SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- Army veterans shared their knowledge and skill of an ancient Hawaiian martial art here, April 27.
Thomas Kaulukukui Jr. and Jerry Walker taught Soldiers and their families about lua at the Aha Aina, or banquet, lecture series, hosted by U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii's Native Hawaiian Liaison Office, founded to build relationships between Soldiers and their families with the Native Hawaiian community.
"Lua comes from a time when men grappled with each other and beat each other with clubs; this was before firearms," said Kaulukukui, who served in Vietnam as a paratrooper from 1968-1970.
Not all warriors could use lua; lua was essentially reserved for the alii, or royalty. Using lua, an elite warrior, usually a warrior chief, would first paralyze his enemy with nerve strikes. Next, he would dislocate joints, break major bones and then snap the enemy's back.
Additionally, lua warriors used strangling cords, slings, long spears, shark tooth clubs, wooden daggers and hand clubs, all designed to quickly dispatch the enemy to Ku, the Hawaiian god of war.
Lua went underground after the missionaries arrived in the island, and was eventually designated as a lost art. However, Walker and four buddies, who were all schooled in martial arts, were curious about lua. They sought out Charles Kenn, an olohe lua, or lua master, in 1974 and convinced him to train them. They trained with Kenn for five years. They then became olohe lua and started training others in contemporary lua.
Walker, with his Special Forces background, drew a comparison between lua and Special Forces.
"The Army has its Green Berets, and each of the services have their equivalents. Lua was the ancient Hawaiian's version of special forces," said Walker.
Walker and Kaulukukui, along with several other members from Pa Kaai Kanaha Elua, demonstrated different lua moves and weapons for the audience. The group finished their demonstration by lining up on stage, legs and elbows deeply bent, and began chanting: "Ha, he, hu! Ha, he, hu! Ha, he, hu!"
They moved back and forth in unison, striking invisible opponents with quick, powerful jabs. The audience joined in with the chants, each repetition louder than the last. Afterward, USAG-HI's hula class entertained the audience.
"It was a great evening," said Annelle Amaral, Native Hawaiian liaison, USAG-HI. "The demonstration on lua, the Hawaiian martial art, was stunning. I was proud to see the Royal Order of Kamehameha in attendance. And finally, to have our Army families' hula class dancing like they've been dancing hula for years capped off a wonderful evening!"
A quarterly initiative of USAG-HI, in partnership with the Native Hawaiian Liaison Office, the Aha Aina helps bridge understanding between the Native Hawaiian community and the Army.
Previous dinner topics have included "Under the Jarvis Moon, and Hee Nalu (Surfing): Hawaii's Gift to the World," and "The Lands of Lihue."
USAG-HI's Native Hawaiian Liaison Office familiarizes the military and local community with each other's culture and values through workshops, cultural events, networking opportunities and other collaborative affairs.
Hawaiian Culture
Besides holding quarterly Aha Aina lectures, USAG-HI'S Native Hawaiian Liaison Office conducts cultural workshops and classes throughout the year. One of the most popular classes are free hula lessons. Soldiers and families are invited to participate in beginner classes, 5-6 p.m.; and advanced classes, 6-7 p.m. Class schedules and locations follow:
•Mondays, Kalakaua Community Center, Schofield Barracks.
•Tuesdays, Aliamanu Military Reservation Community Center.
To learn more about upcoming Native Hawaiian events, email nhliaison@gmail.com or call 808-655-9694.
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