Now when you walk through the main entrance into Gisborne Hospital you will be walking under the ‘mantle of manaakitanga.’ A new pare (door lintel) has been installed above the entrance to Gisborne Hospital. It was blessed at dawn on Friday 23 August.
The pare has been carved by renowned local artist Simon Lardelli using a large totara log gifted to the organisation by Tuhoe. “Te Pare is one of the most important parts of a Wharenui (Meeting House), says Simon. A pare above the entrance is the right tikanga (protocol).”
“The pare symbolises the place of transition between tapu (sacred) and noa (free of tapu). When people enter the hospital, passing under the pare, they can leave all negativity behind and focus positivity around their health. This is something for everyone, not just Māori.”
The installation of a pare above our entrance has been a Hauora Tairāwhiti goal for some time. It’s about indigenising our spaces, says CE Jim Green. “It’s about people entering our place of healing in a suitable manner. It’s about breaking down barriers to getting health services by making people feel comfortable in this space. That is about equity. “The pare also signifies to Māori that when they enter this organisation, it is a safe place; that our staff understand tikanga.”
Pare are always a woman, says Simon. “This pare honours a very special woman; Heni Mataroa. She was a powerful and respected woman with whakapapa to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa iwi, Tairāwhiti and Tuhoe. Her mana was pristine.”
“The pare reflects a waka tete used to row on the river. It went up and down transporting kai. This one is upside down to provide shelter. Heni Mataroa also used to provide shelter. She raised funds and donated land for a children's home on Gladstone Road (opposite Mill Road). She was involved in the establishment of Cook Hospital to support the hauora and waiora of her people. This was no doubt influenced by her tireless work during the influenza epidemic of 1918.”
The log that the pare has been carved from is special, adds Simon. “It is totara which is good wood for carving but hard to find in this district. The log was retrieved from a river after it was washed up after a storm. It was found by a member of the Tuhoe iwi and gifted to Hauora Tairāwhiti for this project. The log was milled at Larsens Sawmill before being brought down to a workshop on-site at Gisborne Hospital. There is enough wood left for another couple of future projects.”
The totara log was not the first gifted to Hauora Tairāwhiti from the people of Tuhoe. Five years ago another log was gifted which was made into two carved pou. They now sit outside the entrance to a large meeting room Poutama.
“This is the place where we welcome visitors to our organisation,” says Jim. They pass through the pou before being officially welcomed onto the Hauora Tairāwhiti waka.