The Martial Arts History Museum in Glendale, California, announced today the opening of the Warrior Women Exhibit, a groundbreaking installation set to debut this summer. The exhibit will honor the critical and often unrecognized role of women in warfare, cultural preservation, and the protection of indigenous lands. According to founder and President Michael Matsuda, this marks a historic moment for the museum and the martial arts community.
"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 women within the martial arts." The exhibit will be curated by Kumu (Hawaiian for teacher) Michelle Manu, a 10th Degree Black Belt, making it the first exhibit of its kind globally to center on women as protectors, strategists, and carriers of martial knowledge. Manu is a modern-day woman warrior and cultural educator, as well as 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, which will include the official ribbon cutting, is scheduled for Saturday, August 22, 2026, beginning at 4:00 pm 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. Ticket sales will be announced at a later date.
Dr. Kumu Michelle Manu, JD, PhD, is a metaphysician, master martial artist, and cultural educator. A disruptor and thought leader, she is a champion of women's self-protection and longevity, integrating ancient knowledge with quantum physics to unlock human potential. More information about her work can be found at michellemanu.com. The Martial Arts History Museum exists to promote an appreciation of America's cultural diversity by using the martial arts as its gateway into sharing how Asian history became part of American history.
