Hula Hoop

The Hula Hoop appeared on the market on March 5th but invented in 1958 by Arthur K Melin and Richard Knerr. Both children and adults around the world have played with hoops, twirling, rolling and throwing them. Children hula hoops are approximately 28 inch in diameter and for adults they are 40 inches round. Traditionally hoops were made of willow, rattan and other stiff grasses. Today they are made up of plastic.

Native American Hoop Dance is a form of storytelling dance. One to thirty hoops may be used in the dance. The hoops create both static and dynamic shapes to represent animals, symbols and storytelling. The dance is generally performed by solo dancer with multiple hoops.

Past history of hula hoops include using wooden an metal hoops in the 14th century England. Doctors would treat patients suffering from pain and dislocated backs due to hooping. Likewise, in the 18th century the "hula" was familiar with Hawaiian dance.

In the 1950s a plastic version was marketed by the California Wham-O toy company. In the 1950's the hula hoop craze would sweep the country. More than 50,000 hoops a day were made. In 1999 the hoop was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in Rochester New York. I can recall my sisters and I having hula hoops and spending hours with them. The fad did start dying out in the 1980s.

Do you recall hula hooping fun?? Were you part of it