In 1990, the Hamakua Sugar Plantation ceased production. With the closure of the island’s last plantation, a way of life for the north Hawai`i island community ended as well with. Residents were unsure of their future.

This drastic social and economic change combined with an awareness of north Hawai`i island residents’ poor health statistics stirred the concern of the community. Their concern lead to the formation of the Health and Wellness Group within the nonprofit organization, Friends of the Future.

The Health and Wellness Group held their first formal meeting at the Eva Parker Woods Cottage at Kalahuipua`a on February 9, 1991. Tutu’s House was one of several community projects that emerged from meetings that began in the Cottage and reconvened over the next few years.

The Friends of the Future Health and Wellness Group felt the time was ripe to change the course of the community’s health and wellness. They identified the elements that were necessary to facilitate positive change.  These elements continue to be relevant today.

• creative educational initiatives under the broadest possible definition of “health and wellness”
  
  
• foster the growing recognition that ‘self-responsibility’ is the answer to good health and lower costs
  
  
• a communications center tying together other groups working in areas of body, mind and spirit

Tutu’s House was created to address these needs and allow learning and growth, exploration and exchange, to occur with in the context of each individuals definition of themselves, and along with a repository of information and high tech equipment (the Internet was in its infancy back then).

The group also stressed the quality of people’s experience at Tutu’s House. Tutu means “beloved elder“ in Hawaiian. Richard Spiegel, a member of the Health and Wellness Group, suggested the name Tutu’s House to embody the idea of a the place which held the person you would turn to for wisdom, healing. A person and place who would welcome you with aloha. Once there, you would be open to learning more about yourself, your health, and your wellness.

Tutu’s House influence on health and wellness is subtle.

For example:

How can a Hawaiian Quilting class influence health and wellness?

Women in the quilting group gather around a common passion or curiosity about Hawaiian Quilting. While they quilt and learn more from each other, they share personal stories and potluck once a month. Over time, their social bonds strengthen.

The quilters provide each other moral support for life’s many challenges, such as caring for aging loved ones. They support each other through illnesses too. When one of the quilters required chemotherapy 60 miles away in Hilo (a 75 minute drive away) the group secretly arranged to “volunteer” to drive her. She never knew they had made sure someone was always available to drive her to her treatments.

A few of the quilters have started a store together offering an outlet for their passion. Other quilters have started online businesses, and offered quilting classes of their own.

Tutu’s House Quilters have strengthened their social, physical and economic health and wellness.