Where to Start Hope and Healing with Donna Kerridge & Anita Sanchez - The Four Sacred Gifts Ep. 1

For the first episode of The Four Sacred Gifts Podcast, Anita Sanchez sits down with Māori healer Donna Kerridge for a conversation about re-connecting to Mother Earth and healing the land and the people who live on it. In this episode, Anita Sanchez dives into: Biodiversity and the lands of Indigenous people The interconnectivity of nature and humans Incorporating modern medicine with Indigenous knowledge How losing connection to Mother Earth and community can cause anxiety and other health issues The individual gifts that we bring into the world Being inclusive and finding our sense of home and belonging in the world Healing the vitality of people and place Talking to people, not corporations How laws will never change the lore that underpins human life Maintaining a balance between appropriation and welcoming others into Indigenous communities About Donna Kerridge: Donna Kerridge is a Rongoā Māori (traditional Māori healing) practitioner from Waikato, Aotearoa New Zealand who is deeply connected to our Earth and her wisdom. She is a humble advocate, healer and leader, passionate about Indigenous practices that focus on healing and restoring our people and our Whenua (land). Donna is able to walk with ease in corporate and policy circles, bridging Western approaches with Indigenous Māori approaches to enable us to bring the best of our collective gifts forward. She advises the New Zealand Ministry of Health to shape policy, lectures, and educates people of all ages in Rongoā, has studied Western health science and a range of Indigenous healing practices, and is a sought-after leader. “I want to remind everybody that we are all indigenous somewhere; some of us have just become disconnected. I think it is the job of all of us to connect to our roots, even if it is through the roots of the land that you now reside upon.” – Donna Kerridge