Limalama self-defense class
also teaches kindness
Valley women are learning the graceful yet effective self-defense
techniques of limalama, a new class offered at the Santa Ynez YMCA.
Kumu (meaning “teacher”) Bob Kupihea is seven-eighths Hawaiian and
one-eighth Chumash, and recently moved to the Central Coast from Las Vegas to
work with his son, Kumu Harry Steele Moyer, and Steve Keele, a master of five
different martial arts styles. They at first taught at the Lompoc YMCA and now
have expanded their territory to Solvang at the Sheriff Activity League center
in Solvang, teaching through a program called SWAT — Special Winning
Attitude Team — and at the Stuart. C. Gildred Family YMCA in Santa Ynez.
Limalama, or “Hands of Wisdom,” is a form of martial arts founded
half a century ago by a Samoan boxer, Tu’umamao Tuiolosega, who distinguished
himself as a U.S. Marine during the Korean War. Women are taking it up because
its fluid, hands-on training gives them street-smart, self-defense tools.
“Limalama is based on natural Polynesian dance movements such as
the hula,” said Kupihea.
About 30 women have discovered the local class. Although it is
taught for women, all can attend.
“Where the mind goes, energy flows. To be strong, you have to be
soft. What we do is the opposite of hard,” said Kupihea. Limalama is a flowing
movement that targets the natural V-angles of the human body where it is
weakest, such as where the arm bends, for instance, or where the neck and body
meet, he said.
“I enjoy teaching women, and children. I like to make the playing
ground even for women,” said Kupihea with a laugh. He laughs because, he said,
he can teach a woman to take a perpetrator down if given 10 seconds, 10 seconds
that could prevent a violent attack or save a life.
He said that limalama is made up of 13 different Polynesian arts.
“In studying limalama , you learn history, you learn song, you
learn dance, and you learn culture,” he said
Kupihea’s overall message is one of love and compassion, concepts
that are a vital component of limalama even though it can cause great injury.
Rules of the art are to avoid confrontation and “to do no harm, or as little as
possible.”
“That’s how I lived so long!” said the 68-year-old instructor. “Avoid
injury
— life is precious,” a darn good rule for anybody to follow.
Ramona Guerrero of Lompoc, a Head Start special education teacher
at Fillmore Elementary, said anyone can learn to master limalama in short time.
“It is very natural, very easy and very effective. It is not
strenuous. It feels natural, and makes sense,” she said, adding that with
practice, she was able to do the moves after about a week and now has been
doing them for over a year.
Kristina Clark of Lompoc demonstrated the “whipping hands of
limalama ” with prowess, demonstrating that all she needs is 10 seconds to take
control. Clark takes Kupihea’s class even though she already is advanced in
martial arts.
“Martial arts is just a way of life,” said the 2nd-grade Miguelito
Elementary school teacher, relaxed and smiling. She said that she enjoys
helping to demonstrate the moves to new students.
Limalama is offered three days a week in the evening and during
the lunch hour.
Kupihea also is working on a program for children, called the menehune
program. A menehune is the Hawaiian equivalent of a leprechaun, a usually
helpful sprite of diminished proportions.
The program will be offered to children from first grade up,
through SWAT and Special Team of Role Models outreach in Solvang. The program
will focus on manners, courtesy, the fundamentals of interaction with others to
help them in school, and also self-defense.
The Stuart C. Gildred Family YMCA offers 22 different forms of
aerobic-strength classes and is located at 900 North Refugio Road at the corner
of Highway 246 in Santa Ynez and may be reached at (805) 686-52037 or online at
http://www.ciymca.org/santa_ynez/index.
Monthly fees range from $29 for teens to $55 for adults, and $48
for seniors, plus a one-time sign-up fee.
A family membership
for three costs $92 per month. Financial assistance is available.