The word lua means pit or depression and the number  two. The number two is significant for lua because it encompasses the idea of duality, which involves force–counter force, action-reaction, life - death, masculine-feminine, positive-negative, yin-yang, good-bad, right-wrong, soft-hard, to name a few. Duality for the lua practitioner is about understanding the nature of opposites, because it determines the choices you make in every situation. For example, for every force there is a counter force. When a punch is thrown, expect a counter strike. 

By the end of the 18th century, King Kamehameha had acquired firearms, which brought him victory in his battles to unite the islands without resorting to hand-to-hand combat. In 1820, the kapu system was broken, disrupting a societal system that had insured the passing of Hawaiian traditions for generations past. Then, when missionaries appeared on the scene, the teaching of lua was looked upon with disfavor, and by the 1840s it was banned. Only a few Hawaiian families continued to practice the art and pass the secrets of the discipline down to younger members. The art virtually disappeared. Kalakaua the reigning Alii at the time revived the old Hawaiian traditions, professions and arts that were seen as already disappearing due to foreign influence of religious beliefs. Hula and other practices were brought back publicly and a revival of the customs flourished under this ali'i. Lua was also revived secretly from public view and the old Olohe Lua who were still around were sought after to teach this art to the next generation before all knowledge was lost.