The resurgence of traditional rongoā Māori is on display at the regular “Fabulous Friday” sessions in Kaitāia. There is a clinking of glass, a pause, a “mauri ora” or two, and a bottoms up as a group of keen rongoā Māori practitioners test out their fresh batch of pātētē infusion - which is good for weight loss - on a typical Friday morning in the Far North town. They are from Tuia Maara Whenua, one of four rongoā Māori hubs that form the Te Hiku Rongoā Māori Collective, and they are at the forefront of redressing health equity for traditional hauora Māori practices on the incoming tide of current health system reforms.
The traditional Māori method involves the use of native plant-based remedies (rongoā rākau), massage (mirimiri) and spiritual healing through prayer (karakia). Rongoā is about wellbeing, the wellbeing of the person, the whenua, the soil, and the water flowing through the whenua. Since June 2020, ACC has been offering rongoā Maori as an option for people in their recovery and has delivered rongoā in more than 10,000 claims .
There are now 200 practitioners registered with ACC from the Far North down to Stewart Island..