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March 12, 2026
#national: Dame Naida Glavish Raises Concerns Over Ash Scattering and Calls for Greater Cultural Understanding
Dale Husband
Posted On March 12, 2026
Download AudioA respected Māori leader is urging greater awareness and cultural understanding as the practice of scattering cremation ashes on land and in waterways becomes more common across Aotearoa.
Naida Glavish, a long-time advocate for tikanga Māori and cultural integrity, says the increasing use of natural places for the scattering of ashes raises important questions about spiritual, cultural and environmental values.
From a tikanga Māori perspective, whenua and waterways are not simply physical spaces but living entities with their own mauri, or life force. Glavish says introducing human ashes into those environments can disrupt that balance and create cultural and spiritual concerns for iwi and hapū connected to those places.
For Māori communities, many rivers, lakes and coastal areas are considered wāhi tapu or culturally significant spaces that carry deep ancestral connections. The scattering of ashes in such areas, even when done with respect or good intentions, can conflict with tikanga and the cultural responsibilities of kaitiaki who care for the health and integrity of the environment.
Glavish says many people who choose to scatter ashes are motivated by a desire to honour loved ones in meaningful places, but often do so without a full understanding of Māori beliefs about the relationship between people, land and water.
She says greater awareness and guidance could help prevent unintentional harm while encouraging practices that respect both cultural values and environmental wellbeing.
Glavish believes councils, funeral directors and government agencies have an important role to play in helping educate the public about the cultural sensitivities involved. Working alongside iwi and hapū, local authorities could help identify appropriate locations and provide clearer guidance about where ash scattering may be inappropriate due to cultural or environmental reasons.
Some councils have already begun developing policies that encourage consultation with mana whenua before decisions are made about ash scattering in public spaces. However, Glavish says a more consistent national approach may be needed to ensure tikanga Māori is properly recognised across the country.
A culturally grounded framework could involve clear guidance developed with iwi, alongside public education campaigns explaining why certain locations carry particular significance.
Glavish says such an approach would not be about preventing families from honouring loved ones, but about ensuring those acts are carried out in ways that respect the cultural and spiritual values of the land and waterways where they take place.
Alongside these cultural concerns, Glavish says Māori communities are also grappling with wider social issues, including the growing difficulty many whānau face in securing stable housing.
She says the rising cost of housing is increasingly placing home ownership out of reach for many Māori families. While owning a home has long been viewed as a pathway to stability and intergenerational wellbeing, the reality for many whānau is that the dream is becoming harder to achieve.
For Glavish, both issues reflect the need for deeper conversations about how Aotearoa balances modern practices with the cultural values and responsibilities that shape Māori relationships with land, water and community.
She says strengthening understanding across cultures will be essential if the country is to protect both the physical environment and the spiritual connections that many communities hold with the places they call home.
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