Taranaki Base Hospital’s new wing has been named Te Rau Mātāpuna o Taranaki at a dawn blessing to mark the building being ready for action.
Te Rau Mātāpuna references the many pools and sources of water on Taranaki Maunga.
Te Poihi Campbell led Wednesday morning’s blessing of the $460 million six-storey building, which is now completed for staff and equipment to move in.
“Te Rau Mātāpuna o Taranaki speaks about our connection to our maunga, the health and wellbeing of our maunga, and the many pools and water channels that provide the health and wellbeing of the people on the land,” said Campbell.
“We want those waters to flow into those who visit this building.”
The theme of wai as a source of health and life had been used throughout Project Maunga, the 15-year staged rebuild of Taranaki’s main hospital, he said.
Tangata whenua would recognise the name, and large-scale design works built into Te Rau Mātāpuna o Taranaki by artist Rangi Kipa.
“Our people are attuned to understand the language our toi (art) brings, and we see ourselves in the language that’s presented,” Campbell said.
“Its bigger intention is about educating the wider community. How do they relate to this?”
The chief executive of Health NZ’s Taranaki Māori Health Directorate, Tamati Neho, said staff would be trained to share the built-in narrative with curious patients.
He said storyboards connect each floor’s function to the overall theme of Project Maunga: water as the cascading source of life.
“It’s ensuring that everyone who comes through the doors … wherever you may be from, that you also have some understanding of the significance and importance of this kōrero.”
South Taranaki District councillor and Te Kāhui o Taranaki iwi trustee Leanne Horo also chairs Health NZ’s local iwi partnership board, Te Punanga Ora.
Horo said the kōrero around the name, the striking carved pou and other cultural designs would entice people to learn more.
She said Māori input to Project Maunga grew over the years with “layers of our whānau” involved.
“It’s been a progressive evolving of people’s minds, of awareness, both within the health system and with the hapū and with Taumaruroa,” Horo said.
Taumaruroa is the hospital’s Tiriti partner group, encompassing Taranaki’s three waka and the hapū Ngāti te Whiti.
Kaumātua Hayden Te Ruki said for years Ngāti te Whiti wasn’t ready to step up as mana whenua in New Plymouth.
But he said throughout Project Maunga the hapū had been acknowledged and referenced.
“It’s about time we stood up, and we’ve been noticed – like the kōrero ‘he kānohi i kitea’, they’ve seen our face.
“We’ve got to keep maintaining that and upholding our mana-whenua status.
Hapū members also worked on the building, which includes the emergency department, radiology, maternity and neonatal, and intensive care, including high dependency and coronary units.
Project Maunga’s senior officer, Rosemary Clements, said in 10 weeks the building would be fully equipped for patients to move in.
“The next official opening … will include dignitaries, government officials within Health New Zealand, contractors, consultants, and the people who’ve been instrumental in bringing this build to fruition,” Clements said.
“However, in my mind today is the most exciting day and the most exciting morning … because it is our community who comes to blessings.”
Project Maunga hospital rebuild openings also include Te Huhi Raupo renal unit in 2022, Te Puna Wai Katea mental health unit last June and Te Hōpua Whakahauora cancer centre last November.
LDR is local democracy journalism funded by RNZ and NZ on Air
