Wednesday was just “chock-full-o-learning”!  After the student-led presentation was finished, the students had the opportunity to hear from Pat Podack, MD (An IWU alum!).  Dr. Podack is an OB-GYN physician who practiced on Maui for many years, and recently retired.  She described the demographics and statistics of the patient population she served, her experiences practicing at Maui Memorial Hospital, her perspectives on the use of complementary and/or alternative modalities, and some of the unique challenges she faced in practice here on Maui.

Pat Podack, MD (an IWU alum!)

The students (especially Daniel, Kacie, Laura, & Jessica – our four Pre-med students!) had lots of great questions for Dr. Podack, and we had a lively discussion about some of the disparities of care that exist here in the islands.

Ashley, Kacie, and Nicolette led our class discussion on Wednesday. It was a divided session, starting before our Lahaina tour and concluding after lunch. As usual, the students leading the session did a great job fostering discussion among their peers. The session highlighted the difficulty we can experience as health care providers in helping patients express their spirituality or practice their religion in the hospital setting, as well as how researchers examine the role of spirituality and faith in health and healing.

The first part of class; the group is sitting near the site of the healing stone.

Second part of class, now outside the hotel.

Class ended with an opportunity to participate in guided imagery; students started by getting into the most relaxing position they could find.

Wednesday morning we met our guide from Maui Nei, Maile (rhymes with “smiley”), for a walking tour of Lahaina’s historical sites.  I’ve captioned each picture below, which represent only a fraction of what we learned.

Maile explains the shape of Maui.]

We learned about the uses of many trees: for tools, food, housing, cordage, canoes, and more.

   The kukui nut inside its fruit. Kukui nuts were used to make candles.

Near the Baldwin Home, Maile described the end of the kapu system in Hawaii, which coincided with the arrival of the first missionaries.

The noni fruit, with its stinky smell & bitter taste, is still nourishing. Today it is mixed into smoothies with fruit, In ancient Hawaii, it was eaten when other food was scarce.

Plumeria trees were planted near the cemetery for their beautiful appearance and perfume.

Maile explains more about the Moku’ula and the restoration efforts. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of human inhabitants as early as 700 A.D. The most recent use of the site was by Kamehameha III, who left Lahaina & made Honolulu the capitol in 1845.

Some places we stopped were the Old Lahaina Courthouse, Pōhaku Hauola (healing stone), The Baldwin Home, Take Home Maui, and Waiola Church. We also walked through Moku’ula after Maile gave a protective oli (chant) for walking through a sacred space. No pictures were taken during this time.

On our way back to the hotel yesterday, several of us noted that we had food in our refrigerators that we would not be able to use before we left tomorrow morning. So we gathered together last night for a spaghetti dinner and this morning for french toast and papaya. Kumu Noel is a whiz at organizing & putting out food for 18 from a hotel kitchen. I also included a photo of the lunch preparation for yesterday, with an assembly line of bags ready for turkey or veggie roles.

Pasta, sauce, and salad!

Breakfast help

Lunch preparation

Today we boarded our Roberts coach to go to the Kalepolepo Fishpond (Koʻieʻie Loko Iʻa) in Kihei. This is an ancient Hawaiian fishpond, estimated to have been built between 1400–1500 AD.  In 1996, the ʻAoʻao O Na Loka Iʻa O Maui (Association of the Fishponds of Maui) began renovating Koʻieʻie, working closely with the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary.

Koʻieʻie (“rapid current”) is classified as a loko kuapa (walled pond), a type of fishpond that uses lava rock and coral walls (kuapa) to keep water circulating while a wooden sluice gate (makaha) allows small fish to enter the pond to feed, but prevents them from leaving after they grow too large to slip between the gate’s gaps. Species of fish once farmed by ancient Hawaiians include the awa (milkfish, Chanos chanos), amaʻama (flathead mullet, Mugil cephalus), and the aholehole (Hawaiian Flagtail, Kuhlia xenura).

The fishpond was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996, as Kalepolepo Fishpond with alternate names Koʻieʻie Fishpond and Kaʻonoʻulu Kai Fishpond.

While the students at a picnic lunch prepared by Kumu Noel and Kumu Lisa, they learned about La’au Lapa’au – Hawaiian healing methods using plants & herbs, from David Bruce Leonard, LAc, Founder of the Earth Medicine Institute.

David started the presentation by explaining his background, and comparing and contrasting different philosophical approaches to healing.  Then he discussed the need to be “fully present” with his patients, and had students practice being fully present with each other.

Following this exercise, he took students on a plant walk, to see what plants were in the area and describe what their uses were in  La’au Lapa’au. He often referred to lessens from his Chinese teachers, traditional practice among Hawaiians, and scientific findings about the different plants.

We returned to our circle for questions from students, which ranged from questions about specific plants to general questions about David’s practice and how he viewed allopathic medicine.

After the presentation, we had a little time to relax before our driver returned with the bus.

Today we took  a fabulous trip  on the Pride of Maui to visit Molokini and “Turtle Town.” We gathered before 0700 for the drive to the harbor and had breakfast on the boat on our way to our first snorkeling stop: Molokini.

On the top deck of the boat

Molokini is a partially submerged crater of an extinct volcano. It was once used for target practice by the US military, but is now a  State Marine Life and Bird Conservation District. Students who chose to snorkel were treated to a variety of fish and coral in beautiful water.

