YOUR HEALTH

Maori Health - Te Rapana Trust

Traditional Healing

Te Rapana Trust is a charitable trust established in December 2000 to promote and organise Rongoa Maori Services in Te Waipounamu initially within its Christchurch based clinic Nga Rau Rakau o te Ora.

In 1907 parliament passed the Tohuna Suppression Act, the affects of which were severe on Rongoa Practitioners for they were no longer recognised by the government or western institutions for their knowledge or relevance to Maori social, economic, cultural and environmental initiatives.
Fortunately, in the late1990s Ministry of Health officials and a national association of Maori traditional healers called Nga Ringawhakahaere worked together to produce national guidelines and standards of practice to obtain government support for Rongoa Maori Services in Aotearoa. This work was an appropriate acknowledgment of the importance of matauranga Mäori as it pertains to Rongoa.

In 2000 He Oranga Pounamu approached Heeni Phillips to deliver its Rongoa Maori Services contract. Although reluctant, Heeni agreed and identified Connie Hassan and Maire Kipa as interim trustees. Their role has been to govern the strategic and business planning processes for the clinic and Te Rapana Trust. Since then three new trustees have accepted appointments. They are: Karen Mills (no Ngati Porou), Mamatere Strickland (no Nga Puhi) and Dr Murray Parsons (no Ngati Kahungungu).

Rongoa

Rongoa is the practice of extracting the healing properties of leaves, twigs and bark from native trees and plants of Aotearoa. It can be dispensed in liquid, ointment or capsule form.

Mission Statement

To provide holistic healing through traditional Rongoa Maori Services in Christchurch and Te Waipounamu, upholding tikanga Maori, promoting quality and excellence to benefit whanau spiritual, physical, mental and socio-cultural needs by a support network of Tohunga and locally based Kaiarahi and Kaiawhina.

Nga Rau Rakau o te Ora

Nga Rau Rakau o te Ora is the Trusts Whare Rongoa or Rongoa Clinic run by Heeni Phillips.

The whare is used mainly by Maori but also has Pacific Island and Pakeha whanau who regularly visit. Whanau have come to understand that since Heeni’s home has been the base for rongoa services since 1988, it is a place that embraces the holistic approach to whanau physical, emotional, cultural and spiritual well-being. It also offers some respite care for those needing extra special care.

Funding has helped to improve facilities and two full-time staff are employed to assist Heeni to uphold the tikanga of Whakawhanaungatanga and the gathering and processing nga rau for rongoa. They maintain the kaupapa of Rongoa Maori by not accepting a wage or fee.
Heeni acknowledges the late Rapana Hemi as a Tohunga and mentor since 1984. The name of Te Rapana Trust is important and rightly acknowledges Rapana Hemi as a man of deep and solid knowledge about nga Rongoa Maori, Moe mai I to moenga roa.

Heeni Phillips

Heeni Phillips (no Rongowhakata, me Ngati Kahungunu, me Rongomaiwahine, me Ruapani, me Ngati Porou) has been a practitioner of Rongoa Maori (Traditional Maori Medicine) since 1984. She has spent 40 years campaigning for te reo Maori and has been a staunch advocate of the kohanga reo movement since 1981.

In December 2000 Heeni established Te Rapana Trust to promote and protect the right of Maori to practice Rongoa. The name pays homage to the late Rapana Hemi, a man of deep knowledge about Nga Rongoa Maori who was her mentor and teacher in the early days. Hohepa Kereopa, a Tuhoe Maori health consultant now provides Heeni with advice and guidance in her work.
Heeni firmly believes that te reo Maori and Rongoa Maori must be revived to benefit Maori now and for future generations.

Contact Details

Te Rapana Trust
111 Breens Rd
Bishopdale
Christchurch

Phone 03 359 6957
Facsimile 03 359 6956
Mobile 027 226 5355
Email rapana.rongoa@xtra.co.nz