FOUNDATIONS

RONGOĀ MĀORI

with Awhina Henry of Awhi Ora Rongoā

“Whāia te iti kahurangi, ki te tūohu koe, me he maunga teitei.”

Pursue that which is precious, and if you bow your head, let it be to a lofty mountain.

Nau mai haere mai, welcome

To our online introduction to Rongoā Māori, with Awhina Henry of Awhiora Rongoā and Tarikura of Āio the podcast.

A self paced course to explore wairuatanga (spirituality) and the practical use and application of native plants and trees.

We will learn about:

Wairuatanga (spirituality)
Atua Māori (Gods, Guardians)
Aotearoa’s native plants and trees
Tikanga (protocols, customs)
Karakia (prayer, incantations)
Whakapapa (lineage, history)
Patupaiarehe (faeries) & kaitiaki (guardians)
Work with native plants and trees

You were guided here for a reason, a whisper from our ansestors, a tohu (sign) from the taiao (the natural world) maybe a friend or whanaunga (family memeber) nudged you - what ever the reason, we are honoured that you have arrived.

Rongoā Māori..

is a traditional healing practice born from te taiao, the natural world and is rooted in Te Ao Māori (the Māori worldview).

sign up

Rongoā is the craft of weaving native plants and te ao wairua (the spirit world).

Rooted in Te Ao Māori (Māori worldview), Rongoā reflects a holistic approach to health, recognising the interconnectedness of our tinana, hinengaro, wairua, whānau, whenua (body, mind, spirit, community and land)

This practice is not just about remedying ailments; it is a celebration of life, resilience, and the profound relationship between people and nature.

Through Rongoā, we can connect with ancestral wisdom, fostering our tukiri ahurea (cultural identity).

Join us on a journey to explore the rich tapestry of Rongoā Māori, and learn how to support your communities health ā tinana, ā manawa, ā wairua (body, heart and spirit).

Meet Awhina Henry

Your kai ārahi (guide) and kai rongoā (rongoā practitioner)

Ko Hikurangi te maunga
Ko Waiapu te awa
Ko Ngāti Porou me Te Whanau-ā-Apanui ōku iwi
Ko Rahui me Kaiwaka ōku marae
Ko Awhina Henry tōku ingoa

He kairongoā ahau

Kia ora my name is Awhina and I was raised in a small place on the East Coast of Aotearoa called Tikitiki. Currently live in the Horowhenua with my partner and my son.

I am a Rongoā Māori Practitioner and I have been doing Rongoā for the last 10 years. I have a small pakihi called Awhi Ora Rongoā where I have Rongoā, do online consultations and teach Rongoā. I work in the wairuatanga guided by my tipuna, rākau and atua. Tikanga practices, protecting Papatūānuku and wairuatanga are my values throughout every part of the creation of my rongoā.

Mauri Ora!

This Introduction to Rongoā Māori includes:

2.5 hours of video and audio lessons.

3 modules with 7 video teachings each (21 videos in total).

A shopping list for materials needed to create rongoā (with a discount code).

Phone wallpapers to help you learn karakia

3 oro rongo, audio clips (set at the end of each module) to support integration.

Resources to find rongoā plants and trees.

LAUNCHING 9TH JULY.
INVESTMENT: $149.99NZD
payment plans and after pay available on request

Podcast episodes to support your continued learninggs

Guided journaling after each module.

This course is for you if…

You are new to learning about Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) or Rongoā Māori (the Māori healing modality).

You want to explore what Rongoā Māori is and parts of it’s whakapapa (lineage).
You want to learn about Atua Māori (Māori gods and goddesses).
You want to deepen your understanding of how to respectfully harvest native plants and trees.
You want to learn tikanga (traditional customs) around harvesting and storing rongoā.

You want to learn about the spiritual and medicinal benefits of six native plants and trees of Aotearoa.

You are curious about how to connect and attune to wairua (spirit).
You want to learn about patupaiarehe (fairies) and kaitiaki (guardians).
You want to learn how to make wairākau (herbal tea), solar-infused hinu (oil), and pani (balm).

Māori philosophies and practices are on the rise as we honor the struggles and sacrifices of our ancestors, who fought to preserve this invaluable knowledge. It’s crucial for us to re-indigenise our lives. One powerful way to achieve this is by understanding healing modalities rooted in ancient wisdom—gifts from the taiao, the natural world.
As tangata whenua (people of this land) and tangata o te Tiriti (people of the treaty), we are responsible for cultivating a foundation of understanding of Māori culture and philosophies. This knowledge inspires us to live in harmony with the whenua (land), the elements, spirit, and all living beings that call this place home. By embracing these teachings, we contribute to a more

interconnected and respectful relationship with our environment and each other.

