Following the devastating fire in Lahaina, I flew to Maui to provide medical services wherever needed: on the beach, at a camp above Lahaina and in a hotel that had become a refuge for some of the thousands who had lost loved ones, homes, jobs, cars and the community they had known. I traveled to houses and turned my own accommodation into a makeshift clinic. The atmosphere was thick with anxiety about Lahaina’s renewal and fear that it would be driven by profit alone.
Shortly following my return from Lahaina, I traveled to Bhutan to present my research findings to the king on changes in brain activity resulting from yoga combined with meditation. I met with the director of the health ministry, the governor of the largest state and the superintendent of traditional medicine for the country. I just now departed and was left with the strong sense that Bhutan has a great deal to offer on how to facilitate a balanced renewal in Lahaina to benefit all considered.
When in Lahaina, I managed burns and physical injuries. Close quarters in shelters and toxic water had also caused the spread of disease. Those tested for COVID-19 were virtually all positive.
Behavioral health issues including acute grief reactions and bereavement were abundant. Among the victims there was a deep sense of betrayal. Why didn’t the sirens warn of the inferno? Why was there no pressure in the fire hydrants? Why weren’t food, fresh water and supplies more efficiently distributed? Rage was expressed toward politicians at multiple levels.
One exception is our governor, who is working hard to get it right. Few sought out FEMA or the Red Cross. Somehow these personnel seemed strangely disconnected.
The Maui Medics Healers Hui, local volunteers offering multidisciplinary care including traditional Native Hawaiian health care plus modern and traditional medicine, was highly sought after. The trust and connection with victims here was palpable. Much of my own medical work was embedded in this hui. Our work together was reminiscent of the Polynesian Voyaging Society during the worldwide voyage where I sailed on several long, blue water legs as medical officer.
A common concern among the victims of the fire was the greed in the air. Looters posed as victims only to pick through the ashes for booty. Many residents were given “fire sale” offers from developers to purchase their charred lots for a quick getaway to Vegas. Others expressed concern that monied organizations would rebuild a modern, high-tech facsimile of old Lahaina with no sense of place or genuine relationship.
Bhutan is known to the world for its concept of gross national happiness (GNH) that does not assume unlimited natural resources or endless labor but, rather than profit alone, cultivates humane values and respect for the environment. While in Bhutan I also met with the director of the Center of Bhutan Studies, where the GNH project is housed and remains the topic of ongoing research. See insert. As we approach renewal of Lahaina, I propose that Hawaii consider a substantive exchange with the leadership of Bhutan, a country with a small fraction of the GDP per capita seen on the islands but possessing a great richness in the hearts and minds of its people, who are ready and willing to share.
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Ira “Kawika” Zunin is a practicing physician and medical director of Manakai o Malama Integrative Healthcare Group and Rehabilitation Center: manakaiomalama.com. Submit questions: info@manakaiomalama.com.
