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Māori Rongoa

Rongoa Māori is a living healing system of native New Zealand plants — kawakawa, mānuka, harakeke — intertwined with wairua (spiritual wellbeing).

Aotearoa New Zealand

History & Philosophy

Origins

Rongoā Māori is the living indigenous healing system of Aotearoa New Zealand, developed by Māori over roughly 800 years of relationship with New Zealand's unique native flora since Polynesian settlement.

Core philosophy

Healing is inseparable from wairua (spiritual wellbeing) and connection to whenua (land) — physical remedies using plants like kawakawa, mānuka, and harakeke are applied within a broader framework of spiritual and relational wellness.

Practiced today

Rongoā is undergoing active revitalization, with growing formal recognition within New Zealand's health policy, dedicated rongoā practitioner training, and renewed community transmission of traditional plant knowledge.

Herbs, foods & remedies

90 herbs traditionally used within Māori Rongoa — most often for Wound Healing, Skin Health, Fever.

See all 90

Showing the first 40 of 90 — use “See all” above for the full, filterable list.

Māori Rongoa

History & Philosophy

Origins

Core philosophy

Practiced today

Herbs, foods & remedies

Āruhe (Bracken Fern Root)

Harakeke (New Zealand Flax)

Harakeke Root

Harakeke Seed

Hawthorn (Māori Use)

Heketara Leaf

Hīnau Bark

Hinau Berry

Horopito (Pepper Tree)

Houhere (Lacebark)

Houpara Leaf

Inanga (Whitebait)

Kahikatea Berry

Kaikomako Bark

Kāmahi Bark

Kānuka (White Tea Tree)

Kāpuka (Broadleaf)

Karaka Berry (Corynocarpus)

Karamū Bark

Karamu Leaf

Kawa (Bush Lawyer)

Kawakawa

Kawakawa Berry

Kawakawa Poultice

Kawariki (NZ Passionfruit)

Kiekie Fruit

Kiekie Stem

Kohekohe Bark

Koromiko

Koromiko Bark

Kōwhai Bark

Kūmarahou (Gumdigger's Soap)

Kūmarahou Bark

Māhoe (Whiteywood)

Māhoe Bark (Whiteywood)

Makomako (Wineberry)

Mānatu (Ribbonwood)

Mānuka (Tea Tree)

Mānuka Honey

Mānuka Leaf Poultice

Crayfish (Kōura)

Eel (Tuna)

Feijoa (NZ Guava)

Gourd (Hue)

Hangehange Leaf (Geniostoma)

Harakeke (Flax Seed)

Horopito (NZ Pepper Leaf)

Huhu Grub

Kaimoana (Seafood Mix)

Kānga Wai (Fermented Corn)

Karamu Berry (Coprosma)

Karengo (Kelp Seaweed)

Kawakawa Leaf

Kiekie Fruit (Freycinetia)

Kina (Sea Urchin)

Kūmara (Māori Sweet Potato)

Kūmara Greens (Sweet Potato Leaf)

Kūmarahou (Pomaderris)

Mānuka Honey

Mussels (Kūtai)

Mutton Bird (Tītī)

New Zealand Spinach (Tetragonia)

NZ Mountain Daisy (Celmisia)

NZ Wild Raspberry (Rubus)

Pāua (Abalone)

Pikopiko Fern Frond

Pōhutukawa Bark (Medicinal Tea)

Poroporo (NZ Nightshade Berry)

Puha (Sow Thistle)

Pūwha Wild Greens

Rewena Bread (Fermented Potato)

Supplejack Berry (Ripogonum)

Tamarillo (NZ Tree Tomato)

Taro