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PANI STORY

Charles Hingston - Ngati Whakaue, Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Whanau a Apanui

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Pani Healing Balms are the result of a calling Charles felt to learn as much as he could about Rongoa e Maori and the more he learned the more he found  teachers turning up to guide him on the next part of the journey. Health and well being of the local Rotorua whanau has been something Charles forbears have been keenly involved with over the years and forms a natural part of his heritage. Rongoa started as an interest and has now become a driving passion, Charles gathered knowledge of rongoa from tohunga both past and present and from different rongoa practitioners to create rakau  (herbal medicine) that really makes a difference.  Producing rakau for his whanau over the past eight or more years it was time to share these wonderful healing balms with a wider audience. Charles has teamed up with Kristina Habgood, a Business Consultant and Certified EFT Practitioner who shares his passion for natural healing, to make Pani Balms a reality.

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Rongoa Maori  is more than just the use of native plants in healing our whanau, it covers a range of healing modalities including Rakau (native plant medicines), Mirimiri (massage) Tikanga,( the way of doing things) and Karakia (incantation or prayer). It is a practice that is specifically for healing on a holistic, multi-dimensional level – encompassing spiritual, psychological, emotional, cultural, social, environmental and family dimensions, as well as physical health.

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Pani is produced with Tikanga and Karakia inherent in every part of the process, from a connection to the land and its gift of flora, to the connection to ancestors, their knowledge, stories and guidance, to the sharing with whanau and the feedback and support they give.  Sharing the healing rongoa and those that have been healed sharing their stories back to us grows the knowledge we have of these our unique native plants and their healing properties.

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All Pani products and made from as much locally sourced vegetation as possible. When going into the ngahere (Native bush) to collect plants thanks is always given to spirit and guidance requested. With all of the plants we use there are times to collect them and times to leave them to grow and regenerate. Causing no harm to the plant or the ngahere is a given. It is our  duty to nurture and care for the plants and the earth, respect and care for their environment and return what we don’t use to the earth.

 

When preparing the balms spirit is thanked and recognised as the essence of the  healing that is being shared. As the greater whanau use this Rongoa we are each connecting and sharing the spirit that connects us all.

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Rongoa has at its core - connection with the land, connection with spirit and practices that honor our land and we accept these as our core values.

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Reusable, Recyclable and Respect for our environment.

 

All plant matter is composted and returned to the land. Our jars and tins are reusable or may be returned to us to be recycled.

We want our business to support and connect with our community and are always working to find ways we can participate with fund raising projects and charities.

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