The First Outsiders Arrive
Historians place the arrival of the Polynesians in Hawaii at around 190 A.D. From
then migration north and south began to populate the islands and establish different
ruling clans for each island. In November, 1527 shipwrecked Spaniards are the first
reported outsiders to arrive in Hawaii.
These people were probably survivors of three ships under the command of Don Alvaso
de Saavedra, bound from New Spain to the Molucca islands. In 1555, the Hawaiian
Islands were discovered again by Juan de Gaytan on a voyage from New Spain to the
Mollucas. The islands were called in Spanish, "Los Majos."
Kamehameha I is Born
In November of 1736, Kekaulike, King of Maui, died and was succeeded by his son,
Kamehameha nui. Kamehameha I is also born at Kokoike, N. Kohala, Hawai'i. Kamehameha
would later become famous as the only king in Hawaiian history to ever unite all
of the islands under one ruler - and all of his warriors knew the Lua.
Lua Begins
The Lua began as a healing art, the "Lomi Lomi" palm-heel striking massage was used
to tone and condition tired rowers on long ocean voyages. From there, "Hakoko" or
catch-as-catch-can wrestling and "Mokomoko" or boxing were developed.
There were twelve original schools of Lua, each one specializing in attacking a
certain part of the body. Techniques were practiced on travelers and unsuspecting
persons lured by the music and dance of the hula.
Originally, only the "Ali'i", the guardians of the Kings and high priests were instructed
in the Lua. Eventually, the Lua was instructed to everyone. Men and women trained
alike in the Lua, each one having techniques especially suited to their body type.
The hula ku'i and hula ku'ilima were used to teach the soft and hard techniques
respectively.
The Lua is Kapu
When the James Cook and the Christian missionaries arrived in Hawaii in 1778, they
banned the Lua shortly thereafter, calling it barbaric. From there, the Lua was
taught within the families. Some 50 years later, King David Kalakua reinstated a
more civilized version of the Lua for public teaching, but the Lua was still "kapu"
or forbidden to outsiders.
Lua Comes to the Mainland
The Lua was first brought to the United States in the 1960s by Olohe "Supreme Grandmaster"
Kolomona 'Sol' Kaihewalu when he began to collaborate with other Polynesian martial
artists, Tino Tuilosega from American Kenpo and professional boxing, Richard Nunez
and Saul Esquival from Kajukenbo, Haumea Lefiti from Five-Animal Kung Fu and John
Marolli from Shotokan karate to form the Lima Lama organization.
Not satisfied with the direction of the Lima Lama organization, Kaihewalu decided
to teach the Lua as a pure system and opened his school in Orange, California. There
are very few Lua Grandmasters left in Hawaii and the United States. Most of the
top Lua "kumu" or instructors are either students of Olohe Kaihewalu or Olohe David
Nuuhiwa.
The Lua continues to evolve with each passing generation and is still as alive today
as it was centuries ago, perhaps even more now is done to preserve the Lua as more
and more people learn about this fascinating and ancient martial art.