Rongoā MiriMiri - traditional māori healing
My passion for Rongoā MiriMiri (traditional māori healing practises) accumulated over the past 25 years as a result of my utmost respect of all traditional māori (normal or natural) teachings, tikanga (correct way of doing things) and my personal desire to retain and make transparent the cultural healing practises of Tohunga. Mentors who have shaped my passion for healing have been my own Tūpuna (grandparents) and whanau (family); Norman Weiss, Massage Therapist and Reflexology Tutor, Gisborne; Juliet Hitchener, Midwife who introduced me to pregnancy massage and the value of essential oils; Sandra Paul, tutor, Lotus College of Natural Therapies, for her tutorship in Accupressure and Trigger Point Therapy; Wikitoria Oman; Cran Gage and Jolie Davis, prodiges of Tohunga whom have been pivotal in enabling me to fill my kete / basket of RomiRomi knowledge.
Nau Mai, Haere Mai, Tauiti Mai – Welcome, Welcome, thrice Welcome
I have not always been a Kai MiriMiri (Massage Specialist), nor can I boast to have been gifted the knowledge handed down to me by Tohunga (Expert Healers) particularly as I live away from my tribe (Ngāti Porou). Generally speaking, one would be identified within the tribe as having specific talents who would then be trained within whare wānanga (place of higher learning) or alongside an existing Tohunga (expert) within your hapu (sub tribe, smaller groupings of families within the main tribe). Nonetheless, I was born exposed to traditional maori cultural values being brought up with grandparents who spoke the Native language (Te Reo Maori) of Aotearoa (NZ), which is my first language also. I was brought up by those of an era whom utilised varying traditional maori methods and practises of treatment to heal utilising native plant (rongoā rākau; water (wai); incantations (kaupare) and knowledge as ahi kaa (keepers of the home fires) and kaitiaki (guardians) of Te Taiao (the natural environment).
Ko Wai Ahau (From Whose Waters Do I Come)
Ko Hikurangi te māunga
Hikurangi is the mountain
Ko Waiapu te awa
Waiapu is the river
Ko Horouta te waka
Horouta is the canoe
Ko Paoa te Kaiwhakatere
Paoa is the Navigator
Ko Kiwa te Tohunga
Kiwa is the Priest
Ko Ngati Porou te iwi
Ngati Porou is the tribe
Ko Porourangi te tangata
Porourangi is the chief
TIHE MAURI ORA
(call to claim the right to speak / sneeze of life)
Kia Ora (hullo) - My first name is Te Aomihia, which in literal terms means the cloud that was greeted. In a more meaningful context it tells a story of my ancestor, a chief, Poroumata, of my iwi (tribe - a large social community group of families) Ngāti Porou, preceding his death at sea.
One night Poroumata looked at the clouds beyond the crayfish beds, resting close and compact, at the Milky Way and the Magellan Clouds, at the flakes of mist running together and settling in masses on the mountains. He said: "It will be settled calm tomorrow; the wind will be a light sea-breeze making gentle ripples on the water; I shall put to sea."
Therefore, the name Te Aomihia is significant of this particular event before the unfortunate death of Poroumata whilst fishing. My surname is Rangihuna (Rangi = Sky) (Huna = Hidden, concealed) "Hidden Sky"
I am Māori, indigenous to this country known as Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud) or New Zealand which has a North and a South Island. Although I live in the South Island, (originally named by Māori as Te Waka ā Māui, the canoe of Māui) or Te Wai Pounamu (Greenstone Isle or Waters), I was brought up in a secluded coastal settlement called Horoera on the beautiful East Cape of the North Island (Te Ika a Māui, the Fish of Māui).