Ongoingness Meets
Tamsin Kaufman
Medicine Woman, Naturopath & Herbalist at Wildfolk
Ongoingness Meets
Tamsin Kaufman’s journey weaves together a deep reverence for nature, plant medicine, and holistic healing, rooted in a life of travel, study, and hands-on experience. As a naturopath and herbalist, she cultivates Wildfolk, an apothecary born from her connection to the land, honouring ancient traditions and the wisdom of wild plants.
I was born in Georgia, USA, to a Dutch father and South African Mother who had immigrated from South Africa a year before. I had a multi-cultural family and traveled a lot as a kid, which opened my eyes to the diversity of the world, people, culture, nature and plant life. We moved to New Zealand when I was 9, and I grew up from then in Wellington. I remember being amazed by nature here.
When I was 15, I started working at Commonsense Organics. I met my first group of Naturopaths, and fell into deep resonance with the philosophies of organics and natural medicine. I worked there for 5 years while I finished school and pursued studies in Personal Training, following my passion for movement.
I then pursued Naturopathy as a degree, which led me to Auckland, where I began working part-time for Seleno Health. This collided with Seleno Health’s launch of ceremonial cacao, and the beginning of my journey working with the medicine of cacao, which expanded my heart far beyond what I thought was possible, and altered my reality forever. I was connected with various wisdom keepers of cacao to learn from, and within months was running workshops and ceremonies around the country - creating sacred spaces to learn and connect with the ancient plant medicines of the Andes, Maca and Cacao.
At the same time, I was connected to Organic Mechanic, and started working at their smoothie stall once or twice a month to meet like minded people. All through the whirlwind of Covid. Before I knew it, I was falling madly in love with the boss, who is now my fiance. I followed him back to Wellington when I finished my degree, where we now live on a regenerative land project called Mangaroa Farms with our son. I work here on the land as the community herbalist, which is the backbone of my work at Wildfolk.
Urth Apothecary was born in my last year of my Naturopathy degree, with the purpose to inspire change in the way individuals connect with themselves, and the natural world — restoring the fundamental, innate knowing that we are nature. The rebrand to Wildfolk is a reflection of my spirits unfolding, a woman’s journey from maiden to mother, and the organic transformation that has catalysed. It has always been my mission to align my work with the most authentic version of myself.
Wildfolk was born when my son was 6 months old, as I felt integrated into my new self as a Mother, she, who did not exist before. My purpose has deepened, with even more reverence for nature and life itself. “Wildfolk” refers to our plant kin, and our return to relationship to plants in the reclamation of our innate wildness. This is medicine for the untamed human.
My apothecary range is made from wild-harvested and organically grown plants. I have the privilege of living on a regenerative farm with a rich diversity of wild weeds and medicinal plants growing around us in healthy soils. I walk almost daily with my son, foraging different plants that I have come to identify and be in relationship with over the seasons. I’m constantly amazed at what I come across!
I dry the plants in my workshop, where they are then used to make medicine utilising the ancient folk maceration method. The herbal drops for example, are made with a combination of Mangaroa wild-harvested plants and organically sourced herbs, which are intentionally formulated and brewed with organic grain alcohol and filtered rain water, over 2 moon cycles to create a potent botanical extract. The brews are infused with prayer, intention and sound, and shaken daily, until they are ready to be bottled, typically on a full moon.
My work as a herbalist is rooted in a calling from the plants, this invitation from the untamed places of the Earth, to explore, and ultimately — remember. This calling has echoed throughout my being to remember that nature is within us and has the power to heal and transform life.
All cultures around the world have a unique lineage of herbalism, with a unique selection of native flora and therefore folklore and stories. Generally speaking, herbalism is rooted in The "Wise Woman Tradition". This modality of healing is considered one of the oldest known healing practices globally, dating back to ancient times where women were the primary healers in their communities, utilising knowledge passed down through generations, primarily focused on herbal remedies, midwifery, and holistic care for the whole body, mind, and spirit.
Often drawing connections to natural cycles and spirituality; this practice was largely suppressed during periods of witch hunts in Europe, where millions of women and men were killed and much knowledge was lost. But now this lineage is being revived as a form of holistic health that honours women's innate wisdom and humanity’s connection to nature & our plant kin.
Since working intentionally with plants I have received so much deep healing and incredible guidance and visions. I’ve been doing a 10-month herbal apprenticeship with the School of the Sacred Wild in the US, lead by herbalist Marysia Meirnowska, which involves sitting in meditation with a few plants each month, intentionally inviting the plant’s spirit to be present. I had a profound experience sitting with Turmeric, where I saw her physical plant growing in a tropical lush rainforest. Her flowers were so vibrant. The plant then came to me as a wise old Indian grandmother. She started bathing me, cleansing my entire body by pouring a bucket over my head and washing me with a sponge.
Plants have such powerful ways of sharing themselves with us.
I am getting in the habit of asking myself daily, what would be most nourishing right now? My current inquiry is how I can be a well-nourished mother. I am learning that it is such a multi-faceted goal that relies equally on time with my son, time alone, quality time with my partner, and the space to nourish my creativity by working on my craft. I’m reminded that the secret to a consistent future of nourishment is hidden in daily habits, and in the belief that it is all possible.
Being sleep deprived as a mum is challenging. A challenge that I could never have perceived the weight of beforehand. It brings me to breaking points, and each time I pass through another threshold and become more resilient. It has reminded me of the connectivity of the world, of all of us humans, as I lay feeding myself in the night remembering and connecting to the strength of the other mothers in the world doing exactly the same. I have come to believe that the backbone of all life is the mothers up at all hours of the night in devotion to their children. So this has been a gift of perception.
Life is not something happening to you. It’s something you are co-creating with every breath, every step, every choice. You are not separate from the world around you, you are part of the conversation.
I wish for us all to reunite ourselves with Mother Nature so we can stand in reverence and gratitude for this human experience, and continue to protect the well-being of our sacred home in return for all she provides for us. I wish for us all to stay connected to the story of a more beautiful world that our hearts know is possible.
• The Power of Now — Eckhart Tolle
• Women Who Run With the Wolves — Clarissa Pinkola Estes
• How to Change Your Mind — Michael Pollan
• Becoming Supernatural — Dr Joe Dizpenza
• Braiding Sweetgrass — Robin Wall Kimmerer
