Spirit of Aloha | Articles | Island Chronicles | September/October 2004

Island Chronicles
By: CAROL SILVA

The Harmony of Wellness

Ola kino is defined as bodily health that is in perfect concert with mind, heart and spirit. Hawaiians of old interpreted good health as the harmonious, delicate blending of all of these aspects of well-being. When the body was unusually fatigued or sick and herbal medicines were ineffective in curing or relieving discomfort, then the illness was thought to perhaps stem from a much deeper, nonphysical problem. Affection that was not returned, severe greed, jealousy, marital or family discord, neglect of the ancestors, gods or guardian spirits, if there was simple inattention to personal responsibilities—any of these conditions could become a potential source from which bodily illness developed over time.

With the arrival of foreign ships in Hawaiian waters, new diseases appeared in epidemic proportions, bringing massive, horrible death. The toll from these epidemics was unprecedented in local history. Hawaiians had no prior exposure or immunity to newly introduced diseases, nor did they have any understanding of how these diseases were spread. Epidemic death struck all social classes. Native beliefs and cures were powerless. Unlike death on the battlefield, or from drought, famine or natural disaster, epidemics were not punishing acts of the ancient gods for which relief could be sought by prayer and sacrifice.

Native historian Kamakau stated that it was difficult for a Hawaiian to have any understanding of the devastation caused by foreign epidemic diseases. He added that the population was often incredulous and, thus, they did not listen to advice from physicians and government officials. Kamakau wrote: “The dead fell like dried kukui (candlenut) twigs tossed down by the wind. Only when they saw the dead like kukui branches did terror fall upon them.”

Thus, it happened that much of the precious sense of ola kino was lost in that fragile era of cultural, social and spiritual transition after Capt. James Cook’s arrival in 1778.

In the spring of 1853, government doctors immediately responded to the yellow quarantine flag flying from the mast of the ship Charles Mallory sailing into Honolulu Harbor. A smallpox patient was on board and, despite precautions, the disease came ashore, was carried to rural districts and eventually to the islands of Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i.

Early mission doctors had long anticipated the impact of an epidemic. They had prepared for that inevitable day by vaccinating as many Hawaiians as possible beginning in the 1830s. Over the course of the next 20 years, native and foreign residents had been vaccinated, some three and even four times to ensure protection. Still, in that spring of 1853, smallpox crept in and immediately threatened the port of Honolulu, as well as the island of O?ahu.

The government was quick to establish an emergency public health program. It empowered volunteer physicians, community inspectors and police, provided for mass vaccinations, set up quarantine grounds and “pest houses” or hospitals, fumigated and conducted controlled burning of infected property and housing, as well as removed and buried the dead.

As a result of the epidemic, many businesses closed and the labor force serving the merchant, whaling and early sugar industries was severely reduced. Routine government functions were seriously affected. The Board of Health and the police force assumed emergency postures, land transactions under the Great Mahele were disrupted, school enrollment dropped and interisland travel was suspended. Smallpox had upset the pattern of the community, decimated and displaced the native urban population and crippled families? abilities to support themselves.

By January 1854, the marshall of the kingdom reported 6,000 deaths on O?ahu alone. Displaced city residents filed a great number of claims for burned homes and property and left the government with even less money after the major expenses of the epidemic were paid.

Thus, when King Kamehameha IV appealed to the Legislature of 1855 for funding for a native hospital to help restore a sense of ola kino to the Hawaiian population, he was disheartened with the promised sum of $5,000. The legislators had no more money. The king and his consort, Emma, thus embarked on a plan to personally raise more than $15,000 for the construction of The Queen?s Hospital. The hospital, one of Honolulu?s finest, stands today.

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