The Martial Arts History Museum in Glendale, California, is set to open the first-ever Warrior Women Exhibit, a groundbreaking installation that recognizes the critical role of women in warfare, cultural preservation, and the protection of indigenous lands. The exhibit will debut on August 22, 2026, at 4 p.m. PDT, with a free public gala and ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Founder and President Michael Matsuda emphasized the historical significance of the exhibit. "We are setting a historical precedent!" Matsuda said. "Not only are female warriors a significant part of martial arts history but many wars would not have been won without them...here to let the community know we support warrior women throughout the ages."
Curated by Kumu (Hawaiian for teacher) Michelle Manu, a 10th-degree black belt, the exhibit is the first of its kind globally to center on women as protectors, strategists, and carriers of martial knowledge. Manu, a modern-day woman warrior and cultural educator, is a teacher and lineage architect of the sacred Hawaiian art of Lua.
"This is not about adding women into history - it’s about correcting the record of what has always been true," Manu declared. "For centuries, women’s contributions have been minimized or obscured. This exhibit restores balance, accuracy, and truth. Women were never absent from the history of war - only from the way it has been told. This exhibit restores what was never missing."
The Warrior Women Exhibit Gala, including the official ribbon cutting, is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, beginning at 4:00 p.m. PDT. Hosted by the Martial Arts History Museum in Glendale, California, this event will mark the first time women are being honored in a martial arts museum.
Dr. Kumu Michelle Manu, a metaphysician, master martial artist, and cultural educator, brings her expertise as a disruptor and thought leader. She is a champion of women’s self-protection and longevity, integrating ancient knowledge with quantum physics. For more information on her projects, visit michellemanu.com.
