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New Māori names for our buildings

Buildings at City Campus Christchurch and Woolston Campus have new Māori names to reflect our commitment to creating a welcoming environment that contributes to the success of Māori and other cultures.

Our buildings will still use a letter signifier (such as C Block), which you can use to find a room (C122), but they will also have a new Māori name too. You will see the new names as our new signage goes up progressively across the campuses.

This project started with Whareora, our Science and Wellbeing Facility, which means House of Wellbeing, and continued with Kahukura, the Engineering and Architectural Studies building now under construction, which refers to a chiefly cloak and is symbolic of the mana (respect) that education confers on an individual.

We have consulted with our communities to find meaningful names that reflect our unique Canterbury environment and the fucntions of the particular buildings. Work is also underway to designate new names to the buildings of our southern campuses too.

To learn the new names, their meanings and how to say them properly, check out our handy pronunciation guide.

City Campus - Christchurch

       

PA

Paxus House

Pūakiaki

This translates to "cool and refreshing" and is the Māori name for Coopers Creek and Eyre River.

JZ

Jazz school

Tai Haruru

This translates to "the roaring tide" and is the Māori name for The Garry River, Okuku.

OH

Ōtautahi House

Ōtautahi House

Ōtautahi is the Māori name for the Christchurch area.

P

Broadcasting

Te Wahapū

This translates to "the river mouth".

U

Hospitality

Ihutai

This is the Māori name for the South Brighton estuary.

Q

Hospitality

Te Pātaka

This is the Māori word for storehouse.

O

Business

Kōtare

This is the Māori word for the Kingfisher bird, native to New Zealand.

S

Sciences & Vet Nursing

Tāwhaki

This is the Māori word for a deity associated with the pursuit of knowledge.

T

ICT

Taipari

This translates to "the flow" as it relates to the tide and surging waters.

N

Computing & Business

Tōrea

This is the Māori word for the Oyster catcher bird, native to New Zealand.

G

Management

Te Kei

The Kei is the stern of a canoe. This is traditionally the place where the steerer of a canoe was positioned to guide the direction of the vessel.  The position of this building also lends to the position of the Kei in relation to the waka form of Te Puna Wanaka. It is the place where the people of prominence were positioned in a canoe.

ALX

Student Hub

Rakaia

This is based on the Rakaia River in Mid Canterbury.

TM

Te Puna Wānaka

Te Puna Wānaka

This translates to "The Spring of Learning".

CC

Childcare

Te Waka Piki Kōtuku

The canoe of our treasures

E

NASDA

Te Pūtahi

This translates to "joining", as in where rivers meet.

C

EAS

Tahatika

This translates to the pathway alongside a river

R

Whareora

Whareora

This is a combination of the Māori words for ‘house’ (Whare) and for ‘wellbeing’ (Ora).

DL

Lecture theatre

Tuawera

This is the Māori name for Shag Rock at Sumner.

K

EAS

Kahukura

This is a Māori word that refers to a chiefly cloak, a rainbow, and a deity associated with the Cashmere Hills, which the building looks towards.

DL

Design & Arts

Marokura

This is the name for a deity associated with the eastern coast of the South Island.

Woolston Campus

       

VF

Student Services Centre

Ōpāwaho

This is the Māori name for the Heathcote River that runs through Christchurch.

V

Staff / Electrical/ Joinery/ Furniture/ TPP

Te Araka

This translates to "the bridge", and is a previous name for the Māori Trades Hostel.

VE

Engineering/ Automotive/ Trades hall/ Carpentry

Te Kaihaka

This translates to "the creator", and is a previous name for the Māori Trades Hostel.

VP

Plumbing/ plasterboard/ high voltage

Marunui

This translates to "large shelter".

VC

Carpentry Barn

Tāwharau

This translates to "sheltered haven".