Hawaiian Practitioners

[knieft]

Can haoles become native hawaiian practitioners? I can find nothing about the process for "certification" or requirements, or whatever.

How does it work, even for non-haoles?

Cheers,
Kirt

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

When I lived on Maui many years ago, the bulletin board at Mana Foods in Paia was always loaded with notices for healers, practitioners, teachers, classes - - mostly from young white spiritual seekers. I know they used a lot of Hawaiian terms and methods in their advertisments, lomi lomi massage was particularly popular. There were also Native Hawaiian kahunas from Hana to Kapalua who held classes and welcomed haoles.

I'm not sure if that acceptance of white folks has changed or is different on Big Island. Most Hula halaus accept not only Native Hawaiians but people of any background. I don't think any (with the exception of massage and hula) have any kind of official certification. My guess is that Hawaiian practitioners worked within their family or within their community and anyone who became skilled in a specific practice was known through word of mouth.

[knieft]

quote:

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Originally posted by HereOnThePrimalEdge

. My guess is that Hawaiian practitioners worked within their family or within their community and anyone who became skilled in a specific practice was known through word of mouth.

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Wow. So there may be no specific criteria, absent acceptance within the Hula or other practitioner community?

What would stop anyone from claiming to be an Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner? Maybe it is easier than I ever imagined!

Word of mouth may be what matters?

And then I have the power to declare what Hawaiian Religious beliefs are...?

Cheers,
Kirt

[glinda]

What would stop anyone from claiming to be an Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner?

Word of mouth

[knieft]

quote:

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Originally posted by glinda

What would stop anyone from claiming to be an Hawaiian Cultural Practitioner?

Word of mouth

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Well played, glinda.

Lots of mouths and lots of words.

Do you have any info on the topic?

I understand that mankind’s journey from darkness to light is a pave-as-you-go affair, and I may be wrong about that, but where do I find enlightenment? Word of mouth?

Perhaps so.

In the beginning was the word, and the word was Arrgghhh!

Cheers,
Kirt

[leilanidude]

knieft - I get where you are going with this - and find it sad that one must dance around the subject or be called racist, insensitive, etc. I have wondered the same. Who grants this "status"?

[Obie]

My wife is a practitioner.

She was taught by Hawaiians.

She has no Hawaiian blood.

[glinda]

Auntie Margret was a Lomi Lomi practitioner, in Keei, and she taught all comers.. of all kine. God, she was wonderful.

Hank Wesselman speaks of learning from Hawaiian practitioners and he certainly ain't Hawaiian.

I think it is a matter of having ha. Of being able to reach across the cultural divide. Of having enough of whatever it is called to be embraced, to embrace.

Immerse yourself. You'll find your way. Hawaiians have very big hearts, and enough love for everyone.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Kirt,
Here's a news story about the passing of a hula instructor, it delves into her family history, and how she developed a style of hula uniquely her own. It's not specifically about Hawaiian religious practices, but there may be parallels.
https://www.westhawaiitoday.com/2019/02/...ies-at-92/


I get where you are going with this

There are legitimate Hawaiian practitioners, just as there are in other religions or other walks of life. And how do you know? Can you know? Today the Catholic Pope defrocked a Cardinal, who was as legit as they come, he had gone through the training every step of the way, and yet, no one who knows what he did would now call him a practioner of Christian theology.

Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. But don't follow the bath water down the drain either.

“Apparently this thing is such an emergency that it will immediately be followed by golf.” - Haw. Sen. Brian Schatz, 2/15/19

[Midnight Rambler]

It's worth noting that some noted Hawaiian practitioners who you might think look Hawaiian actually have no Hawaiian blood (e.g. Sam Ohu Gon), while others who do have Hawaiian blood look completely haole.