Key Takeaways
- Māori built homes that were warm, dry, sustainable, and centered on whānau for centuries, with homelessness, damp houses, and overcrowding not being part of te ao Māori.
- The systems that displaced Māori from their kāinga still shape housing inequities today, and solutions lie in restoring Māori autonomy over how communities build.
- The Raupō Houses Ordinance, passed in 1842, was one of the earliest disruptions to traditional Māori building systems, imposing a £20 annual tax on existing raupō houses and a £100 fine for new ones.
- Māori-led solutions, such as papakāinga, already exist and may be the key to addressing housing inequities.
- Increasing the number of Māori in the architecture sector is crucial to shifting the sector and improving housing outcomes for Māori.
Introduction to Māori Housing
For centuries, Māori built homes that were warm, dry, sustainable, and centered on whānau. Homelessness, damp houses, and overcrowding were not part of te ao Māori. However, the systems that displaced Māori from their kāinga still shape housing inequities today. Professor Deidre Brown and architectural designer Savannah Brown have been researching Māori architecture and housing, and they believe that the solutions to these inequities lie in restoring Māori autonomy over how communities build.
Traditional Māori Building Systems
Before colonization, kāinga were self-determined, sustainable, and organized at the hapū level. Māori had self-determination over their lands, which allowed them to build homes using traditional materials like raupō, nikau, and timber. The building process was highly socialized within communities, with people knowing how to build and harvest materials in ways that kept resources renewing. This approach is now recognized as a circular economy. Whare were built in response to demand, such as a growing hapū or a new whānau forming. Misconceptions about traditional Māori houses, such as being cold, dirty, or unsafe, came from colonial writers. However, evidence shows that Māori housing was clean and well-maintained.
The Impact of Colonial Legislation
One of the earliest disruptions to traditional Māori building systems was the Raupō Houses Ordinance, passed in 1842. This law imposed a £20 annual tax on existing raupō houses in the main centers and a £100 fine for anyone building a new one. The ordinance was framed as a fire safety measure, but Deidre Brown believes it was more about protecting newly arrived British carpenters. The law had significant ripple effects, including the decline of traditional Māori architecture, the loss of access to wetlands and forests, and the movement of rangatahi away from their kāinga. Through the early and mid-20th century, Māori home ownership declined sharply, and whānau Māori found themselves at the "bottom of the housing heap," living in low-quality accommodation in the cities.
Modern-Day Housing Inequities
Today, Māori continue to face significant housing inequities. According to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s latest insights report for June 2025, more than 60 percent of those experiencing homelessness identify as Māori. Māori home ownership has fallen to 27.5 percent, and many whānau live in overcrowded and poor-quality housing. The designers of government-built state houses, which were intended to help whānau, reflected European nuclear families rather than Māori communal life. Standard layouts placed bathrooms next to kitchens, breaching tikanga, and put houses at the front of sections, leaving little room for pōwhiri, visitors, or tangihanga.
Māori-Led Solutions
Both Deidre Brown and Savannah Brown believe that Māori-led solutions already exist and may be the key to addressing housing inequities. Iwi architects and researchers at MĀPIHI are creating housing that is both culturally grounded and affordable. Te Māhurehure Marae in Auckland’s Pt Chevalier and Ngāti Toa are among those creating papakāinga that weave housing into marae life, natural environments, and cultural practice. These initiatives have done away with front yards and back yards, and people are closely linked to their wharenui. They have kura kaupapa, a community vegetable garden, and are creating their own supply chain. In many ways, it’s like what their ancestors had in the 19th century, but using modern technologies.
Rebuilding Autonomy
To address housing inequities, it is essential to rebuild Māori autonomy over how communities build. This can be achieved by increasing the number of Māori in the architecture sector, which will help shift the sector and improve housing outcomes for Māori. Savannah Brown also believes that systems need reform, including the possibility of a Māori building authority. There are huge misunderstandings at council level around tikanga Māori and whenua Māori, and some processes become absurd, such as marae having to seek resource consent from themselves. By restoring Māori autonomy and increasing Māori representation in the architecture sector, it is possible to create housing that is both culturally grounded and affordable, and to address the significant housing inequities faced by Māori today.
