Traditional Māori Healing

A D D R E S S I N G M Ā O R I H E A L T H

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Traditional Māori Healing

Traditional healing includes mirimiri (massage) rongoa (herbal treatments) and karakia (spiritual prayer). Traditional healers incorporate the spiritual dimension in assessment and therapy, and do so in a culturally relevant way.

The Ministry of Health has been in dialogue with traditional healers, Māori health providers and iwi for a number of years regarding the role of traditional healing in relation to mainstream services.

Ngā Ringa Whakahaere ō Te Iwi Māori advocates on behalf of traditional healers and promotes the wise use of rongoa and traditional healing. They believe that traditional healing services should be part of the public health system but must be controlled by Māori healers.

In consultation with Ngā Ringa Whakahaere ō Te Iwi Māori (the National Body of Traditional Māori Healers) national standards of traditional Māori healing practice were developed and published in 1999. The standards emphasise the role of rongoa Māori in the health sector.

There are a number of questions to be addressed in this area.

1. How can traditional health systems contribute to better health?

2. How can the processes enhance service quality and delivery?

3. How should traditional healing services be funded?

4. How should intellectual and cultural property rights regarding rongoa be protected?

Click on the picture at right to see a short presentation concerning Traditional Māori Healing. Please allow 2-3 minutes for the presentation to load if you are on a dial-up connection.

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