Exploring how we die, how we farewell and how we remember
Death, Reimagined is a six-part documentary series for Whakaata Māori that explores the many different experiences and ways we move from this life. Our aim is to open a door for people to be able to talk about and come to terms with dying.
Tangi are the traditional way Māori commemorate and acknowledge our dead. But these days there are many different ways to honour death.
In this series we would like to explore different ways that people approach death, from the practical, the spiritual and the emotional.
We would love to hear from people who are moving towards the end of life, and who might be interested in sharing this sacred journey with us.
“Mate atu he tētēkura,
ara mai he tētēkura.”
When one fern frond dies, another rises to take its place.
How whānau are reclaiming agency over death and farewell, from home-based tūpāpaku care to understanding funeral rights and reducing costs, so knowledge and honest kōrero can empower choices that reflect our values and circumstances.
A journey through Māori understandings of death, grief, remembrance, and wairua: tangihanga, waiata, karakia, whakapapa, and the deep traditions that guide whānau through loss while adapting to a modern world.
New and sustainable approaches to death care: natural burials, aquamation, eco coffins, and returning gently to the whenua. We look at how environmental values and cultural practice are reshaping how we farewell our loved ones.
How technology is changing the way we grieve, remember, and stay connected, from livestreamed tangihanga to digital memorials and online remembrance, reshaping mourning across generations and distances.
How diverse communities maintain and adapt their farewell traditions: Māori, Pasifika, Muslim, Indian, Filipino, and migrant perspectives on identity, belonging, and honouring loved ones far from home.
What happens after the farewell, when the world keeps moving: grief, remembrance, healing, returning to everyday life, and the many ways we continue our relationship with those we have lost.
A Māori-led production company committed to storytelling that uplifts people, communities, and kaupapa with dignity, care, and authenticity, creating space for connection, reflection, and the conversations that matter.
Executive Producer
Ngāti Kahungunu, Rakaipaaka
A producer, director, and founder of Jack Media, based in Rotorua. Death, Reimagined is deeply personal for Nicola, shaped by lived experience of grief and of supporting whānau through death and farewell. Her work meets people and kaupapa with care, dignity, and humanity.
Producer
Ngāti Kea, Ngāti Tuara
A producer and project manager whose work centres community, connection, and meaningful storytelling. As Producer, Tia brings warmth and a strong focus on participant wellbeing, creating safe spaces for honest conversations around death, grief, and remembrance.
Series Host
Te Arawa, Kāi Tahu
One of Aotearoa’s most respected broadcasters and a trusted voice in Māori media. Grounded in tikanga and lived experience, Stacey gently guides audiences through deeply personal stories, helping people feel safe, seen, and understood.
Director
Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa
A director and storyteller drawn to intimate, human-centred documentary. Kathleen holds the balance between vulnerability, dignity, and story, so whānau can share in their own way, and at their own pace.
We invite you to share your thoughts, experiences, questions or reflections on this journey.
Please get in touch even just for a short kōrero.
Ngā mihi nui
hello@jackmedia.co.nz