Jose Manuel Roses OAM (2025)

Jose Manuel Roses (OAM)

Inducted into the A.M.A.H.O.F. (Inc) and W.K.U.H.O.F. for 2025
Continual Excellence and Service to the Australasian Martial Arts Community

Sensei Joe Roses OAM is the highest graded member of the Oceania area from the International Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate-do Federation (IOGKF), the largest Okinawan Karate organisation in the world. He is the only Australian to have ever achieved the rank of 8^th Degree Black Belt from legendary Karate master Sensei Morio Higaonna.

Sensei Roses is the Chief Instructor of the Australia Okinawa Goju-ryu Karate Federation Inc. (AOGKF) and has been Australia’s leading IOGKF Karate instructor for the last 25 years.

His martial arts training began in Jujitsu and Kyokushinkai Karate, where he achieved a 2^nd and 1^st degree black belt respectively. In 1975, upon training with Master Higaonna for the first time, he changed his focus of study to Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate.

His Dojo, Canberra Traditional Karate Centre, is Canberra’s oldest Karate school having been continuously operating in the capital since 1975. During that period, Sensei Joe has taught people from all walks of life and has positively impacted the lives of many people.

Sensei’s Joe’s efforts to promote traditional Karate saw him receive the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019 for services to Karate. This was the achievement of a life time for man who emigrated to Australia from Spain as a child in search for the great Australian dream.

In 2024, Sensei Joe was diagnosed with throat cancer and has responded successfully to treatment. He continues to train daily and dedicates all of his time to strengthening Goju-ryu Karate in Australia.