Naming Explanations

Ratonga Rua-o-Porirua is the hospital of the Te Korowai-Whariki Services. The hospital provides inpatient services for the regional forensic service, the inpatient rehabilitation and extended care service and the intellectual disability services. There are facilities for 106 inpatients.

The different units, cottages and bases were named after Maori gods. In the beginning Rangipapa, the Sky Father, and Papatuanuku, the Earth Mother, clung to each other. Their children were not happy as no light could penetrate between the parents. Rangipapa and Papatuanuku's love was so great that they ignored their children's cries of discomfort and did not want to part. At length the brothers held a hui and decided to separate their parents. They chose Tane Mahuta, a god of the forest and all animals, to carry out the separation. Tane Mahuta placed his shoulders on Papatuanuku and his feet on Rangipapa and thrust Rangipapa up into the heavens and light flowed into the world. From this light, the dawn of creation evolved and this was named Te Atakura Raumati, summer emanated from this light.

Tawhirimatea, god of winds and storms was one of the others who disagreed strongly with the endless embrace of his parents. Great anger moved him and after following Rangipapa to the realm above, Tawhirimatea turned on his brothers Tangaroa, god of the sea and Tane Mahuta. Tawhirimatea sent winds down on Tane Mahuta and Tangaroa. Tawhirimatea himself came down like a hurricane and uprooted the giant trees of Tane Mahuta, which groaned and fell and lay on the earth to rot away, then turned on Tangaroa churning the seas into huge tidal waves causing Tangaroa to seek refuge in the very depths of the sea.

The youngest child, Ruamoko, also disagreed with the separation of his parents. He expressed his anger by throwing boiling mud and huge clouds of foul smelling steam into the air. He howled and shook with rage for many days until Papatuanuku folded her arms around him and sang him to sleep. Today, when Papatuanuku cannot sing Ruamoko to sleep he hurls red rivers of fire into the forests of Tane Mahuta and pushes ugly islands of molten rock upon the waters of Tangaroa.

Haumietiketike is another of the well known children of Rangipapa and Papatuanuku. Haumietiketike was hidden within the bosom of Papatuanuku from the forces of Tawhirimatea. Haumietiketike is the Kawai Tipuna of fernroot and uncultivated foods, which are symbolic in reminding us of the abundance that has been provided in the earth and the forest. Whakaruru is a place of safety and Manawanui a place of love and caring. Te Maara is the garden is where the soil is cultivated and there are new beginnings.

To this day, Rangipapa and Papatuanuku still mourn over their separation. This is shown through the rain that falls from the sky and mist that rises from the earth. Purehurehu is the rising mist as it lifts from the hills.

These are the names of our facilities and the Maori legend behind the names.