Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 33, Number 9, 1 September 2016 — Ola Hou I Ka Hula -- Return to health through hula [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Ola Hou I Ka Hula -- Return to health through hula

By Aukahi Austin beabury, Ph.L). As a mother, teacher, and kumu hula, Tatiana Tseu Fox and her 'ohana have been cultural practitioners serving the lāhui for many years. As a kupa of Honouliuli in 'Ewa on O'ahu, she feels a strong eonneehon to her 'āina and community. When she was asked to join I Ola Lāhui in a program to help Native Hawaiians with high blood pressure in 'Ewa through hula, she immediately agreed. "When you hear the kāhea, you respond." She joins a group of kumu kula led by Kumu Hula Māpuana de Silva, along with physicians, researchers from the Department of Native Hawaiian Heahh at the John A. Burns School of Medicine and community organizations, who are working together to study how hula ean improve heart health. Over the past nine years, this team has found remarkable success in helping individuals with heart problems heal and stay on a healthy path. Now, the team is focusing on prevention of heart problems with hula. "It starts with you coming to that first class. You learn more about your body - how to move it, how to keep it healthy. You start with familiar mele and hula as something to build upon. We've all been exposed to hula, whether it's May Day or Merrie Monarch.

Hula and the mo'olelo you learn help you get to that plaee where you are pono, in halanee physically, emotionally, spiritually and socially." To extend its reach, the program is offered in different communities including 'Ewa, Honolulu, Papakōlea, Waimānalo, Wailuku and even Seattle. In eaeh of those places, Native Hawaiian men and women who participate get healthier, feel better, and make another step forward in improving the vibrancy of our people.

"Ola Hou I Ka Hula gives people with heahh challenges the ehanee to do something different for themselves that they ean do for the rest of their lives," says Kalehua Tolentino, the teacher for Honolulu classes. "The programlooks at the individual's well-being, not just their heahh problems, and that's exciting." Having been a hula dancer for most of her life, she has experienced firsthand the impact hula ean have on heahh. She has brought her knowledge of heahh care and her training, experience and love of hula to her work with the study team for the past five years. "By bridging science and culture together, we ean help make positive change happen and share the benefits of our cultural practice with the community." If you are Native Hawaiian, have high blood pressure and are interested in participating in the program, contact (808) 525-6234 or via email at info@iolalahui.org. We are now enrolling for both our 'Ewa and Honolulu locations. The first class in 'Ewa near the Queen's Medical Center-West O'ahu begins Tuesday, Sept. 13. Our next round of Honolulu classes begins in January. You ean also contact Tricia Mabellos at the Department of Native Hawaiian Heahh at tusagawa@hawaii. edu or (808) 692-1043 for more information or if you are interested in classes at other locations. ■

īaliana Fox and Māpuana De Silva. - Photo: Courtesy