June Gutmanis (1925–1998)

from cover

'Kupuna, Kupuna. Come look at what I found,'
the bright-eyed little boy yelled
as he raced to his grandmother's side.
'The old woman adjusted the beige kapa that
formed her pa'u (skirt) and moved slowly
after the child, who breathlessly described the plant
he had just discovered.
''Kupuna, it's a funny plant. It looks like a leaf
rolled up and stuck in the ground.'
''Do you rememaber when your uncle's head was
hurdting and his breathing was hard/ The medicine
gradndather used for his sinuses was from this plant.
It was the pounded root of the 'oleana.''

This book is about one of the several classes of Hawaiian medical kahuna, the la'au lapa'au, who were herbal practitioners. It is based upon interviews with living Hawaiians, the notes, journals and collections of now deceased Hawaiians, the records required of the 'native medical practitioners' by the Session Laws of 1868, articles appearing in Hawaiian language papers, the writings of David Malo, John Ii, S.M. Kamakau, Kepelino Keauokalani and Mary Kawena Pukui, as well as the collection of Elia Helekunihi which was published by Thomas Spencer, the journals of N.B. Emerson, and especially the collection of Theodore Kelsey.

The material is presented as received, without judgment of the peeople, living or dead, who were the sources of the information, of the medicines recorded, of the people who practiced and are practicing this medicine, or of the gods whose guidance was sought by the 'oihana la'au lapa'au. Nor is this book presumed to be all that can be said on the subject. It is submetted knowing aohe i pau ka ike i hookahi halau, all wisdom is not taughtn one halau.

Contents

Foreword
Ha'i Mua-Prologue
Na Ho'omaka 'Ana O Ka Lapa'au-The Beginnings of Medical Practices
Na Kahuna: Wae A Ho'okahuna 'Ana-The Kahuna: Choice and Training
Ka Wehewehe 'Ana-The Diagnosis
Ka Hana-The Treatment
Kako'o 'Awiwi-First Aid
Na Ma'i Me Na La'au A Na Wahine-The Illnesses and Medicines of Women
Na La'au Lapa'au O Kamali'i-The Herbal Medicines of Children
Na La'au-The Medical Plants
Na Kuhikuhi Na La'au-The Herbal Prescriptions
Ancient Mediacl Prescriptions
A Kahuna Notebook
Na La'au Lapa'au O Hawai'i A'e Nei-The Herbal Medicines of Hawai'i Now… (más)