ABOUT US
Traditional Māori Health and Wellbeing
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.
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.
Mirimiri
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.
