Te Ara Teatea Trust
Traditional Māori Health & Wellbeing
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Our vision is to grow and support individuals and whanau within our traditional healing practices, to feel empowered to embody our cultural and spiritual practices that directly affect their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
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Shop 59, The Tannery, Woolston, Christchurch
Located on the Boardwalk at The Tannery. Enter the main carpark from Garlands Rd, drive to the end of the carpark, and you will see us on the right. Look for our sign.
Text/Call: 022 369 6761
Our Rongoā Māori practitioners offer traditional holistic healing services that are culturally sensitive and embody spiritual healing.
Our vision is to grow and support individuals and whanau within our traditional healing practices, to feel empowered to embody our cultural and spiritual practices that directly affect their mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
Within Te Ao Māori everything has whakapapa and Te Arateatea is no different, our journey began with a remarkable man, Papa Hohepa Delamere (Whānau a Apanui, Kai Tahu) affectionately known around the world as Papa Joe was a renowned Tohunga and healer. One of the last to be born and raised in our ancient ways of whare wananga lore he was taught by his Te Whanau-a-Apanui elders. Papa Joe was a renowned practitioner and teacher of Mātauranga/esoteric knowledge and Rongoā Māori. He had an extraordinary ability to retain and recall Mātauranga Māori, was fluent in 17 different languages, could mend bone, and heal internal organs using traditional Rongoaa methods. All while training and inspiring others to unlock their sleeping potential. A number of students that Papa Hōhepa taught and worked with still continue to carry the legacy of the waananga and his mahi today.
Privileged to have trained under Papa Joe for 10 years until his passing, Ruatau Perez (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi) has been a Rongoaa practitioner and run wananga/workshops under Te Maurea both in Aotearoa and around the world since the year 2000. First introduced to mirimiri as a child by his grandmother and later training under Papa Joe in his 20's Ruatau continues to practice and share the art of our sacred healing traditions.
"It was an honour to have studied under Papas tutelage while he was alive and with my partner Hannah (Ngāpuhi) we continue to be guided by him through wairua/spirit. Weaving the threads between Papatūānuku and Ranginui, guided by the Whare Wananga Lore, Nga Atua/gods and our own Tūpuna/ancestors we are humbled to weave the ancient Māori philosophies into this modern ever changing world."
After settling in Te Waipounamu, Ruatau and Hannah were led to start Te Arateatea Trust in 2019 and open a Whare Hauora in Christchurch, with support from Whanau Ora and Mana Whenua who believed in our vision to give whanau a space to access and participate in Te Ao Māori approaches to healing, health and wellbeing.
Meet Our Pratitioner - https://www.tearateatea.com/meet-our-practitioners
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Mirimiri and Romiromi is a traditional Māori healing modality, that is used to whakatau/calm the tinana/body, hinengaro/mind, mauri/lifeforce and wairua/spirit. We shift trapped energies that may be causing pain and discomfort.
Within our philosophies all pain and dis-ease felt within the body has whakapapa, so we work to treat the catalyst to assist with long term recovery and intergenerational healing.
Mirimiri
Mirimiri being the tuakana - an energetic form of healing, which can be delivered in numerous forms; Korero/counselling, Waiata, Takutaku, Karakia, Taonga Puoro, breathwork, connection to wairua and Tupuna/ancestors, energetic and vibrational stimulation and shifts. Mirimiri is the non physical aspect and is the energetic alchemy that happens before the physical touch of Romiromi.
Romiromi
Romiromi is the physical aspect that is used to re-align, re-adjust, the physical body. Using our hands/arms/elbow, kohatu/stone or raakau/sticks to stimulate haemata and haematua which are accupressure and acupuncture points to shift and relieve aches, pains and traumas trapped within the body.
Private Treatments
A one off session, will uplift your energy and wairua. However for long term pain, illness and mamae a series of treatments may be required to shift and clear through the layers of trauma housed within your hinengaro/mind and Tinana/body.
1 hour private treatment with Ruatau Perez is $160 and other practitioners is $125. For children/youth/kaumatua please contact us.
What to expect
During your session you will remained fully clothed. We use a kaupare and a spray of wai-tai for spiritual protection. You will be encouraged to use your breath to assist in allowing blocked energies to flow. For some there will be an emotional release, and we will korero/discuss with you when and as things come up during your session.
Afterwards you are encouraged to take sometime in nature, rest and honour the shifts you are going through. Drink lots of water and you may continue to feel the affects over the coming days as your body recalibrate and re-adjusts to the shifts that happened.
