Kia Ora Whanau -

Spring is fast approaching. The days are warming and the flowers are starting to arrive at last. If you live in Auckland, Paul Andrews is coordinating a healing hui at the end of the month to heal the community. Pauline Tangiora is the ambassador of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers. Keep reading for more information. Te Paepae Matua is a Ministry of Health iniative who are encouraging Maori Healers to form a collective in their regions but are they really working for the people whanau? Keep reading to find out why? I found a natural cough mixture recipe that really works and tastes good too.

Paul Andrews, a renowned Maori healing practitioner from Kaikohe, is answering the karanga to heal the community at the Awataha Marae Friday 27th to Sunday 29th August. It is awesome to be in the healing energies of these hui and there are all kinds of healing modalities available; acupuncture, massage, astrology, card readers, romiromi, reiki and the list goes on. The healing sessions will start at 9am on Saturday 28th August, charged at $20 1/2 hr and treatments will finish at 12:30pm on Sunday for a 1pm Poroporoaki. Any giveaways for raffles will be appreciated and food stalls will be available at reasonable prices. Click here for a map: http://www.awataha.co.nz/Contact+Us.html

The International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers formed an alliance in 2004 at the Dalai Lama's retreat on Panther Mountain to address their concerns for the state of the world and the urgent need for change. The formation of the council answers an ancient prophecy from many indigenous cultures "when the Grandmothers from the four directions speak, a new time is coming." Out of the 16 spiritual elders invited, only 13 accepted. The sacred number 13 coincides with another prophecy. Rita Pitka Blumenstein was 9 years old when her Grandmother said she would one day be in a council of Grandmothers and was given 13 eagle feathers and thirteen stones to give to them when they finally met. In 2010, these Grandmothers pool 889 years of wisdom and experience to rely on. Many of them came to realize they shared a united vision in signing 'protecting mother earth letters' in their respective countries: "We were here before the governme nts came and we will be here after the governments leave. It is not okay for them to go into our forest and patent our medicine without our permission. It is time for all First Nation people to stand up globally and declare our solidarity as guardians of our planet." The Ambassador for this council is our very own Pauline Tangiora Q.A.O. Q.S.M. from Te Mahia on the East Coast of Aotearoa. Each year Aunty Pauline attends hui where the council is hosted in different countries. In 2012, they are coming to New Zealand.

Te Paepae Matua (2008) is a Ministry of Health initiative put in place to support and sponsor Rongoa Maori practitioners to establish a collective within their region. Once formed, a putea was offered to all collectives to complete a strategic plan. Thereafter, another putea was offered to produce a set of Standards or Tikanga on behalf of all the people in that region. Some years ago, Nga Ringa Whakahaere o te Iwi Maori, a national network of Maori traditional practitioners, started working on a voluntary set of National Standards developed by traditional practitioners for use by traditional practitioners to maintain authority over their own tikanga and practices. However, the MOH (Ministry of Health) took these standards and posted them (unfinished) on the MOH website without permission, without acknowledgement, and without even a koha. Now many years later, the MOH have designed a Standards/Tikanga project and are offering to pay 15k to each r egion if completed within the specified time frame. Do you think it is tika to generate standards/tikanga on behalf of Rongoa practitioners who have not been consulted or have not given their consent? Are those presently working on these projects, a true representation of the Rongoa Maori practitioners in each region? I urge those of you who are, to think seriously before you sell out the rights of our people to the MOH for a putea.

The flu is everywhere. Nevertheless, it is a good cleansing on all levels and a time to rest and listen to the body. Remember 1000mg Echinacea and Vitamin C tablets are much better value at New World. If you have a cough, chop up some onions and garlic and place them in a jar of manuka honey. Cover and leave overnight. Remove the onion and garlic in the morning as the honey draws all the juice out overnight and makes an effective cough mixture that tastes wonderful. Well, that's all for this time whanau. See you again in the springtime; the time to plant new seeds.

Arohanui ki a koutou katoa.

Charlotte

http://www.aiohealing.com/

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