H310/N390: Transcultural Healthcare in Hawaii

Bishop Museum houses over 25 million artifacts, a planetarium, a children’s museum, and a garden of Native Hawaiian plants. Students explored the grounds independently and participated in a presentation on Native Hawaiian cultural and spiritual beliefs. They also took photos of medicinal plants from the garden to investigate in more detail.

Matt Rashid & Lucas Wheat study a beautiful, 16-panel, acrylic painting by Native Hawaiian artist, Carl F. K. Pao. This artwork depicts the elaborate elements of the Kumulipo, or Creation Story.

Many students practiced surfing on a surf simulator and took pictures surfing with the Duke. Duke Paoa Kahanamoku was an Olympic swimmer, who shared the Hawaiian sport of surfing throughout the world.

After a satisfying day of cultural exploration, we are headed to our Welcome Dinner!

We arrived in Waikiki this afternoon. After our initial course meeting, the students set out to explore the area. Kumu Funk discovered this transcultural informational exhibit walking along the beach. The information speaks to ancient, Native Hawaiian healing practices that still survive today.

And 18 students from Illinois Wesleyan University, majoring in a variety of subjects (Nursing, Pre-Med, Psychology, Elementary Education, & Business), who are taking H310/N390: Transcultural Healthcare in Hawaii during the 2019 May Term, leave with the faculty, Dr. Noel Kerr, and Dr. Amy Funk for three weeks in Hawaii.

Foci of study/learning will be the five major cultures of people who live in the islands; Native Hawaiian, Haole, Japanese, Chinese and Filipino… How each of these cultures views the concepts of health and disease, cultural practices for birth, dying and death, and complementary/alternative healthcare modalities, and how they can be integrated with allopathic (Western) medicine…

Check back often to see what we learn and discover as we spend time on the islands of Oahu, Maui and Hawaii (the Big Island) throughout the month of May!