Māori Midwife & Activist, Joanne Teina, on Trauma & Healing Through Traditional Māori Practices

This deeply moving podcast episode takes us on an emotional rollercoaster. I’m not in the habit of providing trigger warnings, but Jo’s raw sharing about the many significant traumas she endured, especially during the early years of her mothering life, are quite frankly, extremely difficult to hear. She shares about the postnatal psychosis she developed after 5 months of sleeplessness when her twins, babies number 6 and 7, were in and out of hospital after their births at 32 weeks. The voices in Jo’s head were convincing her to take her children’s lives, and it was only thanks to the insistent support from her whangai mum that Jo and her children are here today.

Jo’s Māori heritage is discussed, as she takes us on a journey from a childhood bereft of reo and all things mātauranga Māori, to the healing she experienced when her midwifery training and accessing rongoā Māori led her down a path of enriching self discovery. She shares about traditional Māori birth practices, and about the work she does in educating whānau Māori about tikanga in the Wānanga Hapūtanga that she runs. Jo also works for PADA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa), delivering Hine Tu Hine Ora education to those who work in the perinatal sphere.

A lot is covered over this next 90 minute kōrero with Jo. She touches on abortion, ovarian cancer, a diagnosis of infertility, domestic violence, baby loss, depression, suicidal ideation and suicide, impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), racism in the birth space, Havening, home birth, sexual trauma, and the power of tikanga. Do what you need to do to help prepare yourself for whatever may come up for you in listening to this talk, and ensure you have support around you, or someone you can call on if you need to unpack your feelings. 

Finally, before Jo starts our talk with a karakia, I want to acknowledge just what an incredibly courageous and generous wahine toa she is, sharing this deeply personal journey with us. It is with the utmost of respect and gratitude for Jo and her story that I share this episode with you all.

reo - Māori language

mātauranga Māori - cultural values, concepts and world views

rongoā Māori - traditional Māori healing

whānau Māori - Māori families

tikanga - Māori customs, practices and traditional values

Wānanga Hapūtanga - pregnancy workshops/classes for Māori

kōrero - conversation

wahine toa - warrior woman

karakia - prayer

Link to PADA (Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aotearoa): https://pada.nz/

Link to Wānanga Hapūtanga: https://etipuereaws.org.nz/haputanga-wananga/

Link to a website page that lists support services surrounding birth trauma: https://www.mybirthstory.org.nz/external-resources