Protecting Rongoā: Understanding the Importance of Cultural and Legal Protections
Introduction
In a world increasingly dominated by modern medicine, the value of traditional healing practices often gets overshadowed. Rongoā, the traditional Māori healing system, remains a vital part of New Zealand’s cultural heritage and healthcare landscape. However, the protection and secrecy surrounding some aspects of rongoā, such as the ingredients in specific remedies, are not merely a matter of tradition but a necessity driven by historical, cultural, and legal reasons. This blog post delves into the reasons behind the non-disclosure of native leaf extracts in rongoā recipes, examining the Tohunga Suppression Act, The Therapeutics Bill, Mātauranga Māori, colonisation, intellectual property, and the Wai 262 claim.
The Tohunga Suppression Act
The Tohunga Suppression Act of 1907 was a legislative measure by the New Zealand government that sought to undermine and eventually eradicate traditional Māori healing practices. This Act was part of broader colonial efforts to assimilate Māori into European ways of life, which included dismissing and devaluing Mātauranga Māori—Māori knowledge and wisdom. The Act targeted tohunga, the traditional Māori healers, criminalising their practices and thus disrupting the transmission of traditional healing knowledge from one generation to the next.
This historical context is crucial in understanding the contemporary reluctance to disclose specific rongoā ingredients. The suppression of traditional practices under the Act not only caused a loss of knowledge but also created a lasting mistrust in sharing these practices openly.
The Therapeutics Bill
The Therapeutics Bill, part of New Zealand’s regulatory framework for health products and services, includes provisions that affect the practice and dissemination of traditional medicine. This Bill aims to ensure the safety and efficacy of therapeutic products, including natural and traditional remedies. However, its requirements can sometimes conflict with traditional knowledge systems like rongoā, which are based on centuries of experiential knowledge and cultural practices rather than Western scientific validation.
For rongoā practitioners, the Bill's regulations necessitate careful navigation to protect their practices from being inappropriately scrutinised or misunderstood. This further supports the need to keep certain knowledge within the community to prevent misapplication or exploitation under regulatory frameworks that do not fully appreciate the holistic and cultural contexts of traditional healing.
Mātauranga Māori
Mātauranga Māori encompasses the body of knowledge originating from Māori ancestors, including traditional ecological knowledge, language, culture, and spirituality. It is a holistic approach that integrates physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Mātauranga Māori supports the health benefits claimed by rongoā and offers a perspective that complements modern Western medicinal science.
The integrity of Mātauranga Māori relies on the protection of its components, including specific medicinal knowledge. Disclosing detailed ingredients or methods could lead to misappropriation or misrepresentation, diluting the cultural significance and efficacy rooted in its traditional context.
Colonisation
Colonisation has had a profound impact on indigenous cultures worldwide, and New Zealand is no exception. The process of colonisation involved not only the physical takeover of land but also the imposition of foreign cultural values and practices. This included the systematic devaluation and suppression of indigenous knowledge systems like rongoā.
The legacy of colonisation necessitates a cautious approach to sharing indigenous knowledge. The non-disclosure of certain aspects of rongoā can be seen as a protective measure against the continued erosion of Māori culture and the exploitation of their intellectual property.
Intellectual Property and Wai 262
The Wai 262 claim, also known as the "flora and fauna" claim, was a landmark case brought before the Waitangi Tribunal that highlighted the need to protect Māori cultural and intellectual property. The claim addressed the rights of Māori over their traditional knowledge, genetic resources, and cultural expressions, emphasising the importance of protecting this knowledge from commercial exploitation.
Intellectual property issues are central to the non-disclosure of specific rongoā ingredients. By keeping certain knowledge within the community, rongoā practitioners can safeguard against the misuse and misappropriation of their traditional remedies. The Wai 262 claim reinforces the importance of maintaining control over indigenous knowledge to ensure it is used respectfully and appropriately.
A System of Checks and Balances
It is important to note that the secrecy surrounding certain aspects of rongoā does not imply a lack of rigor or accountability. Rongoā practitioners operate under strict guidelines within Te Ao Māori (the Māori world) and are governed by a body of practitioners that exists outside the conventional regulatory system. This body ensures a robust and thorough system of checks and balances, maintaining the integrity and efficacy of rongoā practices.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, it is the consumer’s choice to accept the reasoning behind the non-disclosure of specific rongoā ingredients. Understanding the historical, cultural, and legal contexts helps appreciate why such measures are necessary. The protection of Mātauranga Māori, the impacts of colonisation, and the safeguarding of intellectual property rights all contribute to the cautious approach in sharing traditional Māori healing knowledge. This ensures that rongoā remains a respected and integral part of New Zealand’s cultural and healthcare landscape, valued alongside modern Western medicinal science.