Why This Work Is Important

“A beautiful introduction to the world of Rongoā Māori, guided by beautiful tutors. It lays a great foundation for those who have a curiosity for Rongoā. It has expanded my understanding of our spiritual connection with te taiao. It has deepened my desire to learn more. “
- Cayla Van Berkel

Rongoā is traditionally taught in in-person
wānanga settings

As times have changed, so too has our ability to attend these gatherings. There are many reasons why people feel they cannot attend wānanga in person.
Can you relate to any of these?

I live overseas and don’t have access to in-person workshops.
I’m so busy that I can’t find the time to prioritize a whole weekend.
I’m a parent to young children and can’t leave them for an entire weekend.
I’m not Māori; am I allowed to attend Rongoā Māori workshops?

I am still learning about Te Ao Māori and feel too shy to attend in-person workshops.
I am right at the beginning of my Māoritanga journey and might feel a bit out of my depth.
I'm nervous and don’t know what to expect.

This is why we created an online resource: so you can engage with this work in the safety of your home, move at your own pace, and maybe even have
your baby on your boob. ;)

What you will learn:

Module One: He Timatanga / The Beginning

In this module, you will meet Awhina, kai rongoā and your guide for this course. She will explore our whakapapa as Māori through the creation story of Ranginui and Papatūānuku. Awhina will guide us through the journey of Hineahuone, the first woman made of clay created by Tāne, and discuss how this story plays a important role in Rongoā Māori.

She will unpack what Rongoā is and explain common concepts like mauri and wairua. Awhina will also speak about tikanga (protocols) around harvesting and storing your rongoā.

Module Two: He Rākau / Plants and Trees

In this module, Awhina will introduce six different native plants and trees. She will discuss their:

whakapapa (lineage)
pūrakau (stories) associated with the plants
medicinal benefits
spiritual connections

The six plants explored in this module are kawakawa, horopito, koromiko, kūmarahau, tātaramoa, and kohekohe.

Module Three: He Pinakitanga / The Level Up

In this module, you will learn various ways to tune in to ā wairua, connect with plant spirits, and work with tohu (signs and symbols). Awhina will explore patupaiarehe (fairies), kaitiaki (guardians), and their roles within Rongoā Māori. You will learn how to safely make a wairākau (plant-infused tea), solar-infused hinu (oil), and a pani (balm).

Please note that materials are not included; you will be provided with a shopping list with a discount code.

Meet Tarikura Kapea

Your guide and facilitator

Ko Taranaki te maunga
Ko Wanganui te awa
Ko Te Ati Haunui-a-Pāpārangi ko Te Ati Awa nga iwi
Ko Putiki me Kauangaroa ōku marae
Ko Aotea te waka
Ko Tupoho te hapu

Tarikura is the kaitiaki (guardian) of Āio the Podcast — a space for in-depth conversations on holistic health and indigenous wisdom. She believes that healing is not linear, nor are the methods that return us to vitality and wholeness.

As a wāhine Māori, the journey of reindigenising her life has been deeply personal and profoundly liberating — a path she has walked through the healing crafts of te ao Māori.

While the mainstream medical system has advanced humanity in many ways, it often isolates those who do not fit within its philosophies.

By contributing her voice to the growing movement of holistic and indigenous health education, Tarikura hopes we may all become our own healers — looking to nature, our ancestors, and wairua (spirit) for collective healing.

Frequently asked questions

Yes! We encourage people to start working with plants during and after this course. You can create rongoā for yourself and your whānau. If you are eager to create a business or sell to the general public, we highly recommend gaining more education before doing so. Rongoā is a lifelong journey; only you will know when you are ready.
Everybody! You don’t have to be Māori to engage with this course. However, if you are not Māori, we ask that you hold this information with the utmost respect and work to understand that many Māori are on a journey to reclaim their traditional practices. You can be an ally to Māori by learning some of our ways and traditions (explored in this course). We invite all cultural backgrounds to learn about our sacred ways.
You will have access for one year!
We recommend doing one module per week. There are three modules, so it will take three weeks to complete. Each teaching module is roughly one hour long and dense with knowledge, which is why we suggest spreading it out to get the most out of integrating the information. There will be journal prompts and oro rongo (sound meditations) to support the integration of your lessons. So, you may have about two hours of hands-on learning for each module. The beauty of self-paced courses is that you can move at your own pace, so whatever your intuition is nudging you toward, do that! ;)