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More than 200 plants were used medicinally by MÄori. Harakeke (flax), kawakawa, rÄtÄ and koromiko had many recorded uses.
Harakeke (flax)
- The leaf or root was pulped, heated and put on boils.
- The hard part of the leaf was used as a splint.
- Umbilical cords were tied with scraped flax.
- Sore backs were heated by the fire and then strapped up with a flax belt.
- A bad cut was sewn up with muka (flax fibre), using a sharpened stick.
- When someone had tutu-tree poisoning, a flax gag was crammed in their mouth to stop them biting their tongue – or their throat was brushed with flax on the end of a stick to make them vomit.
- The juice of the root was used to kill intestinal worms, and as a purgative.
- (N.B.Tutu, and Ngaio were poisonous. Karaka berries were also poisonous but Maori cleverly perfected a laborious method of extracting the poison so that they could safely ingest them.)
Maori Traditional Medicine mentioned here:-
Rhys Jones, 'RongoÄ – medicinal use of plants', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/rongoa-medicinal-use-of-plants/sources (accessed 20 September 2016)
Full story by Rhys Jones, published 24 Sep 2007
