KAHUNA STATEMENT ON MEDICAL PRACTICES, 1998

From: Papa Ola Lōkahi CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS RELATING TO TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN HEALING PRACTICES SINCE 1985

Upon the passage of Act 162 (SB 1946) on July 14, 1998, recognizing Hawaiian healing practices and exempting them from medical regulations, Papa Ola Lōkahi was mandated to call a panel of renowned healers to address how regulation of traditional healers should take place.   The result of that meeting, on October 31, 1998, was this statement, which made it very clear that regulation of traditional practices by the State of Hawaiʻi was NOT APPROPRIATE, and that blood quantum, licensure and certification of Kanaka Maoli traditional practices was in no way the business of the State of Hawaiʻi.   

October 31, 1998:

KAHUNA STATEMENT for the legislature (basis of law relating to Hawaiian healing process).   It states:

WE, THE UNDERSIGNED KUPUNA PRACTITIONERS OF HAWAIIAN HEALING HAVE COUNSELED AND AGREE:

(1) THAT WE ARE ONLY INSTRUMENTS IN THE HEALING PROCESS AND THAT THE TRUE SOURCE OF HEALING COMES FROM THE ALMIGHTY, KNOWN AS AKUA, ‘IO, OR GOD. IT IS THIS SOURCE THAT GIVES US OUR CALLING TO PRACTICE; 

(2) THAT THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAI`I IS NOT KNOWLEDGEABLE IN THE HEALING TRADITIONS OF THE HAWAIIAN PEOPLE;

AND
(3) THAT WHILE WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT THE LEGISLATURE HAS PASSED S.B. 1946, THE BLOOD QUANTUM, LICENSURE, AND CERTIFICATION ISSUES RAISED IN THE LEGISLATION ARE INAPPROPRIATE AND CULTURALLY UNACCEPTABLE FOR GOVERNMENT TO ASCERTAIN. THESE ARE THE KULEANA OF THE HAWAIIAN COMMUNITY ITSELF THROUGH KUPUNA WHO ARE PERPETUATING THESE PRACTICES.

FURTHER, WE AGREE THAT KUPUNA HENRY AUWAE SERVES AS CHAIRMAN OF THIS COUNCIL OF MASTER PRACTITIONERS AND HAS THE CONSENT OF ITS MEMBERS TO ADDRESS FUTURE ISSUES RELATED TO THIS LEGISLATION.

SIGNED:

Henry Auwae, Po‘okela
Agnes Cope
Malia Craver
Kalua Kaiahua
Margaret Machado