Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 2, 1 February 1992 — E Ola Mau I Ka Laʻau Lapaʻau Perpetuate la'au lapa'au [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

E Ola Mau I Ka Laʻau Lapaʻau Perpetuate la'au lapa'au

■ Aloha Mai, In my 'ohana, la'au llapa'au (Hawaiian |Healing) was practiced I by my great granduncle, Naluahine Kaopua. He looked after all of us in the ohana, whieh includ|ed many of the 'Hawaiian families living

in the Kona district. Tutu Naluahine was a great believer of Hawaiian herbs. In fact, I ean recall him preparing some popolo leaves and crushing them with Hawaiian salt to treat a "blind boil" on my leg. It was very simple and inexpensive, and the result was positive. While there were many other noteworthy treatments that Tutu Naluahine performed, I regretfully grew up without acquiring more knowledge on the subject.

My primary purpose for writing on this subject is to recognize a successful Hawaiian physician who had accomplished so mueh in Hawaiian herbal medicine. Dr. Alexander F.K. Kaonohi was the first Hawaiian to be licensed as a drugless physician in Hawai'i. After he received his formal education on the mainland, he began his practice in Hawai'i in 1932. Dr. Kaonohi worked out of his home and soon became extremely successful practicing among the Hawaiian people. He opened his elinie in Kapahuiu, O'ahu in February, 1940, and Iater serviced the neighbor islanders who requested his assistance.

Dr. Kaonohi was widely known for perfecting and standardizing native Hawaiian herbs for medicinal purposes. Many of his noteworthy contributions have impacted upon naturopathic clinics throughout the world. His early research and comparative studies with German, Indian, Chinese, and Japanese herbs resulted in the listing of more than 240 Hawaiian herbs. These herbs have been used for treatments in "bloodless surgery" and therapy in sinusitis, hemia, tumors, arthritis, ulcerated stomach, asthma, rectal diseases, and ear, nose and throat problems.

The use of herbs as a curative agent was well known and practiced among the ancient Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks, Chinese, Hindus, Persians and Hawaiians. For the Hawaiians, however, herbal healing declined after the arrival of the missionaries in Hawai'i. This was probably due to the Hawaiian spiritual beliefs and the source of healing being

compromised by western beliefs. To date, this art has undergone many changes relative to medical acceptance and scientific validation. This is also perhaps the main reason why la'au lapa'au is kept primarily within the 'ohana. Coupled with this fact is the question of liability. I have eome to learn that Dr. Alexander Kaonohi's accomplishments have already received acceptance and scientific validation by the broader community in Hawai'i. It is for us Hawaiians to look within our own culture for our inner strength and development.

Finally, Dr. Kaonohi comes from a long line of doctors dating from his great grandfather to his father, who were all prominent herb doctors in Hawai'i. In fact there were two Kaonohi brothers who were also practicing medicine in the early 1900's. They were Dr. G.K. Kaonohi, head physician at the Charles Chapin Hospital of Providence, R.I., and Dr. K.K. Kaonohi, who practiced in Chicago, 111.

Although Dr. Alexander Kaonohi has passed on, his accomplishments are a matter of record. In an article published by the "Hawai'i Sentinel," Dr. Kaonohi expressed his desire to have more Hawaiian physicians in Hawai'i. He also noted that the greatest handicap for Hawaiians who wish to become doctors was the laek of finances. This problem exists until today. Today la'au lapa'au requires one's desire to leam the healing arts and to study medicinal herbs. Our kupuna practitioners are willing to

teach. The problem is finding aspiring young people who want to carry on our tradition. E Ola mau i ka la'au lapa'au. Mahalo

Dr. Alexander Kaonohi