current action movies.

The martial arts have an important place in United States history, first with President Theodore Roosevelt becoming a student of judo while in the White House and later with karate studios popping up in malls around the country.

Home to the studios that made movie stars out of martial arts experts such as Jackie Chan and the late Bruce Lee, Los Angeles is the perfect location for the museum, organizers say.

``We have most of our pioneers here in Los Angeles,'' Matsuda said.

Some of those pioneers were at the Hall of Fame ceremony. Inductees included female kickboxing star Kathy Long, film and television actor and karate champ Chuck Norris and grandmaster Bong Soo Han, who brought the Korean art of Hapkido to wider audiences in 1971's ``Billy Jack.'' (He also poked fun at the genre in 1977's ``Kentucky Fried Movie.'')

There were aspiring martial arts champions in the audience as well.

Yalda Ketabchi, 14, of Woodland Hills and Sally Behpoornia, 12, of Calabasas, both of whom will soon be testing for their black belts, demonstrated their skills before the ceremony.

``It's a great experience to be here and see all the people brought martial arts to America,'' Ketabchi said.

They liked the idea of a martial arts museum in town.

``I would like know about other people in martial arts and see what I could achieve if I stick with it,'' Behpoornia said.

Kerry Cavanaugh, [phone]

kcavanaugh(at)dailynews.com

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Photo:

Youngsters outfitted in martial arts gear discuss and demonstrate Saturday at the grand opening of the Martial Arts History Museum at the Woodland Hills Hilton.

Andy Holzman/Staff Photographer