Instructor Profile:

Graham Morris Sensei, 6th Dan Shidoin.

Morris Sensei began his training with the British Aikikai under both Kazuo Chiba Shihan and Kanetsuka Sensei. Gaining teaching qualifications he helped establish the Isle of Man Dojo in the UK.

When Morris Sensei arrived in Australia in 1983, he settled in Queensland. Wishing to continue with his training and studying of Aikido, Graham set out in search of a local dojo only to find there were none in Queensland.

He went to The National Summer School in Melbourne, joined Aiki-Kai Australia and asked permission to establish a regional dojo in Queensland. This was granted and Morris Sensei was appointed provisional Area Representative by Sugano Shihan and the Technical Teaching Committee. This was later confirmed as a permanent position.

Morris Sensei began studying Aikido in 1971, and is now the head instructor for Queensland. Throughout the years he was teaching on the Gold Coast he always conducted 3 classes per week with a special training day on a Sunday morning approximately every two months. These special days were not official Technical Teaching Courses be but were for all the other dojos in Queensland to get together for additional training. They were very popular days and were usually held at the Gold Coast dojo in Burleigh, with the odd session at Warwick or Brisbane. Since Burleigh was demolished for redevelopment in January 2007, these special training days as well as the TTC courses are primarily held in Brisbane with an occasional foray out to Warwick.

Although Morris Sensei has taken leave for an extended period and retired from the position of Area Representative for Queensland, (a position now held by Chris Seto-Payne in Brisbane) he still remains the head instructor for Queensland as well as maintaining personal contact with the Gold Coast Aki Kai Inc.