Shihan Josef Woon-A-Tai, HF

Josef Woon-A-Tai, 8th Dan, began training in 1968 in Guyana. He was awarded Shodan by Master Okazaki in 1975 and today, is a member ofthe IKD Shihan-kai with AAA credentials. All Woon-A-Tais, earned their black belt degrees from Japanese masters led by Master Okazaki and all have karate experience of over 45 years each.

Sensei Joe, as he is affectionately addressed by his students, has a wealth of tournament experience that began in Guyana and extended to the Caribbean and Canada. In 1983, 1984 and 1989, he was a member of the winning Ontario kata team. Joe has taught karate in Jamaica during the 1970, assisting his brother Frank.

He has been very active in Ontario and Canada, teaching, coaching and mentoring young students. He works as a special counsellor to ‘youth at risk’ doing night shifts after his teaching schedule. He is coach of team Ontario and deputy director of IKD Ontario.

Internationally, he continues to help the Guyana Karate College and is responsible for the Philippines. Many of the students training at his dojo are from the Philippines and through his efforts; The Philippines are members of IKD.

Shihan Joe received training from the likes of Masters: Nakayama, Nishiyama, Okazaki, Kanazawa, Mikami, Yaguchi, Koyama, Takashina, Tabata, Tanaka, Ochi, Okamoto and many other Japanese masters. Like Shihan Keith, he brings to the IKD a wealth of real life self defense experience from his early days in Guyana.