Uncompromisingly unique: Tracing the origins of Waikūmete Cemetery in Auckland, New Zealand, 1870–1886

Abstract This article examines the development of the Waikūmete Cemetery, an understudied part of New Zealand's cemetery story. The cemetery's history leading to its opening is the main focus of this article to understand its role in the cultural and historical development of Auckland, New Zealand. The 1870s saw indecision by the Auckland City Council in choosing a new cemetery site for the city. The contemporary tensions and eventual decision, influenced by legislation, about the cemetery's siting will be discussed. Waikūmete Cemetery's unique context provides an opportunity to consider its history and role in the rise of second‐generation New Zealand cemeteries.