Frank Woon-a-tai

Frank Woon-A-Tai (born May 22, 1950) is a Guyanese chief instructor of the International Karate Daigaku, President of the Caribbean Karate College, Chief instructor and Chairman of the Guyana Karate College, and Chairman of IKD Canada and IKD Guyana. He is a tenth-degree black belt in Shotokan Karate.

Early life Frank Woon-A-Tai was born on May 22, 1950, in Georgetown, Guyana. He revealed his DNA test results in his book, which came up as 86% Chinese from Canton and 14% Afro-Guyanese.

Woon-A-Tai is the author of Shu-Ha-Ri: My Life in Japanese Karate, published by IKD Honbu Inc., 2020 and has produced DVDs: FW Vintage Demonstration, 1992; Eclipse of Life, 1997; Soul of Kata 1, 2000; IKD First World Cup, 2012; Road to the Cup, 2015; and The Next Generation; 2015. He also edited several newsletters, technical manuals and written several association by-laws.

Championships and awards

Woon-A-Tai first gained international prominence when he won the JKA Pan American kata championship in 1978.

Awards/medals

Awarded The French Guiana Medal of Service in 1996. Georgetown, Guyana Mayor's Award in 2009. Member of The Order of Guyana - recipient of the Medal of Service from Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, in October 2011.

Education

JKA Instructor Training Program, 1989 BA, University of Toronto, 2004, Japanese Studies

Personal life On June 1, 1974, Frank Woon-A-Tai married Maureen, a fellow karate-ka, in Georgetown, Guyana. Together they have three children, five grandchildren including D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, and two great-grandchildren. The Woon-A-Tai family currently reside in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.