Leeann Warena has always known she carried a gift, even as a young girl she could sense people’s pain, sometimes before they even spoke a word.
“I used to feel things, aches in places that weren’t mine. Sometimes I’d tell my whānau what I felt, but they weren’t always ready to hear it,” she says.
It wasn’t until she enrolled in the Certificate in Rongoā Māori Level 4 programme at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa that her gift began to take form, leading her to pursue mirimiri, the traditional Māori healing practice using touch and intuition.
“The rongoā programme gave me the foundation, the tikanga, the reo, the mātauranga, to understand what I’d always felt inside,” she shares.
Through hard work, practice, and dedication, Leeann gained her mirimiri qualification and now works with a wide range of clients.
“That was a turning point. It meant I could start helping people properly. It felt like everything I was meant to do finally made sense.”
Leeann uses her growing kete of knowledge to provide healing through mirimiri, using techniques she has refined over time.
“I love that I’m still learning. Every person who comes through the door teaches me something.”
As well as learning from her clients, Leeann continues to grow her knowledge through study, having enrolled in the Diploma in Rongoā Māori Level 5 programme where she’s now learning to create her own pani (balms) and rongoā oils.
“Making my own remedies has changed the way I practice. It’s deeply personal and every blend is made with intention and aroha.”
Leeann sees her mahi not just as healing, but as a calling, a path laid long before she arrived at it.
“Rongoā has given me more than a qualification. It’s given me confidence, purpose, and a place to stand. I’m doing what I was born to do, helping people heal.”
