Lāʻau lapaʻau

[1] Lā'au lapa'au follows a belief system that physical illness is a result of a loss of mana (energy) or pono (righteousness) within oneself.

[4] Traditional Native Hawaiian medicinal practices are based on holistic healing in which the mind, body and spirit are intertwined.

Prior to Western contact, Ancient Hawaiian society relied heavily on the kahuna class, those who were experts of a particular skills such as lā'au lapa'au.

[2] According to ancient iterations of lā'au lapa'au, those who violated kapu would have illness befall on them and fraudulent kahuna could face a death penalty.

[7] During this era, prior to 1778, Native Hawaiians experienced a limited range of diseases, solely trauma and degenerative associated, due to geographical isolation.

[6] Shortly after the death of King Kamehameha I in 1819, the abolishment of the Kapu System also threatened the social infrastructure that supported lā'au lapa'au.

[7][8] The Revised Laws of Hawaii, Chapter 89, Section 1077 decreed that kahunas would face fines or imprisonment for practicing healing arts.

Kahuna are trained in complementary skills such as plant selection based on criteria such as taste, smell, color, appearance, and environment.

Kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau believe that giving thanks and stating the intention of the plant to heal is essential to the efficacy of the treatment.

[26] Studies regarding this program have found a correlation between offering integrated services and heightened patient satisfaction, sense of belonging, as well as decreased levels of chronic illness.

[11] Scholars also suggest that lā'au lapa'au shows promising potential in physical therapy services as it follows similar values of preventative care aimed to promote long-term health.

[28] In the wake of the Native Hawaiian Healthcare Act of 1988, traditional epistemologies such as lā'au lapa'au began to emerge in higher education spaces.

[4][7] However, engaging the Native Hawaiian community through workshops and education helps to ensure the future of the healing art of lā'au lap'au.