ACC
We are an ACC vendor if you would like Rongoaa Maori as part of your rehabilitation plan, be it injury or sensitive claim contact ACC 0800 101 996 or claims@acc.co.nz and quote or Vendor number VBD612 to request Ruatau as your practitioner.
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Wellness Centre and Community Clinic
Established in January 2021, Te Arateatea Whare Hauora, is a space that offers a Te Ao Māori approach to health, healing and wellbeing.
Our Whare Hauora is open for everyone Māori and non-māori to be treated with our traditional modalities of Mirimiri/Romiromi and Rongoaa Wairakau/plant medicines.
Community Clinic
When: Every Wednesday night from 6pm-8pm
Where: Te Arateatea Whare Hauora, The Tannery (on the boardwalk)
Cost: Koha/donation
Every Wednesday night we open our doors to the public to come in connect and receive a treatment from our practitioners for a koha/donation.
You will receive treatment from our friendly experienced and training practitioners.
Please feel free to pop in between 6-8pm, write your name on the board and wait for your turn.
We welcome tamariki, rangatahi and honour our kaumatua - this can be a really affordable way for your whole whanau to experience the shifts and positive impacts Mirimiri and Romiromi can have.
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Workshops and Retreats.
When we gather in waananga we sit, we share and we learn from each other.
Te Arateatea Whare Waananga shares a number of teachings directly handed down from Papa Joe to Ruatau and these that have been crafted and adapted to ensure an interactive and stimulating workshop whether it be 1 day, a weekend or a week long retreat.
Māori esoteric knowledge has been held sacred for thousands of years. Our ancestors foresaw the changes to the land and their people that would unfold, so they safeguarded our mātauranga -our ancient knowledge and philosophies. Now is the time for more of these sacred teachings to be heard and shared. It is time for the wisdom of our Tupuna to empower us to heal and remember who we truely are.
Whare Wananga LORE governs all, and right throughout the world many indigenous peoples remember and live by the LOREs of nature, as they know the symbiotic relationship between everything. Our ancient Māori philosophies invigorate and stimulate our mauri and wairua into a states of awareness and deeper consciousness. They speak of our deep connections to Papatūānuku and Ranginui/earth mother and sky father. Whare Wananga Lore recognises cause and effect and the symbiotic nature that harmonises and restores balance. The quantum fields of Ngao/energy and Ihirangranga/vibration that shake and shape our realities.Examples of what we offer
We offer a number of workshops and retreats in Õtautahi, across Aotearoa and in Europe throughout the year. Below are examples of what we offer, dates for when these will run will be shared on our Facebook page.
Levels 1-4 Mirimiri and Romiromi
Principals, Philosophies and Bodywork series.
3 Hearts Retreats
Annual 10 day Retreat offering the principals of understanding our Puumanawa, Manawa and whatumanawa with life changing connections to heartspace.
Whakamomori/suicide/depression
A waananga around understanding these from a Te Ao Maori perspective. These are tailored to either social service/health practitioners working with patients/clients or for experiencing/suffering these conditions.
Haputanga and fertility
Preconception and Pregnancy massage and Oriori
Rongoaa aa Wairua
Tikanga and kawa around rongoaa, the taha wairua of Rongoaa.
Corporate Hauora
A Te Ao Maori perspective of wellbeing. Understanding energy, keeping yourself safe at mahi and balancing of mauri.
We often tailor waananga for different kaupapa around the country - so please get in touch if you would like us to create something for you and your group or organisation.
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Hapūtanga sessions offer māmā a sanctuary where they can completely relax, release tension, explore their relationship with their growing pēpi, and allow themselves to be pampered for a full 90 minutes.
In this modern day and age, wāhine hapū are often leading busy, fast-paced lives, and rarely have the time or space to truly, deeply connect with their bodies or pēpi. Our Hapūtanga treatments allow you to do that.
https://www.tearateatea.com/haputanga
Within te ao Māori, hapūtanga (pregnancy) has always been acknowledged as a tapu (sacred) state and time for wāhine and pēpi. Traditionally, wāhine hapū were always rightfully honoured as the carriers of the next generation and they were protected and nurtured, receiving regular rongoā Māori treatment throughout pregnancy. This was not only to ensure wāhine and pēpi remained physically well, but also as a way of deepening the connection between māmā, pēpi, tūpuna and atua. Any psychological, emotional, energetic, or ancestral blocks to a smooth labour and birth were identified, and in doing so, an opportunity was created for these to be acknowledged and healed.
What to expect
Unlike a regular romiromi treatment, hapūtanga bodywork involves massage. A specially prepared balm is applied to the skin, so māmā will be asked to undress down to underwear, and large towels will be used for comfort and cover.
