Cross-cultural Rongoā healing: a landscape response to urban health

Abstract

The growing interest in Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) and Indigenous worldviews has refocused attention on land and resource management systems as well as local knowledge of flora and fauna. As Western medicine often ignores the spiritual and mental intricacies of health, finding a balance between Western and Non-Western knowledge is vital to creating a culturally and ecologically responsive environment. This paper addresses the growing interest in TEK as a catalyst for urban landscape regeneration by incorporating the biophysical dimensions of place and environment. It explores the proposed design of a Māori Rongoā learning garden in a public space in the city of Wellington, the capital city of New Zealand. By identifying opportunities in designing plant collections and issues for plant harvesting, this paper aids the discourse on potential cultural collisions and strategies for both reconnecting with Indigenous people but also connecting non-Indigenous people to the natural surroundings.