February 18, 2013
Rongoa attack sign of cultural dominance
A leading advocate of rongoa says Māori have the right to make choices about traditional Māori therapies.
Rongoa Māori is under attack from New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, who says the Health Ministry is shelling out almost $2 million a year supporting traditional healers without any monitoring or accountability.
Percy Tipene from Te Kāhui Rongoa Trust says the monitoring is there if Mr Peters had looked with an open mind, and healers are accountable not just to the ministry but to their iwi and communities.
He says Mr Peters is denying a Māori world view.
“It’s about a specific sector of society dominating what the choices should be. I think that there is room and space for rongoa Māori in today’s society”. says Percy Tipene.
Percy Tipene says rongoa encompasses not just bush medicines and mirimiri or healing massage but other practices such as eating healthy kai and living a balanced life.
Copyright © 2013, Uma Broadcasting Ltd