Hawaiian Lomilomi Association conference

The next HLA 'ahahui is October 21-23 in Kona at the Outrigger Keauhou. I'm excited about the location because two heiau (temples) recently have been renovated at the site. We will be having a ceremony at the heiau the first night.

What is great about HLA is the opportunity to learn from so many different teachers in such a short time. It gives you the chance to feel which one would be best for you to study with in depth. Students and teachers come from all over the world for this event. And it's only $350, which includes dinner on Thursday, and lunches on Friday and Saturday. The hotel rate is $109 including breakfast.

I have been honored to be included on a panel Oct. 22 speaking on Auntie Margaret's legacy in the context of the historic lomilomi tradition. Some of the other presenters include Uncle Kaipo Kaneakua, Uncle Donald & Aunty Yvonne Kaiahua, Aunty Mary Fragas, Aunty Maile Napoleon, Aunty Nerita Machado, Aunty Brenda Ignacio, Uncle Alva Andrews, Keala Ching, Rudy Valentino, Dr. Mimi George, and Kumu Haunani Hopkins.

October 23rd will be a LOMILOMI HEALING ARTS FESTIVAL free and open to the public, with lectures, demos and vendors with books and things Hawaiian.

For more information go to www.HawaiiLomilomi.com and click on "newsletter".

Auntie Margaret's Service on video

Here is the link to Auntie's service on the big island. A beautiful memorial to our loving auntie angel. http://www.konasdachurch.org/videos/events/videos.php

Beloved Auntie Margaret Goes to Heaven

Here is a link to a beautiful story about Auntie Margaret Machado in West Hawaii Today

Auntie, we will miss you but we know you are with us always.

Secrets of Lomilomi - Kahuli and Kahela

My husband, Mark Chai, is one of the featured artists at the Maui Arts and Cultural Center in a show based on the book, The Epic Tale of Hi'iakaikapoliopele. This book is the translation of the tale as it first appeared in a Hawaiian language newspaper at the turn of the century. Lead translator Puakea Nogelmeier spoke at the art opening and said that one of the ways the Hawaiians kept alive their mana'o (knowledge) about healing was by giving the chants, prayers and remedies in the legends.

That inspired me to go back and read the part of the story where Hi'iaka revives Lohi'au from death. I knew that she gave him lomilomi to do it. I hadn't realized that it took her a month. Her treatment began by rubbing oil on his body for many days. She says, "Kahuli and Kahela are the oils I shall use." What are these Kahuli and Kahela oils???

In the index of the Hi'iaka book, I see Kahuli, Kahela is the supine woman who owns the 'awa drinking house. I remember Auntie Margaret used oils blended with 'awa.

I loved the neatness of the 'awa explanation, but then found another reference to Kahela and Kahuli in the book, Kepelino's Traditions, p. 185, in a Prayer to the God, Alalalahe, the god of love. A footnote states, "Kahuli and Kahela refer to the billows of the ocean Haalewawahilani, now the Arctic Ocean."

Then one morning I woke up knowing that kahuli was in the first line of the Kumulipo and wondering if kahela was in it. John Charlot notes that the second section (lines 8b--14) invokes female goddesses - the first in a sexual position: "Oh Kahela, the female who lies down with her face up." That is, supine, as is the 'awa drinking woman. Charlot says she is called upon to be active: E ala!

The next lines describe the rain, mists, and spray, traditional poetic symbols for sexual activity. Then comes the wave from Kahiki, origin of the gods, stressing the godly character of the mating. This section ends: E ola! "May there be healthy, vigorous life! May it live!"

I've also discovered that Kahuli-ali'i and Kahela are the names of stars, and of course kahela and hela refer to several hula steps.

How wonderful the ways of Hawaiians! What does this all mean?

We must remember that they speak in poetry. To fully understand this we must not only know Hawaiian, but about the legends, the lands, the plants, the 'olelo no'eau and more. There is so much more research that can be done on these two words. Are they in Kamakau, Malo, and elsewhere? Are there medicinal plants with these names? Are there place names that include these words? What is the meaning of a woman supine?

