UDTR Global Rights of Nature Radar

Rokoā (Rongoā) Māori in primary care: supporting safe use alongside prescribed medicines

Identification

Public canonical key

doi:10.1071/hc26236

Authors

Brendon McIntosh · Joanne Barnes

Reported year

2026

Reported language

en

Source type

article

First detected

2026-11-09T19:04:47.779394+00:00

Last metadata observation

2026-11-09T19:04:47.779394+00:00

Last HTTP verification

Not checked

Institutions reported by the source

University of Auckland

Reported affiliation countries

NZ

Documentary abstract — original language

This article provides an introduction to rokoā Māori (Kāi Tahu dialect for rongoā Māori) for primary care clinicians, with a focus on use of rokoā rākau (traditional Māori medicines from plants) alongside pharmaceutical medicines.Rokoā Māori is an holistic system of healing grounded in mātauraka (mātauranga) Māori (Māori knowledge), tikaka (tikanga; customs/traditions), whakapapa (geneal ogy/kinship), wairua (spirit/spirituality), relationships and te taiao (the natural world).Rokoā Māori reflects Māori understandings of health and healing across physical, men tal, spiritual, relational, cultural and environmental dimensions.The Te Ao Rauropi model describes rokoā Māori as an interconnected system in which wairua and mauri (life force), people, tikaka and kawa (values and protocols), whakapapa, mātauraka Māori, te taiao, toi Māori (arts) and healing practices all contribute to wellbeing. 1 Rokoā rākau (plant-based healing) is one part of this wider system.Other healing approaches include: karakia and riteka (incantations); mirimiri and romiromi (massage); wai or hauwai (use of water/steam in healing); kōrero and whakaroko (listening); wairuabased practices; connection with whānau, whakapapa and whenua (the land); kai and māra kai (food and Māori food gardens); cultural practices, such as waiata, taoka puoro (Māori instruments) and weaving.[2][3][4] Several approaches may be used within a single healing encounter.Plant preparations can be assessed for pharmacological effects, toxicity or medicine interactions, but this should not be mistaken for an assessment of rokoā Māori as a whole.Similarly, commercial herbal products containing rokōa plants should not be assumed to represent rokoā Māori: preparation, tikaka, practitioner involvement and the context in which the rākau is being used all matter.2,5 As part of the healing system, whenua is the source of medicinal plants: it is connec ted to whakapapa, identity, culture and wellbeing, and may itself be part of healing.3,6 Research with rokoā practitioners and patients identified four closely linked themes: whenua as part of identity; whenua as a source and place of healing; reciprocity between the wellbeing of people and whenua; kaitiakitaka (kaitiakitanga; guardianship) as part of rokoā Māori.6 Healing may, therefore, include reconnecting with ancestral Rokoā (Rongoā) Māori in primary care: supporting safe use alongside prescribed medicines

Identifiers

OPENALEX

W7214119270

DOI

10.1071/hc26236

Documentary context

Documentary family

Scholarship

Source-reported types

article

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.1071/hc26236
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W7214119270

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

• openalex:w2114759478 · CITES
• openalex:w4285496535 · CITES
• openalex:w4415382078 · CITES

0 incoming references within the detected corpus

Documentary status

Relevance pending

Library

This identity is not yet included in the Legal Library.