Lomilomi

Lomilomi, (Hawaiian: masseur, masseuse) is the word used today to describe Hawaiian massage, traditionally called lomi (Hawaiian: To rub, press, squeeze, massage; to work in and out, as the claws of a contented cat). (In this article, consistent with modern usage, the word “lomilomi” will be used to describe massage-like treatments.) Traditionally, lomilomi was practiced in 4 contexts: as part of the healing practice of native healers (kahuna la’au lapa’au – medical doctors – and kahuna ha ha – diagnosticians); as a luxury of life and an aid to digestion of the ruling chiefs (ali’i); as restorative massage within the family; and by olohe lua (masters of the Hawaiian martial art) to understand how the body works (so as to maim and kill) and to remedy injuries among fellow warriors.

Traditional practice

Although the word “kahuna lomilomi” is widely used in contemporary writings, traditionally the people who performed lomilomi were referred to as “ka poe lomilomi” (the massage people) or “kanaka lomi” (massage person). A related term, “kauka lomilomi”, was coined in 1920 to describe Osteopathic Physicians. The word “kauka” is the Hawaiianized version of “doctor.”

Lomilomi practitioners use the palms, forearm, fingers, knuckles, elbows, knees, feet, sticks and stones to massage the tissues of the patient. Because lomilomi was and is an indigenous practice, it varied by family, ahupua’a (region) and island. In the context of medical practice, lomilomi was used to set bones, for physical therapy, during pregnancy and labor, and for early child development.

Hawaiian kupuna (elder) Auntie Margaret Machado describes lomilomi as "praying" work. Like all endeavors in old Hawai’i, lomilomi was conducted with prayer and intention. As stated by Emma Akana Olmstead, a kupuna of Hana, Maui, in the 1930s, “When a treatment is to be given, the one who gives the treatment first plucks the herbs to be used. He prays as he picks the herbs. No one should call him back or distract his attention, all should be as still as possible for they do not want the vibration broken. They knew the laws of vibration. They knew the power of the spoken word. They knew Nature. They gathered the vibration of the plentiful.”

History of lomilomi

The early Polynesian settlers brought their own form of massage, and like a canoe plant, it evolved to become something uniquely Hawaiian. It was practiced by everyone, from child to chief.

After American missionaries arrived in 1820 and converted many in the Kingdom of Hawaii to Christianity, traditional healing arts were scorned as heathen and primitive. Various laws prohibited "heathen" worship and any related Native Hawaiian healing practices. Lomilomi as part of medical practice went underground. But lomilomi as restorative massage remained popular not only among the Hawaiians, but among foreign residents and visitors as well.

American writer Charles Nordhoff wrote about his experience with lomilomi massage in his 1875 book, Northern California, Oregon, and the Sandwich Islands. For Robert Louis Stevenson it was “disagreeable,” but English adventurer Isabella Bird found it delightful. Not only did foreigners receive lomilomi, they also gave it. According to the first Director of the Bishop Museum, writing in 1908, one of the most skilled practitioners was Sanford Dole (one of the leaders of the overthrow of the Kingdom).

Although the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawai’i banned curing through “superstitious methods” in 1886, massage was not subject to legislation until 1945. In 1947, the Board of Massage was established to regulate lomilomi and massage. The law required practitioners to pass a written test on anatomy, physiology and massage theory. Many renowned native healers were unable or unwilling to pass the test, and thus lomilomi as restorative massage was forced underground. In 2001, the Legislature passed Act 304, amending HRS section 453, allowing native practitioners to be certified by the Hawaiian medical board, Papa Ola Lokahi, or by the various community health centers. This law is controversial among some native practitioners, but those who are certified can provide lomilomi without fear of prosecution under Hawai’i state law.

Lomilomi in modern Hawaii

Lomilomi is now a common and popular form of massage throughout the world, especially in Hawai'i, Japan and Europe. Traditionally taught lomilomi practitioners are generally unwilling to work at just any spa or massage parlor. They prefer to treat selected clients quietly and privately, often in home settings. Lomilomi practitioners may also ask their clients to pray, meditate, change their diets, and engage in other self-help activities usually believed to lie outside the scope of massage. Lomilomi is a holistic healing tradition beyond simple massage.

Sources
R. Makana Risser Chai, Na Mo'olelo Lomilomi: The Traditions of Hawaiian Massage & Healing, Bishop Museum Press.
Nancy S. Kahalewai, Hawaiian Lomilomi - Big Island Massage, Island Massage Publishing.
Robert Noah Calvert, The History of Massage, Healing Arts Press.