AMOSS HOLLIS

"MOSS"

Amos Hollis died in 1986

Moss migrated to Adelaide, Australia from England in 1952 at the age of

32 years.

He had served as a commando in the British army attaining the rank

of Sergeant.

 

He was the first in Adelaide with black belts in Judo and Karate at a time

when these arts were unknown by the local population.

Moss had a passion for martial arts and he incorporated his unarmed

commando training which, with the advent of the Second World War had

developed into a proven strategic art of self defence.

His close links with Japanese Judo and Karate men in the Japanese

merchant navy conjoined with his military training, allowed him to become

the acknowledged principal instructor of martial arts in Australia.

He was at the cutting edge of the arts for thirty years, producing many excellent martial artists.

He had the ability to reach and touch people from many walks of life with his martial spirit.

In his latter years he developed skills in healing by muscular and skeletal manipulation. 

This was a natural progression for a man who dealt with bruises and soreness caused by vigorous

training in martial arts.

His knowledge of the physical and psychological nature of humans allowed him to develop a unique

method of massage that accelerated the healing process that far exceeded the expectations of all people

that were privileged to be treated by him.

This demand by his students and friends kept his retirement years very busy.

He never lost his passion for martial arts and kept a keen interest in his club run by his senior students

and was a much sought out mentor by all of his students who formed associated clubs.

Judo

The introduction of Kodokan Judo did not occur until relatively late in the piece.

It was first taught in 1945 and did not become nationally organised until 1952, when the Judo Federation

of Australia was founded.

Australia has produced some fine Judoka, with senior instructors being graded up to 7th Dan and

with Australian competitors winning 3 Bronze and 3 Silver Medals and 1 Gold Medal at various

World Titles and 2 Bronze Medals and 1 Gold Medal at the Olympics - a good record for a country with only

16 Million people!

The Judo Federation of Australia can be rightly proud of the advances it has made since its foundation

in 1952 by Senseis Moss Hollis, Ivan Zavetchanos.

Excerpt from Bac Fu Do Kung Fu Website:

Sifu David Crook

Sifu David Crook of Canberra's Bac Fu Do Kung-Fu Society has been involved in the martial arts for over 25 years.

He started off in karate and Ju-Jutsu but became involved in Kung-Fu in the late 1960s.

He now teaches a blend of Choy Li Fut, Wing Chun and Northern Shaolin styles.

His early training was under now-deceased Sensei Moss Hollis of Adelaide - who believed strongly

for the cross-fertilisation between martial arts.

Moss ensured that a succession of guest instructors exposed his students to the concepts and principles

of their particular styles.

The emphasis was on analysis of their techniques and "Why is his sidekick so strong?"

"Which move worked best under those circumstances?" "Why did he do that technique that way?"

and "How the Hell did he do that?" were questions often asked within the walls of Sensei Hollis' Dojo.

From Blitz Magazine

John Van Weenen

John van Weenen was born in 1941 in Enfield. He was not an academic at school nor an outstanding

sportsman but proved to be an exceptional swimmer representing his country.

By the 1960's he had an interest in martial arts but was frustrated by a lack of information on them.

This interest was realised when, having emigrated to Australia, he responded to a karate advertisement

by the late Moss Hollis (3rd Dan). After three years of training three or four times a week he was awarded

shodan which he was later to retake in Japan under Kanazawa sensei.

In 1966 he returned to his native Enfield and opened his first dojo in Kanazawa 's Karate Union of

Great Britain.

Shortly afterwards Kanazawa returned to Japan leaving Van Weenen feeling lost and missing the

teachings of Kanazawa so he found himself following and ended up training in the JKA

headquarters in Tokyo.

In the years that have followed Van Weenen has taught many thousands of students many of whom

now run their own clubs and associations.

Currently 8th Dan he is an excellent karate-ka, a great motivator and manipulator.

He can make you feel anything is possible giving you great self–belief.

Through his beliefs, philosophy and utilising his pull of many years over many, many students much

varied charitable work has been achieved.

He has worked tirelessly to get aid to Albania over the last decade, which has resulted in him receiving

the Mother Theresa award for humanitarian work receiving it from her good self shortly before her death.

He has also received his MBE from the Queen.