issue2 pg24-45.indd

Story and Photos Britt Yap
While some Hawaiian cultural practices like the hula
or the Hawaiian language is available to the masses and
has made a comeback after years of oppression, the art
of the Hawaiian warrior still eludes me. Like many local
residents I’ve talked to, I couldn’t really explain to anyone what the lua was, or its significance to the Hawaiian
people. All I really knew was that it was a Hawaiian martial art and it was secretive.
Then several months ago when I was writing the cover
story for the first issue of UPROAR Magazine, I met Rudy
Valentino, BJ Penn’s trainer from the Big Island. Rudy and
I hit if off right away and talked about how he takes his
fighters to visit sacred Hawaiian places on the Big Island.
He goes on these “field trips” to help the fighter become
more focused and one with himself, and educates them
about their culture. When I asked Rudy more about his
background and why he takes the time to share these
cultural places with his fighters, he revealed to me that he
was a kumu kane, a grand master of the lua.
Immediately intrigued, and wanting to learn more
about the lua, I asked Rudy if Hanalei and I could visit him
on the Big Island. And this would begin our lua journey.
UPROAR MAGAZINE
37
Training Grounds
T
The Hawaiian martial art of lua has been downplayed for
centuries. Even today, when the mixed martial arts scene is taking
the world by storm, this ancient marital art skims under the radar
as not to be revealed to the mainstream MMA audience. Its secrecy
has baffled many, and most people don’t even know it exists.
According to Rudy Valentino, there is good reason for that.
First of all, the lua is unlike other martial arts that are taught to the
masses today. In its purest form, lua is a killing art, and isn’t meant
for everyone to learn.
“Lua is a warrior art, not a commercial art,” said the 53-year-old,
who has about 48 years of martial arts experience. “The true lua has
nothing to do with self-defense.”
Lua is a type of dangerous hand-to-hand combat in which
fighters break bones, dislocate joints, and inflict severe pain by
pressing on nerve centers. Ancient Hawaiian warriors used this
technique in battle, and the most renowned lua practitioner was
King Kamehameha the Great.
Today, there are lua masters that keep the art form alive and
teach a small number of selected Hawaiians from the younger
generation. The purpose of teaching someone the lua is not so
that they can go out in the streets or in the ring to use it. Instead,
Valentino said, the purpose for teaching the lua is to make sure that
this particular part of the Hawaiian culture is perpetuated.
Valentino, who became an ‘ōlohe (lua master) in 1975 under
Brother Abe Kamahoahoa, said that there have been times when
he was unsure if he wanted to continue to teach the art form.
He felt some of his students weren’t taking it seriously and they
weren’t giving proper credit to those who taught them. Valentino
has always given credit to Kamahoahoa, who taught him all that he
knows about the he‘e (hand-to-hand) style of lua.
“Since Brother Abe’s passing, I’m the only one alive still teaching
his art to a select few,” he said.
After Kamahoahoa’s death, Valentino became kumu kane (grand
master). He said families from different islands across the state have
specialized and passed down different pieces of the lua. However,
the lua consists of hundreds of different moves, with and without
weapons, making it is impossible for someone to know them all.
Over the years, Valentino has taught the lua to hundreds of
students and there are currently 10 ‘ōlohe under him. He has yet to
teach any of his understudies all of the moves that he knows.
“Each ‘ōlohe was taught different phases and sections of it,” he
said. “No one person knows all the moves. That’s what it takes to be
grand master.”
When listening to Valentino speak, one can feel the struggle of
balance between sharing the art form and keeping it untainted. He
said the worst thing that could happen is if the lua was exploited. He
doesn’t want it to turn into a commercial art form, or have hundreds
of people being named lua master without the proper training and
knowledge. If this happens, he foresees many people using the lua
for the wrong reasons and getting others hurt. He also fears that if
the lua is taught to the masses, it will become diluted and combined
with other martial arts. While being able to mesh different martial
art forms is important for an MMA fighter, keeping the lua in its
purest form and passing that down for generations to come is more
important to Valentino.
