Weekend Adventure -Midwives in Maui
Last week my hospital client delivered at 40 weeks and 3 days. Meaning I had a week before my next client was in her due window (37-42 weeks) and I would need to be on call again. I started to wrack my brain where could I go to get out of town for a few days.
My friend and mentor Augustine Colebrook moved to Maui the week before and had been blowing up my instagram feed with awe inspiring photos of her new life. I sent her a text "Wish I could come see you this weekend" She called me immediately inviting me to come. I was on a red-eye the next day and had an amazing time off call taking a peek into the amazing new project Augustine is involved in. Here's a description in her own words.
"I'm here to help open first a mobile Midwifery clinic on Maui and eventually several community based Birth centers on traditional birthing land on native land hopefully on several islands. During this process I have an apprenticeship program for Hawaiians to finish the PEP process for their CPM degree. We are trying to level the playing field so they have a voice that is legitimized in the state-wide talks about licensing midwives. Up until now, these talks have been negotiated with the minority white midwives ignoring the voice of the actual majority and other demographics because of the bias against traditional healers not being 'licensed'. My motivation has been that if the traditional healers do all the same trainings and certifications then they can no longer be dismissed. I am so lucky to be here holding space for the return of traditional Midwifery in Hawaii- my Midwifery partner, Ki'i is the ONLY actual Hawaiian Midwife in all of Hawaii and I am so honored to facilitate her NARM process so she can be recognized as the leader she's meant to be here."
You can find Augustin and Ki'i's practice here.
Here's few shots from our time together in Maui. Besides showing me the island, I also had the pleasure of helping her buy her bus that she is converting into a "tiny home" to allow her mobility to serve the entire island.
Augustine and I first met at her birth center in Oregon when I was a student. Both being single moms of 3 teenagers and running a large comprehensive birth center and our love of births bonded us quickly as friends...I plan to return to Maui in the next cpl years and attend births with Augustine and Ki'i. This will begin my journey of learning from my elder midwives here in the states along with the indigenous midwives all over the world in the years following my sons HS graduation in 2021.
