Welcome to the Nelson Bays Primary Health Website

"Be well for all people"
Piki te Ora o nga tangata katoa

E nga mana
E nga reo
E nga iwi o te rohe
O nga Tai o Whakatu
Tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa!

We are thrilled to take posession of a new carving that proudly graces the front of our building.
This beautiful Pare, carved by master wood carver Tim Wraight , is 2 meters long by 250 cm high and carved in Matai.

The design of the work is based on the function and idea behind the principle of Primary Health Organisations. The idea of the organisation being the connection point and conduit between all of the various health services in the region.

The central face of the work represents the PHO itself. Two arms extend from this face to grasp the ends of two tongues which travel from the mouth of the central face to the ends of the work. This in effect makes two ≥infinity loops≈ showing the constant flow of information and dialogue between the PHO and the health providers of the region.

The left hand tongue is carved with the Takarangi design, a traditional motif which originally spoke about the separation of Ranginui and Papatuanuku and the light which flooded the world at this point. In this instance, I have used the design to show ≥enlightened thought and best practice≈.

The right hand tongue is carved with the Pungawerewere design. Based on the spiders web, this design has long been associated with healing and nurture. The small crescents carved in the spirals are ritorito or young flax shoots representing this concept of nurture.

At the end, this tongue is held by a Manaia mouth signifying mental and spiritual health while the other tongue is grasped by a hand signifying physical health.

Mason Durie - Maori Mental Health Resources available here: http://www.bewell.org.nz/mason-durie

Nelson Bays Primary Health is the Primary Health Organisation (PHO) for Nelson and Tasman.The purpose of this website is to keep you informed about what the PHO is doing to help improve health and promote wellness throughout the region. We are sure it will be of use to both the wider community of Nelson and Tasman as well as health professionals.