Designs for the cultural foundation framework of the Sir Howard Morrison Centre. Photo / Rotorua Lakes Council
Designs for the cultural foundation framework of the Sir Howard Morrison Centre. Photo / Rotorua Lakes Council
Rotorua's Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre will change its name to the Sir Howard Morrison Centre.
The name change was announced at a Rotorua Lakes Council Operations and Monitoring committee meeting on Thursday.
In the meeting, council community wellbeing programme manager Aimee McGregor said the name change was aimed at shortening the name for practical reasons, such as fitting the name on ticket stubs.
The building has been undergoing a renovation and restoration project that began in October 2020. It is expected to reopen in August or September.
McGregor said the project's cultural kaitiaki group Te Pae Arataki had discussed the centre's name and wanted to make sure the name was correct before the reopening.
She said it had been a thorough process with the Morrison whānau and Ngāti Whakaue.
"The centre name needs to remain as the Sir Howard Morrison centre in honour of his legacy. However, the full name, Sir Howard Morrison Performing Arts Centre is quite a long mouthful, a little bit tricky in comms and marketing and to fit on the ticket."
She said it was often shortened to its acronym – SHMPAC - "which doesn't reflect the honour of the legacy".
She said the focus of the centre would still be the performing arts.
Independent cultural consultant Mataia Keepa – part of the wider Morrison whānau – said within Te Arawa Morrison had been known as "Hauata" and this name was the inspiration for new names for spaces within the centre.
Keepa said Hauata was a translation of Howard but it also referred to fresh morning winds and this concept, applied to the centre, was intended to refer to the "coming together of multiple winds" - people coming together at the centre and sharing stories.
The main foyer would be called Te Haumihi, the bar and cafe te Kauhaukai – a feast, the cafe lawn Te Kapo Hau – a place to catch one's breath, and the new black box theatre Te Haumako – fertile land.
The main theatre would be called Matangi Rau/the Sir Owen Glenn Theatre. The name was based on a Te Arawa whakataukī (proverb) "Rotorua matangi rau" - which refers to different winds of Rotorua.
Rangitiaria Tibble, who was on Te Pae Arataki and also a Te Tatau o Te Arawa Ngāti Whakaue board representative, said the names were not "only names, they're whakapapa".
"There's so much richness within the names that have been bestowed."
She said it was important the public and guests understood the stories behind the names.
The committee was also shown cultural foundation artworks planned for the building, which were designed by Ngāti Whakaue art and design specialist Henriata Nicholas – also part of the Morrison whānau.
Artists' impression of the completed exterior of the building. Photo / Rotorua Lakes Council
Nicholas' designs included a blue and green pohuro pattern in glass in the building's foyer.
She said the pattern selected was "very Ngāti Whakaue".
Nicholas said it depicted an outward movement "visualising how inspiration can motivate movement towards a positive result".
"For this centre, it means inspiring new work, new artists to be creative and take new forward steps."
The glazing would also act as a shield from direct sunlight near the top of the foyer's glass entrance, she said.
On the doors into the centre, Nicholas had devised a Te Arawa pattern that depicted "heartbeat movement", referring to "the beating heart of our tūpuna". It also helped meet health and safety requirements.
Rotorua mayor Steve Chadwick said the presentation was "phenomenal".
Councillor Trevor Maxwell said anticipation was building now the building was beginning to take shape from the outside, and seeing what the completed building would look like had got him "excited".
Councillor Merepeka Raukawa-Tait said Sir Howard Morrison "wasn't just a proud son of Te Arawa, he wasn't just a proud Ngāti Whakaue member, but he was a significant rangatira for Aotearoa".
She said she was pleased the Sir Howard Morrison part of the centre's name was retained.
The centre was closed in November 2017 after it was found to be earthquake-prone.
