#305 Flowing with Michelle Manu

You may not have heard of Shannon’s guest for this episode unless you follow badass female martial artists or the ancient Hawaiian martial art of Lua but this woman is a fierce warrior through and through. Michelle Manu is the only woman to be given the designation of Knight’s Commander by the Royal Order of Kemehameha 1 for protecting and promoting Hawaiian culture through the Lua, the indigenous warrior art of Hawaii. Michelle dedicates herself to helping women by teaching self defense and passing on her knowledge. She also happens to be a lawyer, holds credentials from Harvard Business School, is a grandmother to twin boys, and is an expert in Polynesian dance. Right before Shannon and Michelle sat down to talk, Shannon looked out her window and saw a massive hawk sitting in her backyard. What a symbol to bless their conversation! And Shannon wants to encourage everyone who is listening to head on over to the Youtube video of their conversation where you can see Michelle show us some Lua hawk technique in honor of their pre-conversation visitor. But for now, please sit back and enjoy this deep and wonderful conversation Shannon had with Michelle Manu.

Michelle Manu is an incredible warrior. This multi-hyphenate is one of the deadliest martial artists alive, is an expert in Polynesian dance and holds a law degree and business credentials from Harvard Business School & George Washington University. An inductee of the Martial Arts History Museum’s Hall of Fame, she is the only woman to be giving the designation of Knight Commander by the Royal Order of Kamehameha 1, protecting and promoting Hawaiian culture through the Lua, the indigenous warrior art of Hawaii. Michelle has dedicated her life to helping women, teaching self-defense to thousands of women through a cultural program known as Nā Koa, or The Warriors. She is also a grandmother of 5-year-old twin boys! Michelle is a survivor of racism, domestic abuse, misogyny and continues to exemplify excellence, and is an inspiration to all.

Connect with Michelle:

Twitter: @kumu_michelle

Instagram: @michelle__manu

Facebook: Michelle Manu