Lāʻau lapaʻau

History

The history of lāʻau lapaʻau has been transmitted orally for over a thousand years. In pre-colonial Hawaiian society, the kahuna class—experts in specific skills like lāʻau lapaʻau—were selected for training at a young age and held high status within the kapu system. Violations of kapu were believed to cause illness, and fraudulent kahuna could face execution. Before 1778, geographic isolation limited Native Hawaiians to trauma and degenerative diseases.

European contact in 1778 and the arrival of Christian missionaries in 1820 led to the banning of lāʻau lapaʻau, which missionaries confused with sorcery. The abolition of the Kapu System in 1819 further undermined the practice, though kahuna continued in secret. New diseases introduced in the 1880s, such as tuberculosis and measles, overwhelmed kahuna who lacked immunity and knowledge to treat them. The Revised Laws of Hawaii, Chapter 89, Section 1077 imposed fines or imprisonment for practicing healing arts.

Practice

Kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau are experts who study for decades to understand the healing properties of lāʻau. They select plants based on taste, smell, color, appearance, and environment, following the guideline that a strong plant upholds itself. The kahuna gathers, prepares, and administers herbs as poultices, salves, teas, or through topical or direct ingestion. Spirituality is integral: pule and oli accompany gathering and administration, with the belief that giving thanks and stating the plant's healing intention is essential. Lāʻau lapaʻau is often combined with lomilomi, haha, and ho'oponopono. Research is exploring biological parallels between commonly used lāʻau and Western prescriptions, such as the kukui's anti-bacterial properties against S. aureus.