Samoan traditional healers' holistic approach, diet expertise, and spirituality attract patients

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2025-06-19 03:00

New Zealand; Pacific

Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Traditional healers have a key role in Samoan society, say experts who interviewed 14 Taulasea in Samoa and Aotearoa. The Taulasea said their practise has a deep spiritual aspect and they consider it a freely offered 'act of service', expecting only that patients commit to following treatment plans. Many reflected on the shift away from traditional food and active lifestyles, and their methods included diet advice, plant medicine, and prescribing routines. They emphasised active listening for a holistic approach to patient health, and recognised the potential of Western medicine alongside their practise. The researchers say we need a model of care where Pacific people can access the best of both traditional and Westernised healing.

Expert Reaction

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Professor Riz Firestone, Professor in Public and Pacific Health at Massey University and lead author of this study, comments:

Traditional Samoan healers or Taulasea, play a sacred, community-centred role rooted in spiritual duty rather than commerce.

"Semi-structured interviews with 14 practitioners in Samoa and New Zealand highlighted rigorous childhood apprenticeships, specialist treatments and strict patient compliance.

"Healers diagnose holistically, combining prayer, plant-based medicines, massage and dietary advice, and they act as gatekeepers, referring severe cases to westernised medical care.

"Present-day lifestyle habits that are modernised, reliant on processed foods and sedentary lifestyles contribute to surging diet-related conditions like type 2 diabetes and malnutrition. Taulaseas advocate a return to simple traditional diets. A return to strengthening collaboration between Indigenous and Western health systems is needed.

Last updated: 12 Jun 2025 2:36pm

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Declared conflicts of interest Professor Firestone is lead author of this paper.

Journal/
conference: Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: Massey University

Funder: This work was supported by the Marsden Fund, administered by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, under Grant [MAU090].

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