Hawaiians practising native medical traditions
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-23 08:51

Hawaiians practising native medical traditions

WAIANAE, Hawaii: A growing number of Hawaii residents are turning to traditional healing methods long practised in these lush Pacific islands as an alternative or supplement to visiting a regular doctor.

With skyrocketing drug and healthcare costs, native Hawaiian healing is part of a national trend in recent years towards non-conventional approaches to medical care.

For a high school volleyball player with a sprained finger and a game approaching in three days, a practitioner of Native Hawaiian healing provided the needed cure.

The healer, Alapai Kahuena, pounded leaves of a ha'uoi, a plant also known as verbena, mixed it with a pinch of Hawaiian salt, massaged the girl's arm, and placed the mixture on the injured finger.

"Her mother later told me the pain went away and the girl was able to play on Friday," said Kahuena.

Kahuena frequently uses a herb called olena, a ginger family plant also known as turmeric, to treat several ailments. It is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, she said.

Kahuena said she tries all herbs before prescribing them, and is using olena herself for treatment of diabetes and heart problems. She said she hopes eventually to be free of Western medicines.

Despite a shortage of Hawaiian healers, native medicine is being combined with standard approaches in state-supported healthcare programmes.

The University of Hawaii's medical school recently created its Department of Native Hawaiian Health, which is committed to improving the health and wellness of Native Hawaiians while embracing traditional Hawaiian values and practices.

"We believe Western medicine can be complemented by traditional practices to maximize the health of our people," said Dr Kalani Brady, a family practitioner and vice-chairman of the department.

A Harvard University study released in January found that 35 per cent of Americans have used some form of alternative healing.

The National Centre for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, part of the National Institutes of Health, found that more Americans are using yoga, meditation, herbs, special diets and other healing methods.

"People are not happy with Western medical treatment and are seeking alternatives," said Babette Galang of Papa Ola Lokahi, a nonprofit group set up to improve the health and well-being of native Hawaiians.

Traditional healers are exempt from state licensing, but their qualifications are reviewed by elder councils affiliated with the healthcare systems, and in turn reviewed by a Native Hawaiian health board, said Hardy Spoehr, executive director of Papa Ola Lokahi.

(China Daily 08/23/2005 page13)

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