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Why Rata? The Rata Foundation is named after a New Zealand tree, the Northern Rata (Metrosideros robusta). This is a tree that grows up to 30m tall or more, with a trunk up to 2.5m in diameter, and with beautiful crimson flowers.
The tree usually starts as a windblown seed that becomes lodged in decaying humus and leaf litter, accumulated in a branch or trunk hollow of a large old tree. From there the growing seedling sends roots down to the ground, where it finds additional nutrition. The rata plant also sends “clasping” roots around the trunk of the supporting tree for extra security. Eventually the roots all join up to form one single trunk that surrounds the host's trunk. This takes a considerable amount of time, and eventually the host tree dies of old age, leaving a hollow inside the rata trunk.
The mature rata itself often ends its life because of other plants growing on it. During its life, it becomes heavily burdened with ferns, mosses and other plants. The weight of these plants finally brings about the tree's collapse, particularly during storms.
(More information about rata trees can be found here and here.) The Rata Foundation is like the rata tree. It's purpose is to sow the seed of holism right inside the "large old" conventional health care system, so that the holistic paradigm can gradually grow and take over, as the reductionistic scientific paradigm (the basis of contemporary orthodox medicine) reaches the end of its useful life. The conventional health care system will thus provide the structure for a radically transformed health care culture. In this way, health care developments won't need to be constrained by the more orthodox-dominated vision of "integrated medicine", nor will it be necessary to work towards establishing a separate holistic health care system for those who wish to go beyond the constraints of conventional biomedical reductionism.
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