The Harata Meretana Ma Charitable Trust (HMMCT) offers fee free low-cost traditional Māori healing wānanga for whānau Māori who are disadvantaged in the community, supporting the holistic health and wellbeing of whānau at grass roots level. All the wānanga projects have a clear focus on improving the negative health and mental health of Ngāti Kahungunu whānau who have long held the highest statistics in Aotearoa with our Rangatahi who are known to have the third highest suicide statistics in the world.

The majority of whānau who are part of the wānanga have suffered from intergenerational trauma, sexual abuse, domestic violence, spiritual imbalances, eating disorders, incarceration, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health disorders and suicide as the long-term effects of colonization. To role model the kaitiakitanga of Rongoā and Romiromi to future generations of mokopuna with the intention of preserving our ancient healing ways is encouraged as a solution to move onwards and upwards.

The wānanga tauira become strong physically, vibrant emotionally and alert mentally, many of whom start reflecting on their lifestyle and dietary choices, many of which show suicidal tendencies in ongoing eating disorders resulting in obesity and a range of addictions, many of which are life threatening. After six months of wānanga, the majority of the tauira have been become lifetime supporters of Rongoā Māori sharing their newfound mātauranga with their whānau and hapu. In turn, they normalize the ancient Māori healing ways in the home with their tamariki and mokopuna who are essentially the future kaitiaki of Rongoā Māori.

Empowering Whānau through Wānanga

Dr. Charlotte Mildon, Chair of the Harata Meretana Ma Charitable Trust, has long coordinated FREE Wānanga for high-needs whānau in the Hawke’s Bay community, specifically for those who claim whakapapa to the Takitimu waka. These wānanga represent a reclaiming of Tino Rangatiratanga (Absolute Sovereignty), enabling families to learn and implement traditional Māori healing practices in their homes.

A Bridge Between Māori and Western Healing Practices

With an understanding that so many whānau Māori will not engage with Western health services, it is hoped that the wānanga will inspire whānau to work with both traditional Māori healing rituals and practices alongside the Western health services that may work for whānau Māori. To date, there has been no such choice, but things are changing as the Tangata Whenua and the Tangata Tiriti stand united for the inclusion of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in Aotearoa, the inclusion of Te Reo Māori in Aotearoa and the exclusion of Rongoā healing rituals and practices from the Therapeutic Products bill in Aotearoa as these taonga belong to future generations of our mokopuna Māori. Dr Charlotte Mildon, the chair of the Harata Meretana Ma Charitable Trust has long coordinated FREE Wānanga for high needs whānau in the Hawkes Bay community for those who claim whakapapa to the Takitimu waka. It is our right to claim back our Tino Rangatiratanga (Absolute Sovereignty) to learn and implement our own traditional Māori healing practices in the family home.

Core Values and Aims of the Harata Meretana Ma Charitable Trust

The Harata Meretana Ma Charitable Trust has established the following core values to guide its mission and efforts throughout New Zealand. These values focus on empowering individuals and communities through holistic wellbeing and development:

To offer low or no cost healing services to those disadvantaged in the community.
To provide opportunities and resources to educate people towards personal and spiritual development and holistic wellbeing.
To promote, foster and support development in the realms of Wairua, Hinengaro, Whanau, and Tinana.
To run programs and projects that will improve the quality of life of participants.
To run training workshops in complementary health practices.