UH Today is produced by seniors in the Journalism program at the University of Hawaii at Manoa.

 
 

La'au lapa'au: hawaiian remedies

By Andrew Affleck and Jennifer Brown         

Hawaiian herbal medicine is being restored through the Hawaiian Studies program at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.

Levon Ohai and his teaching assistant, Uala Lenta, are working to bring back La'au lapa'au, an ancient Hawaiian practice that uses island plants and herbs to treat ailments.

Ohai, who learned herbal medicine through his grandfather on Kauai, introduced la'au lapa'au to UHM at the end of 2000. 

"It's been received very well out here by the students," Ohai said.  "They come from a range of backgrounds - medical, botany, biology, nursing and broader areas like engineering, English."

Some native Hawaiian plant and herbs include:
 
• Aloala, or Hibiscus. Can be used as a mild laxative when chewed;
   
• Koali, or morning glory. Can be to heal wounds by grinding, mixing with urine, and applying to the wound;
   
• Popolo, or glossy nightshade. Can be used as an antiseptic, tonic or anti-inflammatory by making a tea, or mashing up the leaves.
 
Some la'au lapa'au plants introduced by Polynesians include:
   
• 'Awa, or Kava. Can be used as a relaxant or sedative, made with water or coconut milk;
   
• Kalo, or Taro. Can be used as a laxative, generally cooked and eaten, considered an excellent food rich in complex carbohydrates, fiber, and nutrients. It is also low in fat and protein;
   
• Kukui, or Candlenut Tree. Can be used as an anti-infective by heating the leaves and applying them to a wound.

Lenta, who also practices the craft on herself, teaches students how to identify the plants and their characteristics, a skill needed before moving into Ohai's advanced classes.
    
"The only way to keep la'au lapa'au alive," Lenta said, "is to practice it and to teach it."

La'au lapa'au also has a spiritual aspect. Each starts with a pule (prayer) for the sick, the students, Hawai'i and the world.
    
La'au lapa'au students take the class for various reasons.  Anna Holt, a graduate student from Kaneohe, is looking to work in acupuncture or chiropractics.

"A lot of traditional Chinese medicine is based on herbal remedies, so I wanted to learn how Hawaiian herbal medicine compares to Chinese herbal medicine and integrate that into practice later," Holt said.

Holt echoed Lenta's beliefs that it is essential for people who practice herbal medicine to use the remedies themselves.

"Every Friday we have a lab where we make one or two preparations that we learned about," Holt said. "We have to taste them and apply them if they're a poultice so we can have experience, so if we ever recommend it, we can say what the experience will be like."

Some students take the course because it helps them in their everyday lives. Anthony Ortiz, a plant pathology graduate student, said Lenta's class is helpful because he is always getting hurt or sick.     

Recently, the class has focused on the physical traits and uses of the main plants, as well as how to gather, plant and prepare them.

Ohai said that it is important for students to see the plants in their natural environment, and took students to the old Pali Highway for field trips.

"We saw about 40 different herbs that were growing there, and we've seen them in their natural environment," Ortiz said. "Seeing the difference about how they grow in their natural conditions versus their cultivated conditions is really exciting."

Ohai hopes the program will expand in the coming years. He praised UHM for being open to new ideas, and pointed out that this program is the only one of its kind in the United States.

Many of the plant and herbs used in la'au lapa'au are native to Hawai'i, and some are not, but all have significance in the practice. Thousands of plants and herbs can be used for la'au lapa'au.

 

© 2005 UHM Journalism program and students.