Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 28, Number 7, 1 July 2010 — Reclaiming Hawaiian health [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Reclaiming Hawaiian health

Have you ever thought about the changes Hawai'i and Native Hawaiians have been through and how mueh of our cultural values and traditions have endured? Hawaiian 'ohana no longer live in self-sufficient kauhale surrounded by relatives, lo'i, māla (food gardens) and prolific oeean fishing grounds. Today, Hawai'i's communities are a mix of a few friends, far more strangers and many newcomers. A

few Hawaiians continue to farm, fish or hunt for food, but mostly, Hawaiians buy necessities from supermarkets, restaurants and shopping malls. Hawaiians work in industry, business, government and education. And, Hawaiian children are educated in schools by strangers. Before annexation to the U.S. in 1898, Hawaiians were ruled by exalted chiefs for centuries, then by Hawaiian monarchs for another 100 years, or so. Today, Hawaiians have grown increasingly accustomed to the Western lifestyle introduced 1 12 years ago. As a group, Hawaiians are a mere 1 percent of the U.S. populahon and almost half live outside Hawai'i. The 2000 U.S. Census found 401,162 Native Hawaiians in the U.S., with 239,655 living in Hawai'i and 161,507 on the U.S. continent. About 80,000 Hawaiians live in the three Paeihe Coast states. The larg-

est number of Native Hawaiians (153,125) live on O'ahu; 43,020 live on Hawai'i island; 29,955 live in Maui County (Moloka'i 4,440; Lāna'i 635); and 13,515 live

in Kaua'i County. And, an unknown number of Hawaiians live outside the U.S. Enduring, against mighty odds, are the Hawaiian cultural values, traditions and preferences that support a Hawaiiancollective identity. Today, our 'ohana extend beyond actual blood kinship to

include intimate friends. Kūpuna continue to play an important role in most Hawaiian families, as childcare support to parents, as well as hnaneial support in multigenerational households. The Hawaiian lifestyle of interdependence and collaboration is still seen in the

preference for group involvement and community service among Hawaiians. And, in recent decades,

a renaissance has strengthened Hawaiian music, language and cultural arts. Thus, despite small populahon numbers, Hawaiian language, arts, cultural practices and values continue.

Heahh is the one area that remains a threat to Hawaiian survival. A serious focus on health is urgently needed. The usual health challenges of being overweight and having high blood pressure and diabetes are associated with poor food choices and laek

of daily physical activity of a Westernized lifestyle. Even our keiki are being diagnosed with these heahh conditions that are usually found in older adults. Kuleana for protecting and caring for keiki rests with the mākua, kūpuna, 'ohana and the Hawaiian community.

Teaching toddlers and youngsters healthy eating and exercise behaviors is far easier than changing adult habits. Adults need to "just do h." Improving family nutrition and physical activity from infancy through adulthood is heahh- and life-saving. Traditional-style eating begins with eating as a family and includes: 1) eating fresh foods that are simply prepared (steamed, broiled, baked or served raw); 2) emphasizing complex carbohydrates like kalo, lū'au, greens, poi, sweet potato, breadfruit and hanana, as well as tomatoes, carrots, papaya, green beans, leafy greens, etc.; 3) assuring milk and calcium-rich foods for children and women; 4) eating more fish and ehieken than red meat; 5) Minimizing desserts, sweets, pastries and sugar-coated breakfast cereal to onee a week; and 6) saving soda, juice drinks, sweetened puneh and adult beverages for parties. Making small changes will yield big results. "Just do h!" ■

NATIVE HAWAIIAN NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS WWW.Otia.Qrg/kWO kwo@OHA.org ^ — '

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D.

Taro, the source of poi, is a healthy ehoiee. - Photo: KWO Pile