A two-day wānanga has been seen as a “welcome gift” for whānau throughout the Ruapehu region at times of uncertainty.

Close to 100 people came to the two-day Manawa Ora Rongoā Māori wānanga, hosted by Ngā Waihua o Paerangi at Te Pae Tata over the weekend (Friday 4 and Saturday 5 April).

Ngā Waihua o Paerangi wanted to bring the wānanga to support whānau to benefit from the gift of indigenous healing.

“Mirimiri and romiromi can awaken our own abilities to heal ourselves and provide a space for whānau to release hurt or grief that they may have been carrying,” said Ngā Waihua o Paerangi Pou Ārahi, Helen Leahy.

Mirimiri works by stimulating the body’s systems to release blocked energy. The healing space also helped identify whānau who needed ongoing support.

Kaumatua Jackie Henare said she didn’t know what to expect when she first came in but left feeling great.

“I can’t say enough about [the practitioner] because I knew where all the sore points and pressure points where he was touching, there was something definitely wrong, and he did it right until it sort of faded out,” she said.

“I find that being a kaumatua, we really need it more often... Mirimiri was absolutely wonderful.”

Local man Jason Huxtable got off the table after his session feeling like he was a new man.

“Mirimiri has been good for my hauora because it has eased a lot of pain from when I first came in this morning, especially in the lower back. Those points that he touched on my lower back just eased it beautifully.”

“Our data shows that almost 100% of whānau who participate in these clinics experience a marked improvement in their symptoms or pain, either physical, emotional, mental or spiritual, from one short session,” said Manawa Ora facilitator Jolie Davis.

“It's really good for stress, it's really good for trauma, it’s good for anything that ails us. Through the body work we can heal all aspects of the human person, mental, emotional physical and spiritual,” she said.

It’s important to maintain Rongoā Māori traditional practices that have kept us well for thousands of generations and were practiced by our tupuna, she said.

The clinics also sparked a renewed motivation for people to reclaim their hauora for them and their whānau and revitalise interest and understanding in Rongoā Māori.