A group photo in snorkeling gear at Molokini

We were all back on board after about 90 minutes, and had lunch during the trip to Turtle Town. Turtle Town is an area near Maluaka Beach that hosts an abundance of sea turtles. The goal of snorkeling here is to see one or more of the graceful creatures, but there are more fish and coral to see as well.

Kumu Noel poses with Laura and Jessica at Turtle Town.

After an hour of snorkeling, everyone returned to the boat for the trip back, which included hand delivered cookies and drinks. We returned to the hotel about 1400. I heard several students planning to do classwork and take naps–as well as some more time in the sun, the pool, the shops, etc.

Tomorrow we travel to Kihei to learn about the Ko`ie`ie Fishpond and the practice of la’au lapa’au, traditional Hawaiian herbal medicine.

At the midpoint of the trip, Kumu Noel wisely schedules two days without class activities. Students (and faculty) are free to explore the Island of Maui as they wish. Kumu Noel and I took one day to travel to the top of Haleakala, which several students also did the next day–but much earlier in the morning–on a biking tour! I’m sure they’ve shared their pictures of the fabulous sunrise and downhill adventure with their family and friends.

At the summit

The crater; the far end is approximately 7 miles away.

Tourists from Japan, who are deaf, were thrilled to meet an American who asked them where they were from in sign language.

Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa visible above the clouds, with more of the Big Island visible beneath the clouds.

Two NeNe, Hawai’i’s state bird

We flew over to Maui yesterday afternoon.  Today, we went out to the Iao Valley, and hiked the trail up to the Iao Needle, which has an elevation of 2,250 feet. It was warm, and clear today so the students had a great view of the ʻĪao Needle (Kūkaemoku) which is a famous landmark in the state park. The “needle” is a vegetation-covered lava remnant rising 2,250 feet above sea level. The “needle” itself is an illusion; in reality it is a sharp ridge that gives the appearance of being a spire when viewed end-on. It is an extension of and surrounded by the cliffs of the West Maui mountains, an extinct volcano.

Jessica & Laura Solis at the Iao Needle

After exploring the park, we got back into our coach for the [very] short ride over to the Heritage Garden’s at Kepaniwai Park, where the students feasted on the picnic lunch expertly prepared by faculty.  After lunch we held class, and Daniel G. & Kathryn B. led the group in a discussion on the Japanese culture.

This evening marks the course “mid-term” and starts our weekend “off”.  We may (or may not) post anything over the weekend, so I’ll end this post with a photo of this evenings sunset taken from the lanai outside my room and look forward to continuing this chronicle next week.

This year we added a unit of content on the culture of homelessness to the course.  On Sunday, May 11th, Collin B., Natalie S. & Sarah V. led a discussion on the topic.

Sarah V., Natalie S. & Collin B. lead a discussion on the “culture” of homelessness…

It rained most of the day on Mother’s Day, so we had “class” in the faculty hotel room!

Today (May 14th) we took the Bus downtown to the John A. Burns School of Medicine, and then walked a short distance to the Waikiki Health Center’s “Next Step” Shelter.  Our guest speaker was Valerie Foree, DNP, APRN-Rx, a Family Nurse Practitioner who provides care through the Waikiki Health Care-A-Van program.  She shared her experiences in providing “street medicine” for over 11-years, and based on the number, and quality of questions from the students, it seemed like the group was really captivated by what they were learning.

Valerie Foree, DNP, APN-Rx talks to the students about providing “street medicine”.

We also had the opportunity to tour the shelter, which is housed in a warehouse located behind the city recycling center, next to a ship yard right on the water. The shelter can provide temporary housing (up to 3-years) for single men & women, couples and families; up to a total of 225 people. Services provided include a mailing address & phone answering service, tobacco cessation, job training, legal assistance, medical care, behavioral health, housing placement, all facilitated with intensive case management.

Cubicles in the Next Step shelter. Residents sleep here, but must leave the shelter by 08:30 every morning.

The shelter maintains an aqua-ponic garden. Fertilization of growing plants is provided by fish (in this case Tilapia) excrement, and the fish provide a source of protein.

Students learning about the Aqua-ponic garden

On Tuesday, May 13th the last three pairs of students completed their participant-observation experiences, accompanied by either Kumu Searing or I due to the distance they needed to travel for the appointment, or because the appointment was scheduled for late evening.

Kumu Searing went with Natalie S. & Sarah V. as they learned about Shiatsu massage at the Hawaii Healing Arts College. Natalie and Sarah both elected to have a massage provided by one of the students after their observation – wise choice!

I went with Ashley M. & Brittany S. to learn about Reiki (a Japanese technique for stress reduction and relaxation that also promotes healing. It is administered by “laying on hands” and is based on the idea that an unseen “life force energy” flows through us and is what causes us to be alive.) The Reiki Master Teacher who agreed to meet with the students arranged for three other Reiki practitioners in one of their homes.  Reiki can be administered by one person, but the students had the opportunity to receive it from all of them at the same time.

Ashley M. receives Reiki

Brittany S. receives Reiki

Later in the evening, I went with Rachel A. & Kayla S. to Dong’s International Tai Chi where we all participated in a Tai Chi class. The students did a great job in following the warm-up movements of the Qi Gong, and then the entire long form of the Tai Chi exercise. Unfortunately, no photos of this amazing experience because the battery on my camera had given out.