Information Report - Harakeke Medicine

Harakeke is a type of rongoa (medicine) that was used by the early Maori people. Did you know that some of these traditions are still used today?

Harakeke is a green type of plant, but it is also spiky and very ancient.
Are you aware that the smallest leaves grow in the middle and as they grow bigger they start to grow towards the outside. The grand parents are the leaves on the outside, then comes the parents and in the very middle is the baby, you must never cut the baby.

The roots of the harakeke are roasted on hot rocks and the leaves are boiled. Many people don’t know that the fibre of the harakeke can be used to sew wounds.

In the early days only a tohunga (priest) could heal with rongoa, because they had the authority and the power as well as the knowledge of what was tapu to prepare and heal the people . These days anyone can do it! Now that I have told you, you can try it!