Reviving Ancestral Māori Traditions: Urupā Tautaiao and Modern Adaptations

Supported by the Marsden Fund Council, with Government funding managed by the Royal Society Te Apārangi, this research on urupā tautaiao (natural burials) is built on a decolonising agenda. It provides a significant opportunity for Māori to re-evaluate, reconnect with, and adapt ancient customs for modern contexts. The primary focus of this design practice is the restoration of graves in the urupā (burial ground) of Ngāti Moko, a hapū (subtribe) of the Tapuika tribe, located on ancestral land in New Zealand's central North Island. To prepare for the gravesite's development, a series of hui a hapū (tribal meetings) were held, fostering community engagement and participation in the research. The project drew on the expertise of oral arts experts, filmmakers, photographers, a master carver, and a master weaver. Positioned among traditional gravestones and using only natural materials, the gravesite is designed to reflect the natural beauty of the environment, enhanced with distinctive Māori cultural motifs. The gravesite incorporates low-maintenance native plants and three pou (traditional carvings) that represent pūrākau (Māori sacred narratives) of life and death, creating a space that honours both cultural heritage and natural beauty. This research contributes to discourses on Indigenous-led sustainable practices, cultural heritage preservation, and the role of design in the reconciliation of traditional knowledge with contemporary environmental needs.