Today, we spent the afternoon making Kawakawa oil for our balm and drinking Kawakawa and honey tea. We were surprised that we liked the taste of the tea and that we could actually make tea from Kawakawa leaves in our garden.
We started to make the Kawakawa balm from the leaves and stems of the plant. It's growing in our Rongoā Garden (Healing Garden) at school and by our worm farm. There's also lots growing around Tairāwhiti especially up Kaiti Hill. Whenever we pick the leaves, it's important to think about the care of the plant and it's future growth. Never take too much and whatever you don't use, always return to the base of the plant. Saying a karakia asking for permission to take some leaves and thanking God for this wonderful gift is also part of the process.
Picking leaves with holes is best - insects know best! What they eat is the most potent and this is what we want.
Making the infused Kawakawa oil
First you need to make the Kawakawa oil. You can add essential oils such as lavender or tea-tree for extra medicinal purposes but we chose not to as some people don't react positively to them.
Tearing the leaves and stalks of the Kawakawa, they were then placed in a crockpot with 1 litre of olive oil. The leaves had to be under the oil. Then the crockpot was turned onto the lowest setting possible and left for a couple hours. Each day we turn the crockpot on for 2 hours in the morning and 2 hours in the afternoon. We will do this for about a week to make sure the Kawakawa is infused into the oil then it will be strained through a muslin cloth into a jar.
We will let you know the second part of the process once we have done it.
Have you ever tasted Kawakawa leaves? It has a peppery taste and can be used in cooking instead of pepper. Make sure you ask an adult before you eat any leaves to make sure you are eating the correct plant.
Kawakawa balm is good for dry lips, skin irritations (eczema and psoriasis), bites, sores, and nappy rash. It's also useful for treating infections, and it is really helpful in reducing inflammation. Kawakawa balm is non-sting, so perfect for kids and any skin scrapes!
Have you ever healed yourself using New Zealand's native plants?
