Social media a lifeline during COVID-19

Social media and video conferencing served as a lifeline for whānau, hapū, and iwi. As Rangiwai and Sciascia (2021) explained:

"If it were not for these technologies and the online support given to whānau, tangihanga and the grieving process associated with it, the process of farewelling dead would have been left only to immediate whānau members and funeral directors" (p. 10).

While live streaming tangihanga became a solution for many Māori to share their grief, other Māori researchers expressed concern about the sacred nature of broadcasting tangihanga. Posting pictures of deceased individuals on social media platforms and broadcasting funeral ceremonies live was seen as a direct infringement of tapu. As Melbourne (2019) highlighted:

"With the public and accessible nature of live streaming, many believed it was not suitable to live stream such a tapu process. On the other hand, it could be argued that it was an invaluable tool for whānau who lived abroad and were unable to attend" (p. 87).

Lifeline or breach of tapu — that tension is exactly what this research set out to resolve.

Make it stand out

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, tangihanga were prohibited on our marae, forcing whānau to find new ways to grieve, connect, and honour their loved ones.