It's meant to save lives, but it may now be at risk. Efforts are underway by the Haya Foundation to help save medicinal plants and preserve the practice of traditional healing.

It's not necessarily dying, but according to Haya Foundation President Zita Pangelinan the art of traditional healing faces a threat on Guam. "We're trying to revitalize it but we are at risk and it does require we all pay attention and do our part to preserving, promoting and perpetuating it," she told KUAM News.

The Haya Foundation was established more than a decade ago to promote, preserve and perpetuate the traditional healing practice. Pangelinan recently spoke the Mayor's Council of Guam to get their help in getting more people involved. "We needed to do more outreach, we've been doing the outreach but we are so happy at this point in time that we've now we've got this major documentary about to be released, and our next step is to go throughout the villages," she explained.

The soon-to-be released documentary and village outreach coincide with even bigger effort established just last summer during last year's Festival of the Pacific Arts. Pangelinan says one of the biggest hurdles people encounter is trying to find a healer, so they've expanded efforts to the entire Marianas and beyond.

"On May 22, we opened on Guam the first traditional healing center called Guam Yo'Amte, and we hosted 13 countries, quite a few healers and these healers we recognized throughout the Pacific, the different challenges and issues and wanted to get together and form a consortium so we can network and support each other, find ways to support healing the Pacific of the Pacific," said Pangelinan.

While these efforts are promising, Pangelinan admits they still face many challenges including the lack of healers which she estimates is around 20. "Right now it's the healers, while they want to pass on their knowledge to their children and grandchildren, the children don't want to take it on, and our loss of the jungles and the plants and medicines that are not accessible. Those are huge threats to the perpetuating our traditional healing."

The potential loss of medicinal plants has prompted stakeholders to come together to address and protect certain areas on Guam such as Litekyan or Ritidian. Pangelinan says meetings are underway to start the dialogue. Meanwhile for more information call 747-2683 or 727-7717 or visit them at Sagan Kotturan Chamorro at Oka Point.