māori medicine / rongoā / mirimiri

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Ko Tainui te waka

Ko Hoturoa te tangata

Ko Tararua te maunga

Ko Ōtaki me Waitohu ngā awa

KoNgāti Raukawa ki te tonga te iwi

Ko Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti me Ngāti Maiōtaki ngā hapū

Ko Joanne Hakaraia-Olson tōku ingoa

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Kia ora and nga mihinui for your interest in my mahi. My name is Joanne Hakaraia-Olson. I am a Māori wahine born and raised in Ōtaki, Aotearoa. I am tangata whenua of of this land. The Tararua ranges and the Ōtaki and Waitohu rivers raised me. My father is Ngāti Kapumanawawhiti, a sub-tribe in Ōtaki. My mother is Ngāti Maiōtaki, a sub-tribe in Ōtaki. They are both Ngāti Raukawa. 

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The founding of Te Waka Rākau came from a calling to work with the indigenous plants of Aotearoa. I have dedicated my life to working with and studying plants. I love making rongoā, traditional plant medicine. It was through making rongoā that I developed and strengthened my matekitetanga (intuition). I discovered multi-dimensional realms by working with the plants.

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Most of Aotearoas' trees, ferns and flowering plants are native having evolved in isolation for millions of years. There are forests of unique conifers, called podocarp, whose species include Rimu, Totara, Matai, Kahikatea and Miro, whose lineage stretches back to Gondwana. Our trees and ferns hold the DNA of millions of years. This is mauri and it is a powerful and potent rongoā not just from a physical state but primarily within the esoteric realms. Our tipuna passed down pūrākau that hold the key to unlocking the codes to these realms.

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For many indigenous cultures around the world, plants and the natural world are the pure resonance of AIO, the Supreme Being. This is the esoteric component of indigenous medicine. Our tipuna left us a guide-book and a map to enter these realms.

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This is where my journey begins. I created a waka, an esoteric vessel, to navigate my way through the ngaherehere (forest). One tree at a time. I gathered a roopū (group) to come along with me and we studied the trees that protect the ngahere. Then we went further into the ngaherehere and studied the Rākau Rangatira (Older trees). The wānanga blew my mind and I am in awe of the magic and beauty that grows on the whenua that I walk on. My heart yearns to keep walking this path. This path is considered tapu and it was forbidden to enter up until recently. The tapu was lifted. I dedicate my life to this work and I am deeply humbled and grateful to the tipuna and kaitiaki for the journey.

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Our rongoā products are composed of locally sourced native botanical formulas. All plants are harvested and manufactured in small batches by Joanne and her team. We aim to continuously source pristine, unadulturated and wholesome medicines for mind, body and soul wellness. We are devoted to making vibrant and medicinally potent remedies that honours the principles of harmony and ancient formulation.

 

The products that we make and the knowledge that we share about rongoā is passed down through whakapapa. When you hold a product of ours in your hand, we want you to know where it came from, what's in it and how it came about. 

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"I am a Rongoā Māori Practitioner, first and foremost. I practice Mirimiri and provide Rongoā at my clinic in Ōtaki.

I make Rongoā products to support the mahi that I do and each product is harvested and made with my hands. It's rongoā. The products are not sweetened or mixed with non-natives. I use only the native plants of Aotearoa."

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Please do not hesitate to reach out to me for personal consultations.

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Arohanui

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Joanne Hakaraia-Olson

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