Big Island woman travels the world teaching ancient Hawaiian warrior art of lua

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) – Michelle Manu is a multitalented multitasker. She’s an actress who holds a law degree from Harvard. But she’s best known around the world as the leading female teacher of the ancient Hawaiian warrior art called Lua.

“I am a kumu lua of the Kaihewalu lua lineage,” she said.

Earlier in life, Michelle was a professional hula dancer. After she began studying lua, she discovered striking similarities between the combat art and hula.

She says stances and strikes are hidden within the graceful dance.

“There are some kumu hula I’ve heard that say, ‘No! There’s no lua hidden. What is she talking about?’ But once you move in it and you feel that mana through your kino, your body, you understand these are one and the same.”

Hawaiian warriors used lua weapons and hand-to-hand combat to defeat their enemies. She displays it to perpetuate the art. But she also teaches it as a means of self-defense.

Some women come to her from abusive relationships.

“They find that once they work this once five times, 10 times, they’re no longer scared,” she said.

She demonstrates lua in martial arts exhibitions and has taught it to countless students. In January, she held a hula and lua workshop in Ashland, OR, that was hosted by Sensei— Nathan Lake of Martial Arts of Medford.

But she sets boundaries with how much she shares.

“I may not show the concealed movements, the kauna, or the deeper levels of lua to just anyone,” she said. “I have a strict rule against that. But it is important for them to understand we’re more than just Hawaiian barbecue, plastic leis, and hula girl dashboard dolls.”

Her lua teacher was Olohe Solomon Kaihewalu, whose collection of Hawaiian weapons she oversees in the Martial Arts History Museum in Burbank, CA.

“I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now and perpetuate what he fed me if he didn’t teach Hawaiians and non-Hawaiians and release the lua into the world without this very strict kapu and secrecy around it.”

For her efforts to promote and protect this aspect of Hawaiian culture, Michelle was recognized with the title of “Knight Commander” by the Royal Order of Kamehameha.

“It’s my honor to represent all of us and our kupuna across the world until I can’t anymore,” she said.

Michelle now lives on the mainland, but her ohana is from the Big Island. She holds a 10th-degree black belt and has studied martial arts for 40 years.

But it’s in lua where she pours her heart and soul.

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