SeanChron | Melanie Cheung Hongis with Pope Francis

Māori Huntington's Disease researcher Dr. Melanie Cheung meets Pope Francis in Rome with a hongi. Image credit: via Melanie Cheung)

This is SO awesome! Proof that science and culture can coexist (though there is much history that still needs to be healed). Notice her small cultural protocol in the video when she enters the lab. She spent many years developing cultural protocols for her work to compliment the scientific protocols that are part of her research on Huntington's Disease.

Having met Melanie on several occasions, I could tell she was a game changer, plus she always did things in a fun positive way. Definitely my world's colliding too...paddling and Schuhplattler (strong Catholic traditions). Mahalo and Aloha to Melanie 🌺

Full article: Hongi-ing the Holy Father: The Kiwi who taught Pope Francis the traditional Maori greeting