Australian woman who introduced the hula hoop to the world – but missed out on the profits – dies aged 101

Despite being uncredited for her role in launching what became a global craze, Joan Anderson was just ‘happy to bring so much joy to people’

W

hat began with a large bamboo ring wrapped in brown paper and posted across the Pacific to an Australian war bride in the US launched what became one of the world’s greatest fads of the late 1950s – the hula hoop.

But Joan Anderson, the parcel’s recipient and the woman who delivered the concept of the hoop to America, was left out of the loop – ignored by the toy company that sold more than 100m hula hoops before the fad was replaced.

It was not until 2018 that Anderson, who died on 14 July aged 101, was credited for her role in introducing the hula hoop after her story was shared in the short documentary film Hula Girl.