History of the Hula Hoop Fad
Hula hoops are simple hoops that are kept around the waist by swinging the hips in a hula-like motion. Although hula hoops became a cultural craze during the 1950s, the toy actually dates back much earlier. While modern versions are made of plastic tubing, originally hula hoops were formed from rattan, grapevines, or stiff grasses, among other natural materials.
Using hoops as a toy dates back to ancient Greece and Egypt as well as several Native American cultures, where the hoop dance was used to tell stories. By the eighteenth century, a hoop toy had become quite common in many cultures, although it had not yet earned its name. It was not until British sailors visited the islands of Hawaii during the early nineteenth century that the hoop toy became associated with traditional hula dancing, which involves a similar movement of the hips.
The first modern hula hoop was made of bamboo, and was sold in 1957 only in Australia. When the supplier could not produce enough of these bamboo hula hoops to meet the high demand found with this toy, Alex Tolmer of Toltoys began producing plastic hoops. Over 400,000 plastic hula hoops were sold in Australia by Toltoys in 1957 alone. In 1958, novelty toy company Wham-O marketed the hula hoop in the United States, with over 25 million sold in the first four months and 100 million sold during the year. The hula hoop fad only lasted a few months, but by the time it was over, millions of hula hoops were sold, and they had gained their place in cultural history.
Incidentally, the timing of the 1950s hula hoop craze coincided with the popularity of tiki collectibles throughout the United States. Soldiers who had been stationed in Hawaii and on other islands in the Pacific returned from World War II with an interest in the cultures they had experienced. As a result, hundreds of tiki-themed restaurants opened, and related décor became quite popular for the home. The hula hoop craze fit right in with this environment.
In the late 1960s, the hula hoop again rose in popularity thanks to a national competition staged by Wham-O. The National Hula Hoop Contest, later known as the World Hula Hoop Championship, grew from a small competition in 1968 to over two million participants in 1980. This unique competition laid the foundation for what is known as the “freestyle hula hoop” movement. Contestants are judged on their performance of basic hula hoop moves and freestyle hula routines set to music. Today there are numerous world records for various aspects of hula hooping.
Modern hula hoops range from a plastic child’s toy to elaborate hoops designed for dancing adults. They may have LED lights or unique designs; some, called fire hoops, can even be lit on fire. This technique often draws from native fire dancing traditions from cultures around the world dating back centuries. Modern hula hoops for adults are often heavier than the child-sized counterpart to allow for more difficult technical moves that require additional momentum. Today, hula hoops are also popular at tiki parties and other tropical-themed events.
Rene Thompson,
Wednesday, September 23rd