ACC have been offering rongoā Māori since 2020, and the growth in the number of people choosing rongoā Māori as part of their recovery has been enormous!
Rongoā Māori is traditional Māori healing. It involves mirimiri and romiromi (physical therapy and bodywork), rongoā rākau (plant-based remedies), and mahi wairua (spiritual therapies). Some rongoā Māori practitioners specialise in one area; others cover all.
Rongoā Māori can be accessed by both Māori and non-Māori
One of our staff recently attended a webinar on rongoā Māori where it was reported that there are now more than 200 ACC-registered rongoā Māori practitioners, and over 11,000 clients have accessed rongoā Māori since ACC started offering it. 58% of these clients were Māori and 42% were non-Māori.
When asked why they chose rongoā Māori, many non-Māori spoke of the holistic approach to recovery and rehabilitation that is an essential part of rongoā Māori.
For many Māori, the health system of Aotearoa NZ has been and continues to be a place where they don't feel seen or heard, or where their full cultural and spiritual needs are not being met. Access to rongoā Māori is a key step towards the removal of these barriers and the journey towards health equity.
A better understanding of rongoā Māori means a better health system for all!
Click here to read more about how to use rongoā Māori services as part of your rehabilitation with ACC, and click here to find ACC-registered rongoā Māori practitioners.
Of course, you can also access rongoā Māori without an ACC claim.
Not all rongoā Māori practitioners are ACC-registered, or you may wish to use rongoā Māori for something that is not related to an accident. Rongoā Māori isn't just about treatment of injuries: it can also be used for maintaining overall wellbeing.
We provide a document in the "Guides and downloadable resources" section of our Self-Help page about some of the rongoā Māori practitioners available in Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington and about some places you can look to find practitioners.
