FMT in partnership with The Global Institute For Tomorrow (GIFT) brings you Covid-19 “healers” from New Zealand.
The Covid-19 pandemic has catalysed a renewed interest in traditional Maori medicine.
New Zealand’s indigenous healers are stepping forward to share their wisdom and help communities find hope amidst panic, fear and loneliness caused by the pandemic.
Their first focus is the land.
Donna Kerridge, descended from the Waikato people, is a traditional Maori healer, and a passionate advocate for traditional healing practices and their continued relevance for a multicultural modern world.
“In times like these we see ordinary people looking for something that gives purpose to their lives; something that is inclusive, inspires hope, brings to the surface the respective gifts and talents each person is blessed with, and reinforces for them that they belong.”
She believes that “knowledge shared with us is not for our own benefit, but done so in the hope that we will carry it on behalf of those who may one day need it”.
Ka ora te whenua, Ka ora te tangata. Heal the land and the people will heal.
Te Rawhitiroa Bosch hails from the northern Maori tribes of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and has partial European ancestry. He believes that pūrākau, or storytelling, is one of the most powerful connecting forces in the world. As a photographer, he enjoys harnessing this power by capturing not only the subject, but also the deeper story: the magic, the heart, and the emotion behind each moment to share with others. View his profile here.
‘The Other Hundred Healers’ is an initiative by the non-profit organisation GIFT. The 240-page, full-colour, hardcover book can be purchased here at US$40 per copy for a minimum order of 20 copies.
