Arataki | In Progress

Overview

Arataki is a Māori whakanoa and farewell website that allows whānau to remember and release their loved one's wairua from the digital space. By entering digital memories through the form of photos and videos, Arataki provides a place to remove the tapu from their loved one's digital presence, allowing wairua to continue on it's journey to Hawaiki.

Arataki is a Māori whakanoa and farewell website that allows whānau to remember and release their loved one's wairua from the digital space. By entering digital memories through the form of photos and videos, Arataki provides a place to remove the tapu from their loved one's digital presence, allowing wairua to continue on it's journey to Hawaiki.

Skills

Brand Identity

Illustration

Year

2026

Timeline

8 Weeks

Team Members

Noah Wood Patrick Ng Saige Moss

Mystic Red Field Scene
Mystic Red Field Scene

Problem

In Te Ao Māori, death is not seen as the end of a person’s existence. Instead, it’s seen as a transition from the world of the living to the world of the ancestors. It is believed that wairua (spirit), separates from the physical body and travels north toward Te Rerenga Wairua (Cape Reinga), a sacred place believed to be the point where spirits depart the land of the living. Wairua is said to descend from the roots of an ancient pōhutukawa tree before continuing its journey to Hawaiki. This journey is acknowledged through tuku wairua practices that help guide wairua and support the living during the mourning process.  As people increasingly live parts of their lives online, their digital selves can feel closely connected to their physical identities. However, while Māori practices help guide wairua after death, there is currently no equivalent way to acknowledge or transition a person’s digital presence as part of that journey.

Process

Outcome

‹ From the Ground up | Adobe