Exploring Rongoa Maori Healing Practices

The assignment discusses the author's experience with Rongoa Maori, a traditional Maori healing system that is gaining popularity among the Maoris in Australia. The author describes the practitioners' traditional clothing and the use of underskirts (panekoti) by Maori women, as well as the significance of reconnecting with roots in modern times. The assignment also touches on the importance of acknowledging cultural values and beliefs embedded in Rongoa Maori healing.

Running head: FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVAL
FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVAL
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVALIntroduction
I have heard about the boomerang festival from Uncle Jones. The Boomerang festival
marks an important event in the calendar of all the indigenous communities across the globe.
As an Australian, music festivals, sula festivals and sundown festivals are part of our growing
up. However, the boomerang festival is different from all these festivals as it is a celebration
of the eclectic culture of the indigenous tribe. This year in the month of March, I went to the
festival to experience the uniqueness of The festival became an opportunity for me to
experience and immerse in the indigenous flavours of music, theatre, visual arts and dance.
There were also thought-provoking discussions that brought out the pangs of the present
generation of different indigenous communities residing in Australia. The Boomerang
festival is the world’s first festival that is a confluence of the Australian Aboriginal and its
global neighbours under one platform. The Boomerang Festival is convened by Rhoda
Roberts and attracts indigenous communities from New Zealand, Tibet, Canada and many
other countries. This year the festival featured Tibetan-Australian performer Tenzin Choegal,
prominent figures in the festival Jannawi Dance Clan and the wares of Roberts.
The event stood out for me was its emphasis on the production of safe and family-
friendly programme that would evoke respect and awe for age-old cultural practises and
traditions.

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVAL
Image 1
Source-Bluefest
Image 2
Source- Boomerangfestival

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVALImage 3
Source- Event Photography Sydney and NSW
Image 4
Source- Event Photography Sydney and NSW
Image 5
Event Photography Sydney and NSW

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVALAt the festival, what struck chord with me was the spiritual healing and remedies of
the Te Kopere Maori tribe. The tribe was garbed in three white feathers. Out of curiosity I
was about to enquire from the person who sat next to me. But before I could interject, the
tribe explained that these white feathers are the logo of the Te Atiawa tribe and each of them
are laden with different connotations (Harvey, 2017). One feather represents spiritual
harmony, the second one is symbolic of peace on earth and the third one stands for welfare of
mankind and inner peace. The ancestors Te Whiti-o-Rongomai and Tohu Kakahi who are the
prophetic community leaders of New Zealand bestowed the Raukara feathers (Mark,
Chamberlain & Boulton, 2017). These feathers were not diacritic symbols to identify the
Maoris but they were also emblems of the resistance movement against the oppression and
marginalisation of the Maoris that took place in the nineteenth century. Before the
commencement of the event, the Maori tribe provided an insight into their culture. Rongoa
Maori is the traditional therapeutic system of the Maori tribe. It features the oral transmission
of knowledge, the spiritual aspect of health and a melange of practises. Rongoa Maori
includes physical therapeutic solutions, healing through spiritual medium and herbal
remedies that are considered to safe (Swain & Padhy, 2015). The Maoris are native of New
Zealand and trace their genesis to IO (God-creator), to Hawaiki and to the stars. The Maori
healing system has its foundation in three spiritual vessels bestowed from IO to Ranginui
(Sky feather) to Papatuanka (Earth mother) to produce life, as we know it (Reid et al., 2016).
During the showcase of their therapeutic practise, I decided to volunteer myself for the
therapeutic massage. The Maori healer explained me that this ancient system of healing is
considered as magic massage as it relaxes the muscles, relives stress and promotes the
circulation of blood. They practised a Romiromi which is a combination of body alignment,
deep massage, liberation of the blocked energy through exertion of pressure on the key body
points of the body (Haemata), counselling and kaupure which is an ancient prayer (Rangihau,

