Traditional Remedies from New Zealand

More than 200 plants were used medicinally by Māori. Harakeke (flax), kawakawa, rātā 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, 'Rongoā – 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