Tū Mai

Rongoā Māori
Online Symposium

Wednesday 29th June 2022

Kia Hiwa Rā!
Kia Hiwa Rā!
‍
Ka rongo te pō, ka rongo te ao
‍
E te whānau, e te iwi, haere mai, whakarauika mai tātou!

Tū Mai Rongoā Māori – Calling forth the mana of Rongoā Māori

Rongoā Māori is a taonga tuku iho, a prized and integral part of te ao Māori, handed on to us from our tupuna. Over time, the practice of Rongoā has faded and our understanding of its intrinsic value to us as a people, as Māori, has similarly waned. More recently however, we have witnessed a resurgence of Rongoā practice. This in turn has ignited a growing interest to better understand Rongoā Māori and its many aspects from a broad range of people involved in the provision of health and support in and for their communities.

We invite you to participate in this one-day, on-line Symposium which seeks to reawaken our understanding of Rongoā, calling forth the mana and the mauri of Rongoā so that it again becomes a normal and natural aspect of our everyday interactions with the world.

This Symposium provides the opportunity for key collaborators in the advancement of Rongoā to share their understanding of Rongoā and their reasons for calling forth the mana and the mauri of Rongoā to resume its rightful place in the way Aotearoa cares for its people.

Presented in two sessions, the theme of the morning session is Miria te Rongo – stimulating the senses to reach their potential. In this session we seek to inspire and to better understand, achieve, and attain Rongoā Māori.

The theme of the afternoon session is Ngā Tai o Pari Ata – the incoming tides. Referencing the whiro moon, in this session we reflect, envision, and prepare for the soaring energies and possibilities that lie ahead.

This Symposium will shine a spotlight on Rongoā Māori, its depth and breadth and the crucial role it has in enhancing the wellbeing of people in Aotearoa.

Join us as we call Rongoā Māori into the light.

About the Symposium

The Tū Mai: Rongoā Māori Symposium reflects a pivotal time in the recognition of the mana of Rongoā Māori by the health and disability sector in Aotearoa.  This Symposium was inspired through working with the Rongoā Māori community as part of a Health Research Council-funded project, Te Ao Rauropi: Mapping the Biosphere of Rongoā Māori.

The Ministry of Health, Accident Compensation Corporation, the interim Māori Health Authority, Whakauae Research Services and Rongoā communities have partnered to host this Symposium.  We will share current perspectives on the place of Rongoā as a taonga tuku iho in our collective commitment to improve health equity for all New Zealanders. This Symposium will ask:

  • Can mātauranga and Western science safely and respectfully co-exist in a national health and disability framework?
  • What impact have Rongoā Māori services offered by ACC during the past 2 years had on health outcomes and injury recovery for our population?
  • What does the ideal Crown Treaty Partnership look like for Māori in the health and disability arena, and what do we need to overcome the challenges?
  • What does it mean for community and health professionals when hospital administration and Rongoā Māori practitioners come together?

This is an exciting opportunity to look our challenges in the eye and share the wealth of mātauranga we have accrued in recent times about the potential of two worlds working together to forge a better future.

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