Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 39, Number 2, 1 February 2022 — Dr. Matthew Makalua - Hawai'i's First Medical Doctor [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Dr. Matthew Makalua - Hawai'i's First Medical Doctor

By Ho'oleia Ka'eo During the reign of Kalākaua, the government established the "Hawaiian Youths Abroad" program. Hawaiian youth were educated in other lands to develop

ET leaders for Hawai'i in various disciplines such as mathematics, music, law and more. Between 1880-1887, 18 students journeyed to other countries. Here are their distinguished

names: James Kaneholo Booth, Robert Napu'uako Boyd, August Hering, Maile Nowlein, Robert W. Wilcox, Henry Kapena, Hugo Kawelo, John Lovell, Joseph A. Kamauoha, Matthew Makalua, Abraham Pi'ianai'a, Thomas Puali'i Cummins, David Kawānanakoa, Henry Grube Marchant, Thomas Spencer, James Kapa'a, James Haku'ole, and Isaac Harbottle. This is written to honor Matthew Makalua, Hawai'i's very first Native Hawaiian doctor! Matthew Everard Puakakoililanimanuia Makalua was born in Lāhaina to Matthew and Kaipoleimanu Kahoohanohano Makalua. Matthew Makalua, Joseph Kamauoha and Abraham Pi'ianai'a were sent to England by King Kalākaua in 1882. The newspaper Ke Koo 0 Hawaii referred to them as "Nā Keiki Hawai'i 'Imi Na'auao" (Knowledge-seeking Hawaiian Youth). Makalua was educated at St. Chad's Preparatory School and King's College. He excelled at school and fulfilled all requirements, receiving awards in anatomy and medical jurisprudence. He heeame a western-trained surgeon, the first of Hawaiian ancestry. After the overthrow of the Hawaiian government, he did not return to his homeland. He lived in St. Leonard's (in England) with his family where he had a reputation as an excellent surgeon. He married Anne Dewar and they had a son, Matthew James Manuia Makalua Dewar. ■ Today there are more than 300 kauka, or Native Hawaiian meāieal doctors (MD & DO), and an Association ofNative Hawaiian Physicians, Ahahui 0 nā Kauka. Papa Ola Lōkahi has supported 61 ( MD/DO ) medical doctors with the Native Hawaiian Heahh Scholarship since 1991, of whieh 48 are graduates from the JohnA. Burns School ofMedicine. Mahalo nui to Agnes Quiggfor her scholarship on the Hawaiian Youths Abroad program, Dr. Benjamin Youngfor his extensive research uncovering the life ofDr. Makalua, and Nālani Balutski and Dr. Willy Kauaifor their ongoing work in reinstating the Hawaiian Youths Abroad at the University ofHawai'i atMānoa toprovide an avenuefor new-age kānaka scholars. Ho'oleia Ka'eo is a population heahh specialist at Papa Ola Lōkahi.