History of SKIA in Western Australia
The organisation’s beginning in Western Australia started with Sensei Howard Mutton’s karate dojo in Cannington, Western Australia. Sensei Howard Mutton was a Shodan in Budokan karate. In 1981, after discussions between Sensei Howard Mutton and Sensei Frank Nowak, the Cannington Dojo affiliated with SKIA. This was the start of the Western Australia Branch of SKIA.
Sensei Clive Funston – 6th dan and the founder of South Perth Dojo – was student of Sensei Howard Mutton at the time of affiliation. Sensei Clive Funston has described his memories of the old Cannington dojo as follows:
"We used to train at the small hall on Canning Highway beside the Cannington dog track. Training was hard and rugged in those days – we were young and enthusiastic – but lacked a certain amount of “finesse”. A feature of training in those days was the weekend demonstrations at shopping centres and social functions. We refined quite a few skits – and were approached a few times to work as stunt men! Sensei Nowak was an inspirational instructor – the hardest training I have ever had was with him. He was also very strict – and the slightest transgression of dojo rules would mean endless bunny hops around the dojo.
SKIA WA has been in continuous operation for more than 40 years. Over that time, SKIA WA’s instructors have taught Soke Hirokazu Kanazawa’s style of Shotokan karate to thousands of Western Australians.