Throughout the session, any tension, stress or blockages that may be present in the physical, emotional or energetic bodies are gently encouraged to shift as the legs, hips, back, shoulders, arms and neck are massaged. Pressure points are activated on the face/around the jaw, and the session ends with a gentle massage of māmā’s puku/kōpū, which also serves as a gentle massage for pēpi.
A purpose-fit hapūtanga table means māmā can lie on their puku - even in the final weeks/days of pregnancy - and feel completely held and supported while receiving treatment.
Māmā leave these sessions feeling more tau (settled), and often notice their pēpi relax into the treatment too.
FAP - Frequently Asked Pātai
P. From what gestation can I receive hapūtanga treatment?
W. Hapūtanga work can be commenced after 20 weeks’ gestation
P. What if I have a medical condition/complication of pregnancy? Can I still receive this treatment?
W. There aren’t any contraindications to receiving rongoā Māori. It is a gentle treatment, but if the condition/complication is severe, or you’re unsure, call/txt us on 022 369 6761 to have a kōrero before we book you in.
P. I had a traumatic previous birth and I’m currently pregnant. Can this treatment help reduce the anxiety/fear I’m feeling about the next birth?
W. Absolutely. During your sessions, your practitioner will be holding space for you to acknowledge whatever comes up emotionally/psychologically/spiritually/energetically. This is an opportunity for you to attend to your own healing and we encourage any emotions that might arise during a session to be expressed and released.
P. My baby is breech. Is this treatment safe for me and/or can this modality help to turn my baby head down?
W. This treatment is absolutely safe for pēpi in the breech position! We would love to support you and your pēpi to connect on a deeper level and explore why they might be breech. From here, we can discuss what might help your baby to turn head down.
P. I’m not Māori. Can I still receive this treatment?
W. Āe! All māmā and pēpi are welcome in our whare hauora, whether you whakapapa Māori, or your ancestors hail from the other side of the world. An open heart and mind are the only pre-requisites.
P. How many treatments will I need?
W. This is entirely individual and will depend on what you are wanting to achieve. For some wāhine, these sessions are about pure relaxation, whereas others may be coming along with a particular issue they’d like to address. There is no minimum or maximum number of treatments and we encourage wāhine to feel into this for themselves.
P. How much does a treatment cost?
W. We are lucky to be supported to provide all haputanaga and post partum treatments free of charge. If you are looking for a gift we do also have vouchers $150 for a 90 minute treatment.
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We are inviting expressions of interest for a new professional development programme for current (and aspiring) rongoã Mãori practitioners - or anyone with a genuine desire to deepen their connection with Matauranga Maori and self actualisation through Whare Waananga Lore.
Mentoring and Waananga with Ruatau Perez, a respected Rongoaa Maaori practitioner who trained for over a decade under the late Papa Joe Delamere, Ruatau offers a grounded and spiritually connected approach rooted in tikanga, wairua, and the guidãnce of ngã atua and our tipuna.
What will be included each month
In-Depth Mãtauranga Video
A one-hour teaching video from Ruatau exploring specific topic related to Rongoaa Mãori and deepening our spiritual connection.
Private Online Forum
A dedicated members-only online space for sharing experiences, resources, and insights with others walking this kaupapa.
Live Group Waananga
An online group led by Ruatau to wananga together with other members, allowing time for shared korero, reflection, and collective learning.
One-on-One Session with Ruatau (Premium Only)
A monthly I-hour personal session with Ruatau for professional development, cultural supervision, wananga, or guidance.
MONTHLY SUBSCRIPTION MODEL | SPACES LIMITED
Register your interest now to be among the first to receive full details on pricing.
Register Interest - https://www.tearateatea.com/professional-development
Meet Ruatau - (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāpuhi)
Privileged to have trained under Papa Joe for 10 years until his passing, Ruatau has been a Rongoaa practitioner and run wananga/workshops under Te Maurea both in Aotearoa and around the world since the year 2000. First introduced to mirimiri as a child by his grandmother and later training under Papa Joe, Ruatau continues to practice and share the art of our sacred healing traditions.
"It was an honour to have studied under Papas tutelage while he was alive and with my partner Hannah (Ngāpuhi) we continue to be guided by him through wairua/spirit. Weaving the threads between Papatūānuku and Ranginui, guided by the Whare Wananga Lore, Nga Atua/gods and our own Tūpuna/ancestors we are humbled to weave the ancient Māori philosophies into this modern ever changing world."
After settling in Te Waipounamu, Ruatau and Hannah were led to start Te Arateatea Trust in 2019 and open a Whare Hauora in Ōtautahi.
