Te Rongoa programme launches in Tauranga

Bay of Plenty Community Corrections has launched a programme which aims to provide participants with the ability to recognise and care for a selection of native plants and gain a basic understanding of their healing properties.

Te Rongoa is the traditional Māori medicinal use of plants.

The programme is part of Corrections’ Work and Living Skills programme for offenders who are serving sentences of community work.

For six weeks, two groups of 18 offenders will spend four hours each week at Te Rourou, the local community garden at the Tauranga Community Corrections Site, where the programme will run.

District Manager Pauline Moran is pleased to see the programme get underway.

“This is definitely one of our more innovative programmes. I am thrilled we can offer our offenders yet another initiative to help them develop useful skills as well as a cultural connection, which we know can both be protective factors and help to reduce re-offending.”

Corrections will be working with others to provide the programme, says Pauline.

“This programme demonstrates our links with our community. We have a high level of iwi involvement in the programme and will have co-facilitators from the Department of Conservation. Participants will attend learning opportunities facilitated on local mārae as well as within native bush environments.

“There will be opportunities to continue education by attending the Department’s Tikanga Māori programme. This programme involves participants being hosted on a mārae for three nights and being immersed in Māori culture and protocol.”

The course covers tikanga – the correct protocols for planting and harvesting rongoa, as well as plant identification and properties. The first group are set to graduate during the first week of April 2016.

ENDS

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