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CULTURAL PRESERVATION

RESTORING RESPECT AND ANCESTRAL MOUNTAINS

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND

As you travel, recognize the historical and cultural importance of landscapes for Indigenous communities. This is the case for ancestral mountains around Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand. These sites, returned to their original stewards, contribute to conservation and honor customs.

What's
changing

Around the world, many significant natural landmarks sacred to Indigenous communities have been lost, damaged or altered. Innovative management practices are emerging as crucial to their restoration and long-term survival.

What's already

possible

In Auckland (Tāmaki Makaurau), Aotearoa New Zealand, volcanic cones, known as Tūpuna Maunga or ancestral mountains, carry deep spiritual and cultural significance for the region's Māori communities. However, 70% of these maunga have been lost or damaged. In a landmark treaty settlement in 2014, the city returned 14 Tūpuna Maunga to Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau, a collective of 13 of 19 Indigenous tribes in the area.

Seizing

the opportunity

A 2014 treaty established the Tūpuna Maunga o Tāmaki Makaurau Authority, which is a co-governance entity between the group and Auckland Council. The authority manages the maunga and stewards them through a Māori lens. A 2022 project on Maungawhau/Mount Eden added boardwalks at the summit, a large gathering place and native plants to provide habitats for wildlife. The boardwalk, following the natural contours of the maunga, is made of biodegradable materials constructed above the ground to protect the environment and respect Māori beliefs related to the life essence and spirit of the landscape and archaeological sites.

Standout

tactic

The stone blocks used to build a nearby prison in the 19th century were quarried from Mount Eden. When several prison buildings were demolished in recent years, the authority returned the stones to the hill to restore the maunga’s appearance closer to how it looked prior to European settlement.

How

it helps

The treaty settlement is a step toward cultural revitalization and environmental stewardship. It ensures that heritage sites can be managed with a indigenous lens to respect the past of the area and preserve it for the future. Pedestrianization of the maunga has had no negative effect on visitor numbers, and volunteers have planted more than 22,000 plants at the culturally sensitive sites.

Diving

deeper

How can organizations ensure that a focus on enhancing tourism infrastructure, such as new boardwalks and gathering places, does not prioritize visitor experiences and economic benefits over genuine environmental and cultural preservation of heritage sites?

Increasing

impact

Aiming to have tourism in the area be respectful and meaningful, the Tūpuna Maunga Authority works with local businesses to improve what they offer and teach them about the site’s cultural significance and proper visitor behavior. The authority is pursuing UNESCO heritage status for the maunga.

Traveling

better

Travel is inherently carbon intensive. Whether you are taking a mini-break or an annual vacation, consider ways to minimize your impact by staying longer in one place, reconsidering how you travel to the destination, and supporting businesses that are working to make their community and the world a better place.

At a time when
humanity has become
disconnected from nature,
there are still some places that can help you return

home.

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VIEW MORE: CULTURAL PRESERVATION

RECLAIMING PARADISE

PLAYING BALL WITH PRESERVATION

VISITING THE AMISH

REVIVING RURAL, RETRO ARCHITECTURE

UNLOCKING ENCHANTED PATHWAYS

WADING IN THE WISDOM OF WATER

RESTORING RESPECT AND ANCESTRAL MOUNTAINS

CULTURE AS A TIME MACHINE

SNAPPING ANCIENT SITES TO SAVE THEM

WEAVING TRADITION INTO SOUVENIRS

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