In New Zealand’s rugged Te Urewera rainforest, the Ngāi Tūhoe tribe have always fought for self-determination. Now they’re legal guardians of their land—but there are challenges ahead.
Ngāi Tūhoe have always been staunchly independent. When the country was colonised in the nineteenth century, the Indigenous iwi (tribe) remained apart, having little contact with European settlers. Despite the New Zealand government’s often-violent attempts to assimilate them and dispossess them of their land, Tūhoe retained their strong Māori identity, language, and some of their traditional lands, nestled in the steep, remote ranges of Aotearoa New Zealand’s North Island.
In 2014, a world-first law brought an end to government ownership of Te Urewera National Park and recognised the Ngāi Tūhoe people as the rainforest’s legal guardians. It also recognised the rainforest as a legal entity with the same legal rights as a person.
This project documents Tūhoe’s relationship with Te Urewera during the 10-year anniversary of the government returning its land. There have been many challenges for Tūhoe during this time; the first and most important goal was to establish a mutual reconnection between the people and Te Urewera. Tūhoe are preparing the reopening of Te Urewera to the public in early 2024 with the new vision and aspirations for their living ancestor.