Guide6 min readUpdated 8 September 2026

Rongoā Māori: what it is and how to find a practitioner

Rongoā Māori explained with respect: rongoā rākau, mirimiri, karakia and tikanga, how ACC funding works, and how to find a kairongoā in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Rongoā Māori is the traditional healing system of Māori, the tangata whenua of Aotearoa. It is far older than any other practice listed on this site. It is also a taonga, a treasure, held by whānau, hapū and iwi. This guide is written for people who are new to rongoā and want to approach it with understanding and respect.

What rongoā is

Health New Zealand describes rongoā Māori as traditional Māori healing that “encompasses herbal remedies, physical therapies and spiritual healing”. It has been practised for many generations and is holistic. The person is seen as a whole: body, mind, spirit, whānau and connection to the land.

Rongoā is often described through several strands.

• Rongoā rākau. Remedies made from native plants and trees, such as kawakawa, kūmarahou, harakeke and mānuka. These might be teas, balms, poultices or washes.
• Mirimiri and romiromi. Bodywork. Mirimiri is often gentle massage. Romiromi is deeper work that may involve pressure and movement. Both are used to release physical and spiritual tension.
• Karakia. Prayer or incantation. Karakia may open and close a session and is part of how healing is understood.
• Whitiwhiti kōrero. Talking, listening and guidance. Support and advice are a recognised part of rongoā, not an extra.
• Te oo mai reia. Spiritual healing, which Health New Zealand describes as incorporating prayer, cleansing work and bodywork.

A practitioner of rongoā is often called a kairongoā, or in some contexts a tohunga. Practitioners do not all work the same way. Practice varies by rohe, by whānau lineage and by the practitioner’s own training.

Where it comes from

Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, explains that rongoā was “passed on orally” and placed strong emphasis on the spiritual dimension of health. Illness was understood in relation to tapu, to whakapapa and to a person’s relationship with the natural and spiritual world. Tohunga held this knowledge.

Colonisation disrupted this. In 1907 Parliament passed the Tohunga Suppression Act, which made it an offence to practise as a tohunga. The Act was repealed in 1962, but its effect on the transmission of knowledge was deep. Rongoā survived because whānau kept it alive quietly. Today it is being revived, taught and, increasingly, recognised by the health system.

Tikanga: how rongoā is practised

Tikanga means the correct way of doing things. It sits at the heart of rongoā. In 2014 the Ministry of Health published Tikanga ā-Rongoā, a set of standards for rongoā services it funds. The document sets out principles such as tūroro tino rangatiratanga, the self-determination of the person receiving care, and the preservation of mauri, the life principle.

For you, this means a few practical things.

• Sessions may begin and end with karakia. If you have a different faith or none, say so beforehand, and ask what to expect.
• The practitioner may ask about your whakapapa, your whānau and where you are from. This is part of understanding you, not small talk.
• Some practitioners work from a whare or clinic, some from home, and some on the land itself.
• Plants gathered for rongoā rākau are gathered with care, often with karakia and permission. Practitioners take this seriously.

You do not have to be Māori to receive rongoā. Practitioners welcome all people, and ACC’s rongoā service is open to all New Zealanders with a covered injury. What matters is that you come with respect.

Rongoā and mainstream health care

Health New Zealand says it does not have evidence of significant interactions between western medicines and rongoā rākau, but it notes that some plants have toxic properties. It recommends that you tell your healthcare provider you are using rongoā. A good kairongoā will encourage you to keep seeing your doctor and will not ask you to stop any treatment.

Rongoā does not replace care from a registered health professional. If you have a serious or urgent health problem, see a doctor first. Many people use rongoā alongside mainstream treatment, and that is the approach the health system supports.

ACC and rongoā

Since 2020, ACC has funded rongoā Māori for people with a covered injury. ACC describes its rongoā service as a kaupapa Māori option available to all New Zealanders with an approved claim. It funds services such as mirimiri, romiromi and whitiwhiti kōrero as part of recovery.

To use it, you need an approved ACC claim. You can then request rongoā through your ACC recovery team, through MyACC, or by calling ACC. ACC-registered practitioners are listed on Healthpoint. ACC says these practitioners “meet all our requirements and have been endorsed by rongoā Māori mentors and mana whenua”.

Outside ACC, rongoā is generally paid for privately. Some practitioners work on koha, a gift or donation, rather than a set fee. Ask beforehand so you can prepare appropriately.

How to find a practitioner

There is no national register of rongoā practitioners in the way that there is for doctors or nurses. Here are good routes.

1. Ask locally. Marae, kōhanga reo, Māori health providers and whānau are often the best source. Rongoā has always moved by word of mouth.
2. Healthpoint. ACC-registered rongoā practitioners are listed there, and many also see private clients.
3. Māori health providers. Many hauora (Māori health services) offer rongoā or can refer you.
4. This directory. Browse Rongoā Māori practitioners by region.

Questions to ask

• Who did you learn from, and what is your lineage or rohe?
• What does a session involve, and how long is it?
• Is there a fee, or do you work on koha?
• Are you ACC-registered?
• How do you work alongside doctors and medicines?

A practitioner who answers these openly and without pressure is a good sign. A practitioner who promises to cure a named illness, or who tells you to stop prescribed medicine, is not practising in the spirit of Tikanga ā-Rongoā.

Coming with respect

Arrive on time, be open, and follow the practitioner’s lead on karakia and tikanga. If you are unsure about anything, ask. Practitioners would rather explain than have you guess. Rongoā is a living tradition, and you are being welcomed into it.

This guide describes what a practice involves and what people seek from it. It is general information, not medical advice. These services do not replace care from a registered health professional. If you have a health concern, talk with your doctor or call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

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