A newspaper advertisement Dial a Tohunga has attracted much attention on social media. The elder responsible for the advert says, he wants to heal people, not chase money.
Meet Orsgona Tawhara. He says his mission is to help people.
Orsgona Tawhara - Ngati Ira, Te Whakatohea says, “My advert in the newspaper was to provide services for family homes that contain bad sprits, so that I can move them on. That kind of stuff.”
Last week Tawhara put an advert in the local Napier paper which read "Dial a Tohunga." He says the advert has attracted much criticism.
Tawhara says. “There were many who rang me. Some needed their homes blessed while others were just being nosey. Some also rang from Auckland, the South Island and Australia.”
Tawhara says he was brought up in the Ringatū Faith. He believes, his work as a priest was something he learnt on his marae of Opeka at the entrance of the Waioeka.
“My father, he was a tohunga. My mother was a seer. So when I was growing up, I learnt on the marae and that's where it all started,” says Tawhara.
Mr Tawhara says he will continue undertaking his work to bless many people’s homes and lands