UPROAR MAGAZINE
39
Training Grounds
This knuckle-duster was probably used in
close-range, hand-to-hand combat.
“The lua will
never be lost,
ever. Unless
they kill off all
the Hawaiians.”
-Rudy Valentino
This leiomano is
made from sharks’
teeth and kauila
wood.
40
UPROARHAWAII.COM OCTOBER - DECEMBER 2008
Similar to Valentino’s efforts to balance his teachings, lua is
a system of fighting based on the theory of duality. Lua warriors
combine the traits of Kū, the god of war, and Hina, the goddess of the
moon to seek balance between good and evil.
Ironically, Valentino doesn’t fear that lua will be lost or forgotten.
“The lua will never be lost, ever,” he said. “Unless they kill off all
the Hawaiians.”
To help with the preservation of the lua, Valentino encourages
Hawaiian charter schools and Kamehameha Schools to teach the
history and significance of the art form.
“There needs to be more knowledge and education about the lua
so that it is never lost,” he said. “For Hawaiians, it’s part of their history
and their heritage. They need to know the value and respect it. But
the training of the moves is not for everyone.”
Valentino is known to share the Hawaiian culture with his
fighters—like BJ Penn and Kendall Grove—because it all comes back
to knowing oneself, he said. One thing he found that helps focus a
fighter is educating them on their background and culture.
“The lua is not all about fighting,” he said. “It’s about knowing who
you are and where you come from. The lua is a very spiritual thing.”
This martial art is held so dearly by those who know it best
because of its suppressed past. By the end of the 18th century,
King Kamehameha had acquired American firearms and used them
in battle to defeat his opponents. With guns and canons being so
effective in warfare, the hand-to-hand art soon became obsolete.
Then in 1820, the kapu system was broken, disrupting the societal
system that had insured the passing of Hawaiian traditions for
generations. Then, when missionaries came to Hawai‘i, the teaching
of lua was looked down upon, and by the 1840s it was banned. Only
a few Hawaiian families continued to practice the moves to pass the
discipline down to their children. The art virtually disappeared.
Because different cultures throughout history have hidden fighting movements within dance, some believe the ha‘a (war dance) and
hula incorporated lua moves. They say that this allowed the warriors
to practice their technique without giving away secret battle tactics.
The lua was practiced in secrecy up until the 1980s.
Today, some lua masters continue the tradition by only
training their students in the dark of night, and never at
the same location. However, there are a few masters who
have written books and opened up their teachings to nonHawaiians, trying to commercialize the art and make it
available to the masses.
Valentino, on the other hand, has certain rules that he
follows when inviting a person to be a student of lua.
“I get to know them, who they are. I try to get into their
head and see how much they can handle,” he said.
After several long conversations with the person, and
knowing them for a while, he decides if he wants to be their
teacher. In his training, he teaches his students how to be in
control of the art so that they never use it on others. While
Valentino has not done this yet, he said other lua masters
get a criminal background check on their potential students
before agreeing to train them.
“I like to train people who are serious and give me 100
percent,” he said. “I like training sincere people.”
To date, Valentino has not made anyone a lua master.
He has a lot of young people training under him, but he said
that a grand master has to have a lot of life experiences, and
someone 19 or 20 years old still has many life lessons to learn.
“I haven’t shown all the moves to one person yet,” he
said. “I hope that one day I can find someone worthy or a
select few that can master this art to pass it on to the next
generation.” ALL PAU
This open frame leiomano is made of sharks’ teeth and koa wood.
Lua weapons
Some Hawaiian Weapons
Ihe (short spear)
Pololū (long spear/javelin)
Pāhoa (wooden spike dagger)
Leiomano (shark-tooth weapon)
Lā‘au pālau (long war clubs)
Newa (short war club)
Pōhaku (stone hand club)
Ma’a (sling)
Ka’ane (strangulation cord)
Ko‘oko‘o (cane)
Nounou (thrown stones)
Ko‘i (war hatchet or axe)