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Hawaiian Healing
ZAK, John C. (Producer and Director). (2003). Hawaiian Healing: A Documentary Film [DVD]. U.S.A: Zakwest Productions Inc., Kamahele Media. 1 DVD (66 min.). ISBN: 0974229601. Only available for commercial purchase at http://www.booklineshawaii.com/ for $24.95 and at http://www.amazon.com/ for $25.95.
This documentary film describes how Hawaiian land and culture, as reflected in songs, dances, and nature, can be integrated into the healing process. This film is beautifully complemented by a Hawaiian chant and traditional hula performed by Amber Onaga and Colsen Kanei, and guitar sounds played by Peter Medeiros, and wonderfully narrated by producer and director, John C. Zak. This film takes us on a journey of how rich and unique the Hawaiian land and culture is, and how land and culture influence peoples’ lives. From this DVD, we can see people warmly and happily share their knowledge and experience about how Hawaiian land and culture are used to heal people, create comfort, nourish joy, and share the love. They truly inspire other people who have never been to Hawaii to visit Hawaii soon, and who have been living in Hawaii to stay forever.
This film features the interviews with some people who spend their lives healing others using the nature and culture of Hawaii. Through lomi-lomi, a unique Hawaiian healing massage, Brenda Ignacio, Haunani Hopkins, and Dane Silva, all are Hawaiian healing practitioners, share with us how they heal people. Ema Veary and Roland Cazimero, both are also Hawaiian healing practitioners, use Hawaiian songs to create comfort and ease people’s burden. Kai Kaholokai, on the other hand, explains how wealthy Hawaiian plants are as medicine. Aunty Mary Fragas especially reveals how she can help women with pregnancy problems, and Aunty Mona Kehele (1921-2006) explains her skills in Hawaiian herbal medicine and family therapy. Last but not least, the articulate and inspiring Angela Baraquio, Miss America 2001, explains the real meaning of Aloha as the soul of daily life. There are two main aspects that these people share in common. The first is prayer, a belief in the existence of strength beyond one’s self, and the second id being forgiving. These two aspects are powerful and meaningful.
John C. Zak, a talented, prolific director and producer has produced many films including the series ofGeneral Hospital andYoung and the Restless, which received an Emmy award. No wonder this “Hawaiian Healing” documentary film is wonderfully done. Mr. Zak had been attracted to Hawaii since his first visit when he was eight years old. He decided to move to Hawaii in 2002, and since then he has been exploring the affluence of Hawaiian land and culture.
This film, however, needs English closed captioning, so that people with a hearing disability can also enjoy and take advantage of this film. Subtitles in other foreign languages would also be welcome. In addition to that, it would be more appealing if this film could use some interviews with the patients of lomi-lomi practice and or the people who are cured with the Hawaiian medical plants. This film will be an excellent tool for teaching about Hawaiian healing. It would be meaningful to have a supplemental feature on the basic teaching of lomi-lomi, the sample of ritual texts that Mona Kehele uses, or the note of the mixture of Hawaiian medical plants.
If we compare this film with another film entitled Hawaiian Art Healing, produced by Na ‘Maka Oka ‘Aina, we would find how the former has better audio and visual feature than the latter. As for the content, they differ in term of its method of healing. This film shows a variety of Hawaiian healing methods, while Hawaiian Art Healing focuses only into the use of medical plants to heal people. This film does not only present the practice of mixing Hawaiian medical plants demonstrated by papa Henry Auwae, the only living po'okela; master of Hawaiian medicine, but also showcases the samples of the medical plants found in the real forest.
These two films complement each other. I would suggest the public, academic or special librarians to consider having both if they are interested in Hawaiian healing and its cultural dimension. The public and the academic, including the Pacific collections and medical libraries, will find this film useful. This is not only informative, but also is beautifully produced.
This documentary film describes how Hawaiian land and culture, as reflected in songs, dances, and nature, can be integrated into the healing process. This film is beautifully complemented by a Hawaiian chant and traditional hula performed by Amber Onaga and Colsen Kanei, and guitar sounds played by Peter Medeiros, and wonderfully narrated by producer and director, John C. Zak. This film takes us on a journey of how rich and unique the Hawaiian land and culture is, and how land and culture influence peoples’ lives. From this DVD, we can see people warmly and happily share their knowledge and experience about how Hawaiian land and culture are used to heal people, create comfort, nourish joy, and share the love. They truly inspire other people who have never been to Hawaii to visit Hawaii soon, and who have been living in Hawaii to stay forever.
This film features the interviews with some people who spend their lives healing others using the nature and culture of Hawaii. Through lomi-lomi, a unique Hawaiian healing massage, Brenda Ignacio, Haunani Hopkins, and Dane Silva, all are Hawaiian healing practitioners, share with us how they heal people. Ema Veary and Roland Cazimero, both are also Hawaiian healing practitioners, use Hawaiian songs to create comfort and ease people’s burden. Kai Kaholokai, on the other hand, explains how wealthy Hawaiian plants are as medicine. Aunty Mary Fragas especially reveals how she can help women with pregnancy problems, and Aunty Mona Kehele (1921-2006) explains her skills in Hawaiian herbal medicine and family therapy. Last but not least, the articulate and inspiring Angela Baraquio, Miss America 2001, explains the real meaning of Aloha as the soul of daily life. There are two main aspects that these people share in common. The first is prayer, a belief in the existence of strength beyond one’s self, and the second id being forgiving. These two aspects are powerful and meaningful.
John C. Zak, a talented, prolific director and producer has produced many films including the series ofGeneral Hospital andYoung and the Restless, which received an Emmy award. No wonder this “Hawaiian Healing” documentary film is wonderfully done. Mr. Zak had been attracted to Hawaii since his first visit when he was eight years old. He decided to move to Hawaii in 2002, and since then he has been exploring the affluence of Hawaiian land and culture.
This film, however, needs English closed captioning, so that people with a hearing disability can also enjoy and take advantage of this film. Subtitles in other foreign languages would also be welcome. In addition to that, it would be more appealing if this film could use some interviews with the patients of lomi-lomi practice and or the people who are cured with the Hawaiian medical plants. This film will be an excellent tool for teaching about Hawaiian healing. It would be meaningful to have a supplemental feature on the basic teaching of lomi-lomi, the sample of ritual texts that Mona Kehele uses, or the note of the mixture of Hawaiian medical plants.
If we compare this film with another film entitled Hawaiian Art Healing, produced by Na ‘Maka Oka ‘Aina, we would find how the former has better audio and visual feature than the latter. As for the content, they differ in term of its method of healing. This film shows a variety of Hawaiian healing methods, while Hawaiian Art Healing focuses only into the use of medical plants to heal people. This film does not only present the practice of mixing Hawaiian medical plants demonstrated by papa Henry Auwae, the only living po'okela; master of Hawaiian medicine, but also showcases the samples of the medical plants found in the real forest.
These two films complement each other. I would suggest the public, academic or special librarians to consider having both if they are interested in Hawaiian healing and its cultural dimension. The public and the academic, including the Pacific collections and medical libraries, will find this film useful. This is not only informative, but also is beautifully produced.
Submitted by Neneng Rosmy, LIS student, University of Hawaii at Manoa. May 2008.
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2003). Hawaiian Healing
A Documentary Film
DVD
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John C. ZAK
Kamahele Media
Producer and Director
Zak
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