Originally published October 14 2005
University of Hawaii teaches herbal healing
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
The herbal practice of la`au lapa`au is taught by Levon Ohai at the Center for Hawaiian studies, the only curriculum in the nation that includes traditional healing courses.
The Center for Hawaiian Studies has the only curriculum in the nation that has institutionalized a traditional healing practice.
Levon Ohai began teaching la`au lapa`au, the Hawaiian practice of herbal healing, at UHM in 2001.
"What we're offering here is one of a kind," he said.
Lenta has been learning the practice of la`au lapa`au from Ohai for the last four years.
"I try to practice as much as I can because the more you practice, the better you get," said Lenta, who believes the craft should be used in each students personal life.
"The only way to preserve Hawaiian culture is to practice and take action," Lenta said.
"The only way to keep the language alive is to speak it, so the only way to keep la`au lapa`au alive is to practice and teach it.
"You can't do it the way it was really done, but at least there is some semblance of it here," he said.
Lenta agreed that it can be difficult to teach la`au lapa`au, which is as much spiritual as it is physical, in the university setting.
"Usually there is just one teacher with just one haumana [student], who usually trains for years," she said.
Graduate student Anna Holt is enrolled in the Hawaiian Medicinal Herbs introductory course.
She says the opportunity to learn la`au lapa`au serves as a reminder.
"For Hawaiian people, it's important to remember the way that people used to heal themselves, and they're still applicable," she said.
Anthony Ortiz, a plant pathology graduate student, said he loves Lenta's class.
"Usually if I get hurt, there's something right next to me to cure me."
Ohai says people tend to associate price with quality when it comes to medicine.
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