HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0104.011 2022-2024 P/ 60[514G
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From: Malama Na Pua o Haumea _
Sent: Friday, February 17, 2023 11:24 AM 1013 FEB 17 AM U: 29
To: Council Testimony
Subject: Support res 57-23
Aloha mai Kakou,
My name is Ki'inaniokalani Kaho'ohanohano and I am in strong support of resolution 57-23, which will protect pathways
and cultural and religious traditions in birthing practices in Hawai'i. I have been serving Maui as a cultural practitioner of
lomi lomi, la'au lapa'au, ho'oponopono,for over twenty years. It is this work which brought me to birth work and the
opportunity to apprentice as a pale keiki. I have had multiple sources and Kumu, and learned by doing,the way of our
kupuna. I apprenticed and assisted one of my mentors Tina Garzero, "Maui's county's women of excellence award
winner", for over 10 years until her passing. I have since continued to hold the torch, and provide a full spectrum of care
to women and families in Maui County. My many mentors continue through the years to support my growth and
learning.This is not a job, and I don't often even get paid much. It is my kuleana... I work by donation and work often
with underserved rural and often low income families. I offer free prenatal clinics from Honokohau to East Maui, birth
education classes, nutritional support and more. Our approach is based on preventive and proactive care, and we expect
full accountability and integrity from our families, as they do from us. We spend hours preparing and educating our
families.
The education required by the current law doesn't exist in our state, is very expensive, and requires preceptors which
Hawai'i does not have. Quite honestly, medical midwifery is a model that contradicts everything I am.The 'Ike that has
been passed down to me is rare, almost to be erased, and these practices are what heal women of all backgrounds,
because we all are human first.We all need to regain our cultural traditions that will heal us, and to receive the care we
deserve in our most vulnerable times.When folks ask me to attend their births,they choose me because of my mindset
and approach to their heightened state of wellness, pregnancy.They choose me for the training and dedication I DO
have,which is based in traditional and cultural practices. I know we have become other people's children in Hawai'i and
beyond, adopting new traditions'and practices, and for some that is okay. For some it is not.All birthing families should
have bodily autonomy and medical freedom in the most sacred rite of passage,giving birth!We were born, created as
wahine to procreate, hanau...It is proven that cultural competency improves health disparities, especially in the birth
process, and we fill that gap. It is shown clearly in countries where midwives/birth attendants are abundant,there are
less disparities. Where as the US has the highest disparities of all "civilized" nations,with very little midwives/birth
attendants. Modern medicalized birth is not anymore safe, it's quite the contrary, causing terrible harm in too many
cases attempting to control a natural process. If that's where someone feels safe,that's where they should be! But the
bottom line is they already have that choice.We deserve to have a choice too,Terrifying statistics just released state
that most maternal deaths could have been avoided in hospitals, and black and brown bodies have the highest
disparities .
I am a mother of five homebirth babies, and have been able through my own births,to heal generations of trauma. My
keiki were born,gently into this world on the lands that their kupuna were once born...prepared, held, and guided by
traditional midwives each time. If you have never attended birth at home,you can't even imagine how beautiful it can
be
For the past 3 years we have practiced under the current traditional birth-attendant exemption, and been busier than
ever since Covid! My transfer rate was less than 5%, never in an emergency.When in the prenatal process I discover that
for whatever reason the birth is not low risk, I transfer care of mamas, but never leave their side. We care very much for
our families which become like`Ghana to us.This is what is missing in modern medicine, relationships. I have`ohana
that I have helped with all their babies, and in July 2023, if this legislation sb1047/hb955 (2023) does not pass, it will
prevent them from having me, and prevent me from helping them, even though they choose me for future births. I have
had multiple apprentices for years, and this will also eliminate this pathway, and our ability to share with future
generations.
There are sofew traditional birth attendants left, due to intentional erasure of cultural practices. Let us,learn from the
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Ref.Date F 1 2023
task force report, the report to the governor,the United Nations recommendations, and all the very important sources
that show that traditional birth attendants improve the health and wellness of birthing families. Please don't let this
exemption be taken away from all of us. My keiki are begging you....especially my Wailua girl who hopes to be a
traditional birth attendant one day like her mama
Me Ka Ha'aha'a,
Ki'inaniokalani Kaho'ohanohano
Malama Na Pua 0 Haumea
Pacific Birth Collective
Hawai'i Homebirth Collective
Task Force TM Representative
Hawai'i Midwifery Council
808-276-3365
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