Historic moment as ACC Rongoā Māori Conference gets underway
The inaugural ACC Rongoā Māori Conference is underway in Rotorua, bringing over 450 participants together from all over the motu (country) to celebrate traditional Māori healing for the first ever time.
Collaboration and learning were major themes as the inaugural ACC Rongoā Māori Conference got underway, with a historic opening day at the Energy Events Centre in Rotorua.
Over 450 participants have come together from all over the motu to celebrate traditional Māori healing, including rongoā Māori practitioners, health providers, clinicians, researchers, other health sector professionals, speakers, exhibitors, mana whenua and ACC kaimahi (staff).
“It’s hard to believe we’re here, doing this with so many people,” says Donna Kerridge, member of the ACC Rongoā Māori Advisory Panel.
“I remember when we first started, it was just a handful of people inside ACC trying to educate people as to why rongoā Māori is so important to helping the kiritaki that ACC serve. To see this now warms my heart, you just want to hug and kiss everyone who comes in the door because we don’t often get a chance to gather like ACC has provided here.
“For us to be together, to talk about the challenges, to celebrate the successes – it’s beyond words for me to describe how far we’ve come in such a short space of time.”
Donna Kerridge, ACC Rongoā Māori Advisory Panel member
Achieving equitable wellbeing outcomes
Rongoā Māori is traditional Māori healing. It includes mirimiri and romiromi (bodywork), whitiwhiti kōrero (support and advice) and karakia (prayer).
We’ve funded rongoā Māori as a rehabilitation service for all injured New Zealanders since June 2020. In partnering with the rongoā community and other organisations to hold this conference, we’re seeking to support the understanding of the place of rongoā Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand’s health sector.
The goal of the conference is to increase awareness of rongoā Māori and encourage collaboration between health professionals for the benefit of kiritaki (clients) and whānau. This will support a deeper understanding of how rongoā Māori can support kiritaki, build relationships between clinicians and rongoā practitioners, and help ACC to improve access, experience and outcomes for kiritaki.
Supporting this event aligns with ACC’s strategy, Huakina Te Rā, which is underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi and commits ACC to achieving equitable wellbeing outcomes for Māori.
Eldon Paea, Head of Māori Health Partnerships for ACC
Building relationships and collaborating
“The ACC Rongoā Māori Conference is about bringing in rongoā practitioners, clinicians and health providers all under one roof,” says Eldon Paea, Head of Māori Health Partnerships for ACC.
“The aim is to build relationships, collaborate, learn and gain an understanding of indigenous health, traditional Māori healing, mātauranga Māori and tikanga Māori, and to recognise rongoā and its place within the health system of Aotearoa New Zealand,” he adds.
“It’s good to see an even mix of participants, we have about 200 rongoā practitioners and about 200 clinicians and health providers. There was also a waiting list wanting to attend this conference but we had to stop at 450 participants.
“It’s really good to see such a high level of interest, not only for Māori but for all New Zealanders and health providers, who all want to play a part in wanting to do better for all New Zealanders.”
Awhitia Mihaere, chairperson of the ACC Rongoā Māori Advisory Panel
More information
More information on the ACC Rongoā Māori Conference is available on the conference website.
