A new Whakaata Māori documentary series is opening up one of the hardest conversations whānau can have — how we prepare for death, farewell the people we love, and carry their memory forward.
Death, Reimagined is a six-part documentary series from Māori-led Rotorua production company Jack Media, exploring the practical, spiritual and emotional realities of dying and grief.
Executive producer Nicola Smith, of Ngāti Kahungunu and Rakaipaaka, says the kaupapa is deeply personal and has been shaped by her own experiences of grief and supporting whānau through death and farewell.
Rather than treating death as something to avoid talking about, the series aims to create space for whānau to consider the choices available to them and have meaningful conversations before they reach a time of crisis.
The production is currently seeking whānau willing to share their end-of-life journeys, with the aim of helping others better understand the decisions, responsibilities and possibilities that come with preparing for death.
From tangihanga to new ways of saying goodbye
The series will explore six major areas, beginning with how whānau can take greater control over death and farewell.
That includes home-based tūpāpaku care, understanding funeral rights and costs, and giving families the knowledge to make decisions that reflect their own circumstances and values.
Tikanga Māori will sit at the heart of the kaupapa, with Death, Reimagined examining Māori understandings of mate, grief, remembrance and wairua alongside tangihanga, waiata, karakia and whakapapa.
The documentary will also look at how those traditions continue to adapt within a changing Aotearoa.
Alternative approaches to farewell will also feature, including natural burials, aquamation, eco coffins and other environmentally conscious options.
Technology is changing the grieving process too. Livestreamed tangihanga, digital memorials and online spaces for remembering loved ones will be examined as whānau increasingly maintain connections across generations and geographical distance.
Death touches every culture
While grounded in te ao Māori, the series will reach beyond one cultural experience.
Māori, Pasifika, Muslim, Indian, Filipino and migrant perspectives are among those being explored, highlighting the different ways communities in Aotearoa maintain traditions, farewell loved ones and preserve identity and belonging after death.
The final part of the kaupapa looks beyond the tangihanga and funeral to what comes afterwards — the ongoing experience of grief, remembrance, healing and returning to everyday life while maintaining a relationship with those who have died.
Broadcaster Stacey Morrison, of Te Arawa and Kāi Tahu, will host the series, with Kathleen Mantel of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa directing and Tia Smith producing.
For Nicola Smith and the Jack Media team, the kaupapa is about approaching deeply personal stories with dignity while making conversations about dying easier for whānau to begin.
Death, Reimagined is currently in production and is expected to screen on Whakaata Māori and the Māori+ streaming platform, with screening dates to be announced closer to release. Whānau interested in participating are also being invited to contact the production team.
In confronting a subject many people struggle to discuss, Death, Reimagined is asking Aotearoa to consider death differently — not simply as an ending, but as a journey shaped by whakapapa, tikanga, aroha and the memories left with those who remain.
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