Photo: ĀKI Innovations Ltd (ĀKI) kaimahi with whānau
Our Whānau Voice results consistently highlight that wāhine Māori are seeking not only more Māori health professionals within the system but also greater access to rongoā Māori as they navigate healing—especially from mate pukupuku (cancer). Approaches like this one, which place cultural safety, wairua care, and whānau voice at their heart, are exactly what’s needed.
There’s a palpable sense with this kaupapa that the celestial wisdom of our tūpuna has been drawn down from Ranginui, guiding the work with deep ancestral strength and presence. He Puāwaitanga is a hauora Māori wānanga series delivered by ĀKI Innovations Ltd who deliver rehabilitation, rongoā Māori and kaitiakitanga services within the Tainui waka rohe, created by and for wāhine Māori walking the cancer journey.
For many whānau, this powerful programme of He Puāwaitanga offered a profound experience—it was the first time they felt truly seen and heard as Māori within a cancer care setting. The aim of the kaupapa is to provide a culturally responsive service that acknowledges the barriers to fundamental and systemic whānau change.
Marlana Maru, Manukura (Director) shared feedback from wāhine on why it works. One said, “This is the first space where I could speak openly and be understood.” Another told her, “I felt safe here—to be Māori, to ask my questions, and to just be myself.” And another reflected,
“It wasn’t just about having cancer. It was about being alive, and being well, right now.”
These voices reflect the need for culturally grounded care—care that honours identity, nurtures wairua, and holds space for the whole person. Grounded in manaakitanga, clinical expertise, and mātauranga Māori, He Puāwaitanga offers wraparound care that centres the whole person—not just the diagnosis. Waikato-based, the programme weaves cancer support into a broader service that includes ACC injury rehabilitation and traditional rongoā Māori healing.
Leading the programme is Renee Wood, a senior physiotherapist with over 15 years’ experience in oncology rehab and lymphedema management. Using a bioimpedance machine, she is able to monitor tinana indicators such as fluid retention and lymphatic health—especially vital for those affected by node removal or cancer-related swelling. So successful is the kaupapa, Renee presented internationally at the 2024 World Indigenous Cancer Conference in Melbourne.
Co-designed and delivered by a multidisciplinary team from ĀKI, the initiative brought together a physio, social worker, counsellor, kairongoā and kaiārahi to support wāhine in culturally grounded healing. They facilitated workshops on rongoā and rongoā rākau, shared knowledge of maramataka and movement, and held space for emotional wellbeing in a safe and supportive environment. To enable participation, petrol vouchers were offered—particularly for those travelling from outside Hamilton—and nourishing kai was provided to meet the nutritional needs of attendees.
Culturally Safe Care, Centred on Wāhine
The first He Puāwaitanga wānanga ran as an eight-week series three years ago. Each wāhine participant was at a different point in their cancer journey—some receiving active treatment, some post-treatment, and some told there were no medical options left. They came seeking information, connection, and space to be fully themselves.
What they received was a safe te ao Māori space where:
- Physical wellbeing could be tracked and understood
- Individualised nutrition plans were developed (including for those on strict diets like carnivore or keto)
- Emotional and spiritual health was honoured through kōrero, rongoā, and movement
- Deep topics like intimacy, end-of-life care, and legacy were approached with honesty and aroha
A Whānau of Experts, Chosen by the Wahine
One of the unique strengths of He Puāwaitanga was the ability for wāhine to choose their support team. A truly transdisciplinary approach involving physiotherapists, occupational therapists, counsellors, rongoā practitioners, and social workers—with a strong belief in whānau-led decision making.
Most wāhine chose Renee for follow-up physiotherapy, but a few also requested nutrition support. This included working with a non-Māori nutritionist grounded in holistic philosophy. Wāhine learned to align their nourishment to their body’s unique needs, with protocols that might include keto, high-fat, or low-sugar diets.
Others sought rongoā Māori support, including mirimiri, oro mauri (sound healing through the use of taonga pūoro). These therapies provided deep wairua release and support through vibration, rhythm, and presence.
At one-day wānanga, wāhine were introduced to poi movements paired with pao—a short song written by Renee’s cousin, in memory of her mother who passed from breast cancer. The pao spoke of anguish, transformation, and hope—offering a healing journey through sound and movement. Renee’s father even made kukau / porotiti from reclaimed rimu, which wāhine could take home.
Removing the Barriers, Making It Accessible
In most cancer care models, services like oncology rehab, physio, or mental health support are only available to those with ACC claims or private insurance—and even then, only if the right packages are in place. Most standard insurance doesn’t cover oncology rehab. He Puāwaitanga overcomes these barriers. With public funding from Te Aka Whai Ora, the programme gave wāhine access to the same care typically reserved for the insured—without the cost. It meant Māori were no longer left out of essential recovery services.
But funding only stretches so far. While some one-on-one sessions are still available thanks to a donation made to ĀKI by a private insurance company, the full group wānanga hasn’t been delivered since late 2023. The desire and need are still there—what’s missing is sustainable resourcing. He Puāwaitanga has shown what’s possible when cancer care is led by cultural safety, clinical skill, and kaupapa Māori. Wāhine left not only with new knowledge, but with strengthened relationships, tools to stay well, and restored mauri.
As we look to the future, Te Tiratū Iwi Māori Partnership Board strongly supports the vision of He Puāwaitanga to build a sustainable version of this kaupapa—one that continues to meet wāhine where they are, honours their stories, and provides the wraparound support they should have access too.