Traditional Marquesan as well as other Polynesian medical practices dealt not only with medical plants and their uses but was also concerned with what happened to the physical, emotional, mental and spiritual welfare of the people. Traditional healing practices helped cure both life’s everyday ailments as well as repaired common injuries. Indeed, when Europeans first came into contact with Polynesians, the islanders had never previously been exposed to diseases such as measles, influenza and syphilis, which later decimated whole populations.
In ancient times, most Polynesians believed supernatural forces caused illnesses. If a person got sick, he might conclude a spirit was displeased with his or one of his relative’s behavior. Or perhaps he was suffering from a hidden guilt or secret wrongdoing. He might even suspect another individual of hexing him with sorcery. He and the traditional healer might also decide he broke a taboo, ate unwholesome food, and had an excess of emotional or sexual passion.
When a sick person went to a healer, the patient would review his recent actions to try to determine what might have given offense. The patient would describe any symptoms to the healer, who would perform or direct proper corrective measures. This could have included a special diet to once again bring about a state of balance in the individual.
Historically, Polynesians did not consider biological agents such as bacteria and viruses as the causes of disease. A Polynesian always tried to discover the nature of the offense which caused the illness. So-called "incurable" diseases that resulted in death were believed to be under the control of the gods, and whether a patient recovered or died was according to the superior will and desires of the gods.
Most Polynesian societies had special healers who were usually associated with the priestly class. It was up to an individual to recognize his own talent and offer himself to be a healer. Some healers were taught in groups in special classes, while others learned on a one-to-one basis. The power of healing was considered reward enough in itself and so most healers were not paid but instead "gifted" with presents of gratitude and status such as food, household furniture, or clothing.
Massage involving parts or the whole body or parts of the body was one of the most commonly used medical treatments throughout Polynesia. Massage specialists would use one finger, several fingers, the finger or fingers plus the thumb, the hand or hand, and even elbows and the ball of the foot to eliminate illnesses. Massages also took the form of squeezing, stroking, pushing with the palm of the hands, stroking with rotating and sliding motions of the fingers, kneading, gentle touching, pounding and walking up and down the patient’s back. This would be done in conjunction with other "green medicine" therapies.
Massage was used to cure headaches, muscular pains, body toning after childbirth, correction of a clubfoot and other malformations, abdominal massage during pregnancy, and healing sprains. Surgery, on the other hand, was usually limited to lancing boils and infections.
All Polynesians had a healthy appreciation for bathing, whether in fresh water or the sea. They washed themselves frequently, using certain leaves which lathered like soap, rubbed sand in their hair to clean the scalp, removed grime from their skins with oil, and used wadded fibers from coconut husks and other plants to scrub their bodies.
Healers throughout Polynesian also extensively used plant medicines in the form of potions and applications. Most commonly, they would prepare these medicines from selected plants by pounding the material in a wooden bowl and straining the juice. Sometimes the juice would be sweetened with sugar cane sap, and drunk with water, inhaled or applied to an injury.
Some of the more interesting Polynesian cures included the following:
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Polynesians used smooth stones and shells to assist massages to relieve stress, tension, aches, run-down-ness, muscle strains, and general unwellness.
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In Tahiti soft mud was smeared over scalds and superficial burns and allowed to dry in place to relieve pain and infection.
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The Maori rubbed urine into goiter swellings to reduce them. Samoans applied it to eliminate sties in the eye.
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Fijians would urinate on bee and jellyfish stings to stop the pain and itching.
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Kava was crushed and drunk to relieve headaches, tension and sleeplessness. A kava poultice was also used in Hawaii to stop a toothache.
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Fijians and Hawaiians would clean, pound and mix turmeric root with hot water, which was then strained and squeezed to produce a juice that was administered to relieve diabetes and coughs.
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The cut end of the stem between a taro corm and leaf was rubbed onto insect bites to reduce itching, pain and swelling.
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Raw kukui or candlenuts were eaten as a laxative in Hawaii. In Tonga women scraped the bark of the tree to derive sap which they applied to the tongue and mouth of children to treat thrush.
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Fresh green ti leaves were directly applied to the forehead to cool the brow and relieve headaches.
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The juice of the moist husk of green coconuts was squeezed and administered to newborn babies to clear their systems of "womb" food.
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Coconut oil scented with fragrant leaves and flowers, was used in massaging for aches, pains, injuries, vitality, and beauty.
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The people of Rapa Nui or Easter Island, used sweet potatoes to quench their thirst. Hawaiian women used sweet potato vines as a necklace to ensure an abundant flow of breast milk.
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In Tahiti and Samoa breast milk was applied to the eyes to rid it of mucous infection.
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An ordinary stick was used to beat across puncture wounds or poisonous bites to induce bleeding, which was believed to cleanse the wounds.
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Polynesians bound wounds and injuries with plain white tapa cloth made from the bark of the paper mulberry.
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Medicinal strainers were made from the natural fibers of coconut trees.
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Natural pumice stones were used to remove callouses.
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Mashed candlebush (which has yellow flowers that look like candles) leaves are still used today to eliminate ringworm and other skin rashes.
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Laua’e fern roots were boiled and the mixture cooled and used to bathe babies to cool fevers.
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Mortars and pestles made from rock were utilized to pound and grind medicines.
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And, of course, throughout Polynesia islanders used the juice of the noni for its curative powers.
