Aloha Mai Kakou, welcome to www.nativehawaiianhealth.net. The Native Hawaiian Health Website is dedicated to improving Native Hawaiian wellness by providing information on health and wellness for you, your family and your community. www.nativehawaiianhealth.net is facilitated by Papa Ola Lokahi, a tax exempt non profit organization with the mission of improving the physical, mental and spiritual health status and wellbeing of Native Hawaiians and others (www.papaolalokahi.org/). The Native Hawaiian Health Website is still being developed. Please enjoy the content that is currently available knowing that more content and functionality are under construction.

Navigation
This site is is divided into four major components. Three of these components (Kino, Ohana and Moku) are for the general public, one of these components (the Extranet) is for internal use by the Hawaii Federal Health Care Partnership and requires authorized entrance.

Moku
To access information on services provided by the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems on Maui, Oahu, Molokai and Kauai; to find out about State-wide health and wellness events; and to find out about opportunities such as scholarships, internships and health related jobs click on the image of the island. In the future, you will also be able to access the Native Hawaiian Health Care Systems on Hawaii, other healthcare sites across the State of Hawaii, and indigenous health sites in the Pacific and North America.

Ohana
To access information on family health, as well as events and activities which can improve your family's wellness click on the image of the family. At this point in our website development, our content is focused on family nutrition. In the future you will also be able to access a variety of information on family well being, age-based health issues, fitness and other healthy community-based activities for the whole family.

Kino
To access important information about your body's health and wellness click on the image of the face. At this point in our website development our content is focused on diabetes. In the future you will also be able to access a broad variety of information about various types of cancers, infectious diseases, mental health, and Hawaiian healing.

Extranet
This web-based network allows sanctioned members of the Hawaii Federal Health Care Partnership to be able to communicate with each other and share administrative resources, opportunities, a calendar of events, and a bulletin board. Future developments include the sharing of health information, specialist expertise, patient records, tele-medicine and more.

Website Design and Hawaiian Cultural Elements
Under the coordination of Momi Lovell of Papa Ola Lōkahi, the Native Hawaiian Health Website is maintained by LavaNet with content and special features by Juniroa Productions, Inc. The Hawaiian cultural elements of the website are overseen by Kumu John W. Ka‘imikaua, who also created a number of the Hawaiian design elements, with additional cultural oversight by E Hui Nā Kūpuna E Haawi I Ko Lakou Na‘auao.

The Flash Opening
The opening to the website features the first verse of the Kumulipo. The Kumulipo is a Hawaiian genealogy chant that was composed in the 18th century for the Hawaii Chief Kalimamamo. In this chant we get not only the human genealogy of such Hawaiians as Kamehameha the first, King Kalaukaua and Queen Liliuokalani, but we get the entire creation of the world. The voice chanting these words from the Kumulipo is that of Kumu John W. Ka‘imikaua.

Hawaiian Symbols
The moon is one of the primary forces which influences the daily rhythms of life on earth. Hawaiians have a name for every day of the moon phase and regulated such activities as planting, fishing and decision making to the appropriate phase of the moon.
The sun is another of the primary forces which influence the daily rhythms of life on earth. The sun is also a life force that we cannot live without.
Water is the other life force that humans cannot live without. Our bodies are made up of water and water in the form of the ocean surrounds us. The Hawaiian recognized the water of the ocean, the fresh water of the stream, and the many different types of rain as both essential life forces and healing forces.

Hoola
The outer rows of diamonds represents eyes. With the eyes, one has 'ike - sight. The word 'ike also means knowledge, therefore, the outer rows of diamonds represents the understanding and knowledge that healers attain in training.

The central row of diamonds cut in half represents 'ike papalua or gift of second sight . This is the essence and spirit of the art of healing. In ancient Hawaiian healing practices, it is understood that the knowledge of healing, acquired by the one chosen to receive, does not belong to that receiver. It was a knowledge passed down throughout the centuries, to be used selflessly to help other people. Therefore; that receiver can never access and utilize the knowledge of healing of his own human understanding. They are taught to always pray and seek for spiritual intervention and guidance. That is the only manner to access their knowledge of healing. The result of prayer is 'ike päpälua. That dependence upon spiritual guidance in healing is the very core of Hawaiian practice centering around the arts of healing in all its varied forms of disciplines. The central design of half diamonds represents the 'ike papalua at the central core of Hawaiian Healing practices.

Sources of water
Water is the basic need in healing practices. The three layered design represents the three main sources of water in the environment. The bottom design represents the ocean as the first source of water. The central design represents the flowing movements of fresh water-sources on the land from rivers, streams and springs. The upper design represents water sources that come from the heavens in the form of rain. The tightly drawn lines in the pattern represents the pillars of rain that fall in columns from the mountains to the sea. The rectangular patterns aligning the columns represent droplets of rain clinging on to plants making fertile the land.

For more information about this site contact:info@nativehawaiianhealth.net