The name of the Porirua City Māori Strategy Maungaroa 2050 was gifted by Ngāti Toa Rangatira kaumatua Dr Te Taku Parai. The title references the anchor stone used by the famed Polynesian navigator Kupe onboard the double-hulled waka Matawhaorua.
The anchor is said to have been left by Kupe and his daughters on the shores of Pari-a-Rua (Porirua Harbour). Maungaroa is a significant taonga connecting Kupe to Porirua City and the landmarks of the region. The anchor stone symbolises connection, strength, resilience, and settlement.
