Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 29, Number 4, 1 April 2012 — Hawaiian fitness [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Hawaiian fitness

By Claire Ku'uleilani Hughes, Dr. PH„ R.D. Many Americans are way overweight. It's a worrisome, costly, national problem. The worry is that personal heahh challenges begin after carrying 20 to 30 pounds of added weight around for a few years. Some problems that develop are "structural," like back, hip, knee, ankle and foot-arch problems caused by the added weight on the upper body. Other problems are

"organic," like blood pressure and cholesterol, and problems affecting the kidney and heart from the extra work the organs must do every minute of the day and night. Also, overweight women develop more heahh problems. Our eoneem is that many Native Hawaiians are overweight and suffer numerous heahh problems resulting from being overweight. Mueh time and effort has gone into finding ways to deal with the problem, but nothing effortless has been found. Locally, we want to find a solution because we know that Native Hawaiians of all ages endure serious challenges caused by being overweight. One question that always comes up is, is this genetic? Did we inherit faulty body parts, or is it something else? Fortunately, many historians

have written about Kamehameha the Great, and his superior stature and physique. We also know that, among all in the lāhui (nahon), the ali'i, undoubtedly, were the best fed. John Papa 'Ī'I, a personal attendant to Liholiho, who would heeome King Kamehameha II, tells us there were frequent competitions held among ali'i, in racing, maika (stone used in ancient game) throwing, diving, boxing, surfing, sledding, sham fighting and other sports. The strongest, fastest and bravest among the chiefs were challenged by their peers and more youthful chiefs, thus, fighting skills and bodies were kept sharply honed and fighting fit. Then, during peacetime, these games were even more frequent. And, during the annual Makahiki, all of the people joined in group competitions. Kamehameha's warrior fitness and skills were tested in Chief Kalani'opu'u's court, during hand-to-hand fighting of sham battles.

The chiefs and men were divided into two competing groups, using hau-wood weapons and spears to minimize injuries. Kalani'opu'u's son, Kiwala'o, would always lead one group and Kamehameha, a nephew and ward of Kalani'opu'u, led the other warrior group. Kamehameha's side was always victorious. Kamahameha's expert fighting skills and ability to dodge spears were reasons for the wins, as well as his fitness and physical endurance. Both 'Ī'I and Rev. Stephen Desha reported that Kamehameha ate sparingly at times, so his body was healthy and properly developed. We learn that added physical activity and eating sparingly was eonunon practice, for everyone. David Malo explains, when the kālaimoku (high official) saw the people were becoming stout he urged foot races, lawn bowling and other physical competition to trim their bodies.

Occasionally, the kālaimoku recommended sending people to a plaee where there was famine, where food was in short supply, to make it easier to trim their bodies down. The kālaimoku could even advise his ali'i to work on fitness. History tells us that the physical appearanee of both Kamehameha and his younger brother, Kala'imamahu, were highly admired by women of the royal court. Thus, a part of the answer is that our ancestors, including the ali'i, valued fitness and took care to eat less (sparingly) and exercise regularly to achieve and maintain physical fitness and weight. You see, the fittest of the chiefs and warriors prevailed! Secondly, we did not inherit faulty body parts from the Hawaiian ancestors; in fact, we got genes that, with great diligence, were kept healthy. And, also confirmed, is that an athletically fit body has always been admired. ■

j OLAKINO ^ > Y0UR HEALĪH /

www.oha.org/kwo | kwo@OHA.org NATiVE HAWAiiAN » NEWS | FEATURES | EVENTS