Hīkoi for Healing represents a profound movement in Aotearoa New Zealand that blends physical walking with mental, cultural, and systemic healing. Because the phrase applies to a few different kaupapa, the term specifically points to the following prominent initiatives: Clinical & Cultural Research: Clinical psychologist Dr. Phillipa Pehi led groundbreaking research on using hīkoi as an intentional pathway to healing. Her work focuses on reconnecting rangatahi (youth) and whānau to their ancestral whenua (land) to overcome historical trauma.
You can read more about her research via the University of Auckland feature.
Photo: Dr Pip Pehi and Janine Copeland (Mahia te Mahi) just out of Hikurangi, Te Taitokerau during Hikoi 2020