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVAL2017). These prayers is believed to be transmitting positive energy. The massage was so
relaxing and I could actually feel the key points of my body getting invigorated. Since I was
already stressed out due to the onerous academic schedule, I could sense transformation in
my body. The firmness of my muscle got eased and I felt that all my stress have disappeared.
During the course of the therapeutic healing, I was told that this system of healing is inclusive
in its orientation and impact. It can be beneficial for people of all cultures and ages. Whether
an individual is fit or suffering from any chronic illness, Rongua Maori will definitely be a
effective for them.
Rongoa Maori is the traditional, indigenous practise. Their origins date back to the
lore and use a combination of herbal plants for the treatment of all kinds of ailments. In the
recent years, there has been resurgence in of the Rongoa medicine, it has been popular among
the health specialist, herbalists, and practitioners who are interested to employ traditional
knowledge in the healing people (Harvey, 2017). The key to healing in the Maori tribe
emanates from the integrity and communitarian feeling. With correct protocols and Tikanga,
it can be performed easily. Apart from these, associating with the Wariwua and linking it to
the Maori of the plant, the effectiveness of the Rongoa Maori healing procedures can be
maximized. There has been an increasing interest shown towards the Maori healing system
can be attributed to the distrust among the Maoris regarding the modern healthcare system.
The cost of treatment in Australia is quite high and therefore, the Maoris find it pragmatic to
rely on the traditional system of healing. The practitioners of the Rongoa Maori were garbed
in their traditional clothing, which is kahu kuruhuru that is feather cloak, a bodice known as
Pari a headband known as Tipare, poi (also known as balls on the string) and piupiu which is
a flax skirt (Pitama, Huria, & Lacey, 2014). Since I was interested in the costume of Maori
women, I enquired to them about their sartorial choice. I was told that women usually wear
underskirt that is known as the panekoti, which is basically a petticoat. These days most

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVALMaori women wear red or black panekoti which should be of the same length as that of the
piupiu. Some women were also found wearing panekoti of a longer length and some other
women of the group wore the panekoti like that of the cloak over a black dress (Ritchie,
2013). The male members of the group wore tatua which is a broad belt worn around the
waist of these men over the waistband that is plaited of their piupiu.
Conclusion
My visit to the festival is one of the best decisions in my life. It made me realize that
in this modern digital era where all of us moving at a fast pace, it was important to reconnect
with the roots. In the modern age, there is a tendency to rationalize our actions and disown
our unque practises to prove ourselves as rational individuals. The experience of Rongoa
Maori taught me that alternative of therapy and healing can be effective, competent and
affordable in the treatment of diseases and ailments of human.

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FIELD REPORT ON THE BOOMERANG FESTIVAL
References
Harvey, G. (2017). Performing identity and entertaining guests in the Maori diaspora.
In Indigenous diasporas and dislocations (pp. 131-144). Routledge.
Harvey, G. (2017). Te Kaha o te Waiata—The Power of Music: Maori Oral Traditions
illustrated by E Tipu e Rea Peter Mataira. In Indigenous Religious Musics (pp. 34-46).
Routledge.
Mark, G., Chamberlain, K., & Boulton, A. (2017). Acknowledging the Māori cultural values
and beliefs embedded in rongoā Māori healing. International Journal of Indigenous
Health, 12(1), 75-92.
Pitama, S., Huria, T., & Lacey, C. (2014). Improving Maori health through clinical
assessment: Waikare o te Waka o Meihana. The New Zealand Medical Journal
(Online), 127(1393).
Rangihau, J. (2017). Maori culture today. Aotearoa New Zealand Social Work, 20(4), 3-12.
Reid, J., Varona, G., Fisher, M., & Smith, C. (2016). Understanding Maori ‘lived’culture to
determine cultural connectedness and wellbeing. Journal of Population
Research, 33(1), 31-49.
Ritchie, J. (2013). Indigenous onto-epistemologies and pedagogies of care and affect in
Aotearoa. Global Studies of Childhood, 3(4), 395-406.
Swain, S. S., & Padhy, R. N. (2015). In vitro antibacterial efficacy of plants used by an
Indian aboriginal tribe against pathogenic bacteria isolated from clinical
samples. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 10(4), 379-390.