I am not adept at any of that. Being Western educated, I am quite lineal and literal (being a lawyer only makes it worse)! Having said that - One of the persistent quiet things that has been said about lomilomi is that there is a sexual component to it, as discussed in the Appendix on Temple Style in my Na Mo'olelo Lomilomi book.

The word kahuli means a complete turning, reversal, and that is what is sought in raising Lohi'au from the dead. Kahela, if it invokes a sacred mating, we can see it naturally being necessary before a rebirth.

I invite you to share your mana'o about these words. Have you heard or seen them before? What do Kahuli and Kahela mean to you to help in understanding the true meaning of lomilomi?

update:

Kahuli is the name of land snails that make a singing sound. Also, in the myth of Haumea as the patroness of childbirth, it is said, "The name of the remedy [for childbirth] is Ka-lau-o-ke-kahuli and its blossom is Kani-ka-wi. It is a tree to be fondled and its blossom is beautiful. The girl ate of it according to instructions. When the child was coming Muleiula felt it being forced out by the plant. Haumea pressed herself against the thigh. After the baby was born, through Haumea’s power the tree rose and flew and landed at Puʻukumu, Waihee, on Maui, and there it grew."

Mythologically, the dunes that run from Iao Stream to Waihee were built by the goddess Haumea to protect the sacred tree Kalaukekahuli. According to Fisher, the Hawaiians believed that Haumea, goddess of childbirth, built them to protect an ancient “tree of changing leaves” called Kalaukekahuli. In the story, she is given this tree in reward for a painless delivery, and plants it at Pu‘ukumu, a hill behind the site where Waihe‘e School now stands. Legend holds that while Haumea is away, a man climbs the dunes and cuts the tree down. For 20 days and nights a storm rages and the tree washes out to sea. But branches show up on shore, and from these spring various gods—sacred images are carved in the wood, and different heiau are built to house them on Maui.

Kolekolea is another name for kahuli (land snails) and for moana (goatfish). Interestingly, Koleamoku is connected with healing.

Research continues!

Aloha Pali Jae Lee

Our dear Pali, author of Tales from the Night Rainbow and Ho'opono, passed away a few weeks ago. I miss her! At her memorial service, held at the Friends Meeting House, I could feel her kicking my butt to finish my book on Huna and get it published. I also felt her great love for Hawaiian culture, and it was a pleasure to meet all the others whose lives she had touched. We are so fortunate that she spent some time with us here on earth. Her books are gems that will be treasured forever.

Time for abundance thinking

As we begin the new year, some people are fearful about the economy and how it will affect their practices. In times like these, your regular clients may cut back but they will continue to come. Other clients who used to go to high-priced spas will be looking for less expensive places to get lomilomi. Once they come and experience authentic lomilomi, they will see what they have been missing and become regular clients. Others who usually go on trips will cut back their travel plans and be looking for a half-day "mini vacation" locally. All of these are opportunities for practitioners to expand their practices. Look for ways to suggest to people that the best thing to help them through hard times is a lomilomi.

Another idea is to think back to the kupuna who never accepted money but instead were "paid" in food or services. Now is a great time to offer barter. In fact, one of the reasons I went to massage school was because I thought if things ever got really bad in the economy, I'd better have a skill I could barter.

Stay positive, work hard, and abundance will be yours.

How we chose kumu to be in the book

Someone just asked me what process photographer John Kalani Zak and I went through to pick the kumu lomi in our book, Hawaiian Massage Lomilomi.

We started of course with the luminaries of lomilomi and la'au lapa'au - Henry Auwae, Margaret Machado, Kahu Abraham, Kalua Kaiahua. But we wanted to show the younger generations, too. We called people we knew mostly through the Hawaiian Lomilomi Association. Others I knew from working at the Lomi Shop.

But we always felt it was really God's decision as to who got in the book. Some people were available, others were not. It always seemed to be in Divine Order.

One of my favorite moments came when we met to take pictures of kumu Alva Andrews at Bellows Beach. We envisioned a deserted stretch of sand and sea. Instead, the beach and ocean were teeming with people. As we stood there waiting for Alva and wondering what to do, it began to rain. Then it began to pour. Everyone packed up their stuff and left the beach. 10 minutes later Alva arrived, the sun came out, and we got our pictures.

Mahalo ke Akua!