An Indigenous-led clinical trial in New Zealand is rekindling ancestral psychoactive practices for addiction and mental health treatment.
The hot summer sun beamed brightly onto Rangiwaho Marae (ancestral meeting grounds) in Gisborne. Beneath intricate carvings of ancestors in the wharenui (ancestral meeting house), a melodic karakia (ritual prayer or blessing) softly filled the sacred space. A small and focused group of Māori settled onto mattresses, their faces relaxed yet expectant as they prepared for the nohopuku—dosing sessions of psilocybin, a naturally occurring psychedelic compound found in certain species of mushrooms. They’ve been here before, but still, the anticipation for the psilocybin-assisted healing gently pulses through the marae. The connection between whakapapa (genealogy, lineage), matakite (special intuition), and the mushrooms is palpable.
These individuals are not here for recreation. They are here for Tū Wairua, a groundbreaking Māori-led psychedelic therapy trial designed to address substance addiction and mental health issues devastating Māori communities. A 2020 report from New Zealand’s Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner found that nearly 1 in 3 Māori experience mental illness or addiction in any given year—the highest of any ethnic group in the country. Tū Wairua aims to curb these epidemics and is currently in phase one clinical trials.
