Hōhepa Delamere
- Papa Joe

Hōhepa Delamere known as Papa Joe was a renowned Tohunga , healer and such a dynamic personality that every one who came into contact with him, loved him. Taught by his Te Whanau-a-Apanui elders, Papa Hōhepa was a renowned practitioner and teacher of Mātauranga and Rongoa Māori and his specialities included Whakapapa, Karakia, Rongoa Māori, Mirimiri, Romiromi, Takutaku and Rongomamau. He was said to have an extraordinary ability to retain and recall Mātauranga Māori and this combined with his career as a teacher meant it was only natural that he went on to teach and lead a team of practitioners of Rongoa Māori.
The people that Papa Hōhepa taught and worked with in the field of Rongoa Māori still continue to carry on his work today. They are Papa Hōhepa's legacy...
Kaua e tukuna te tapu kia maharahara I ā koe, me pupuri ki te whakaaro nui.
Hold to the sacredness and do not let go of the pureness that is thought.
Noho ki raro i te whakaiti engari kaua e ngaro atu.
Stay humble but do not be insignificant.
E rere nei nga wai ki hea.
Where ever the waters may flow.
Ka warea te ware, Ka area te rangatire! Hongihongi te whewheia Hongohongi te manehurangi, Kei a koe te tino rangatiratanga.
The unworthy shall fall. The worthy shall rise! Embrace your fears, Embrace your ambitions And you will be the maker of your own destiny.
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Ko te pito (centrality)
Tuwera ki a Ranginui
Ta maua ki a Papatuanuku
Pupuritia te mauri
Hei oranga wairua
Hei oranga hinengaro
Hei oranga tinana
Hei oranga whanau
Ko te tu tama tane
Ko te tu tama wahine
Hoki whakamuri
Anga atu ki nga tipuna
Hei oranga, mo nga uri whakaheke
Open and acknowledge Sky Father And Earth Mother
Grasp onto the life force
For our spiritual well being
For our mental well being
For our physical well being
For our family well being
Acknowledgement of our masculinity & male counterparts
Acknowledgements or our femininity & female counterparts
Taking a step backwards to acknowledge our fore-bearers
For the betterment of our coming generations.
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Kapohia ko te mohio, kia tau rawa ko te maaramatanga.
Gage your learning and you are always in enlightenment
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Ko te Iti kahurangi te rahi o te Ao
As vast as the blue sky is, the universe is even greater
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“From the shades of desert night
Coming out of sky blue flaming tails of orange reds
Destiny brings out the blooms
Showing us the ancient times
Keeping the rules of mystery
Healing the wounds of time passed on
Abdicating the throne but 'not the earth '
Indigenous to the plans of austerity
Manitou is the 'one and only"
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The key to Spirituality is living in the NOW
Overcoming negativities.
Remaining in neutralities towards all phenomena
Having faith, not belief
Making whatever you are doing fun
Papa Joe