An exploration of rongoā Māori (a system of Māori healing based on Māori cultural traditions) was conducted to ascertain the cultural values and beliefs of Māori, the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa/New Zealand, that are related to Māori healing. A Kaupapa Māori approach utilising Māori cultural concepts throughout the research process guided the overall study design. Semi-structured narrative interviews were conducted in 2009 and 2010 with 17 rongoā Māori healers. The rourou Māori method of data analysis, a 3-step process created specifically for this project, was employed to analyse healers’ talk about the underlying concepts of rongoā Māori healing. Two key topics emerged: concepts of healing, and the focus of healing. The importance of acknowledging Māori cultural values and beliefs inherent within rongoā Māori healing concepts and the focus of healing is discussed.

In Rongoā Māori (traditional Māori healing), the connection with the land stems from seeing Papatūānuku/Mother Earth as a part of our identity/whakapapa (genealogy), our culture, and our wellbeing. This qualitative study aimed to explore the holistic nature and meaning of Rongoā Māori. There were 49 practitioner and patient participants who participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups across Aotearoa/New Zealand. The findings showed four themes: land as an intrinsic part of identity; land as a site and source of healing; reciprocity of the healing relationship; and the importance of kaitiakitanga/conservation to Rongoā Māori. Participants shared narratives of connections between the people and the land that showed that when the land is well, the people are well. Implications of these themes for Indigenous wellbeing and the conservation and protection of our natural environments led to three recommendations to reconnect with the land, support Rongoā Māori healing, and to participate in the conservation and preservation of local land and waterways. It is hoped that in learning more about the connection between the land and Rongoā Māori healing, we begin to place greater value on the need to conserve and preserve both the land and our connections to her through traditional healing practices.