Ta Reo O Na Tahuna Lapaau Heiau O Rono (The Voice of the Healing Kahuna Heiau of Lono) announces Tahuna (Kahuna) Ikaika Dombrigues' 2024 series of Traditional Hawaiian healing and spirituality workshops for Hawaii Island starting in Hilo at Aunty Sally’s Luau Hale on Saturday, March 9, from 9 am- 3:00 pm.  The Workshop is Free and open to the public.

The workshops will share ancient Hawaiian healing practices and traditional Hawaiian spiritual foundations. There will be a focus on Laau Lapaau, the ancient Hawaiian practice of using herbs and plants to heal the body. There are many different types of Laau (plants) that can be used for health issues including high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, arthritis, and stress.

The workshop will also cover the traditional healing practices of Hooponopono, Lomilomi Ha Ha, and Laau Kahea as well as applying Traditional Hawaiian spirituality.  

Tahuna Ikaika continues the Huna Mana of Traditional Hawaiian healing knowledge directly passed on through generations of Tahuna.  He went through 50 years of traditional training under Kahuna Lapaau in the heiau (Hawaiian temples) dedicated to traditional healing and has been offering consultation and education since 1985. 

Tahuna Ikaika was chosen by the kupuna of Hawaii Island’s districts to be the Pookela and the Hawaii Island Council Chair of the healing arts under Papa Ola Lokahi, which supports 

Traditional Hawaiian healing throughout the islands.  

According to Tahuna Ikaika, “Laau Lapaau is a practice that’s been in the Hawaiian Islands for thousands of years. It has to do with natural herbs from the land, plants, animals, and minerals from the ocean.. It’s a very spiritual connection that falls upon the person who needs help.” 

Tahuna Ikaika works to preserve this knowledge and share the healing wisdom he learned from his Tahuna and ancestors, “A lot of our people live with a broken spirit. One of our goals is to rebuild the mind, body, and spirit of our people and to empower them into knowing who they are as Native Hawaiians.”

“People are getting sick,” says Tahuna Ikaika.. “We need to share this knowledge and help people understand Traditional healing practices so they have the choice to use it for the care of themselves and their ohana.”

Light refreshments will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

Ta Reo O Na Tahuna Lapaau Heiau O Rono is a Hawaii Island organization recently formed by Tahuna Ikaika Dombrigues and David Sansone, a regenerative agriculture specialist and haumana (student) of Tahuna Ikaika.  Together, they are working to preserve, protect, and perpetuate Hawaiian indigenous traditions, cultural foundations, beliefs, practices, protocol, plants, and minerals; and develop culturally based solutions to contemporary challenges.

For more information, please email heiauorono@gmail.com or call/text 808-464-3657.or  808-657-4152.