Maori Title

Te Tumu Whakaoho Mauri o te Ao Koiora

Te (The) (definite article) Tumu means a post or pillar that is used for attaching or holding things together (as is the name of the wharenui, Te Tumu Herenga Waka , or 'the hitching post or mooring place of canoes' - this same metaphor is used for the Centre). Whakaoho means to awaken or restore. Mauri means life force/essence - all things must have mauri to be considered alive, it can become dormant or under tremendous pressure to near extinction and can still survive or be restored by external intervention. 0 is of, belonging to. Te Ao (the world) is short for Tai Ao (the environment), also in the broader sense of diversity. Koiora means biology.

So the full title reads: 'the post/pillar restoring the life force/essence of the biological environment/diversity'.

We thank Te Ripowai Higgins, Taurima (Marae Services Manager), Te Herenga Waka Marae, Victoria University, for constructing the title and providing this interpretation.