Tino Tuiolosega

Tuiolosega was born 2 July 1931 in Utulei, American Samoa, the son of Tu'umamao Tuiolosega, the king of Olosega and Saposapoaluga Feagaimaleata Poumele Tuiolosega.^[1] When he was 5-years-old, he began learning Polynesian self-defense techniques from his father and uncle. Tuiolosega also learned Polynesian dances which he said he later incorporated into his fighting style.^[2] In addition, Tuiolosega studied aikido, Shaolin kung fu, Choy Li Fut and Hung Ga.^[3] After moving to Oahu, Hawaii, he attended the University of Hawaii.^[1] Tuilosega earned a juris doctor from the Irvine College of Law in 1979.^[1]

Tuiolosega joined the United States Marine Corps during the Korean War and fought at the Battle of Inchon. He later served as the Marine Corps' Chief Instructor of hand-to-hand combat. He also boxed for the Marines and was the Armed Forces Middleweight Champion.^[2] Tuiolosega practiced his martial art skills as a street fighter around the docks and bars of Hawaii.^[4]

After moving to Southern California in the 1950s, Tuiolosega began developing his own martial arts system called Limalama, a portmanteau of the Polynesian words lima (hand) and malamalama (understanding) and defined by Tuiolosega as "hand of wisdom".^[5] The system eventually incorporated elements based on Tuilosega's experiences with Polynesian self-defense, boxing, judo, aikido, Shaolin kung fu, Choy Li Fut, Hung Ga and Kenpo karate.^[3][6] Tuiolosega worked out with other martial artists including Kenpo Karate innovator Ed Parker and Shaolin Kung Fu grandmaster Ark Yuey Wong. In 1965, he began teaching Limalama to a group of black belts including Richard Nunez, Saul Esquival, John Makaalu Louis, Solomon Kaihewalu, and his cousin, Haumea “Tiny” Lefiti.^[4] By the 1970s, students of Tuiolosega had opened Limalama academies around the world mostly concentrated in Mexico, South and Central America, as well as California and Hawaii.^{[4][7][8][9][10]}

In the 1980s, he moved to Santa Cruz, California and continued to instruct select students in Limalama.^[1]