"hey architect, ko wai hoki koe?"   Decolonising mainstream placemaking in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

The colonising of Aotearoa, New Zealand has meant, for the most part, that decisions determining the past and future of our cultural landscapes are made by distant ‘experts’ within mainstream practices. Around the world, many Indigenous peoples remain resilient in defending their centuries-old knowledge and their inherent right to determine their own lives in the places around them. Although Indigenous placemaking is not new, it remains mostly unexplored and commonly misunderstood in Western theory and practice. As discussions of climate change, spatial and social justice intensify and inundate placemaking agendas, Indigenous placemaking emerges as much more than a box-to-tick, providing an entirely different ontological reality of what placemaking is and has the potential to be. This thesis examines the relationship between mainstream placemaking and contemporary Māori placemaking. It assesses decision-making mechanisms and power structures within mainstream practice, questioning how placemaking kaimahi can better recognise the different aspirations of whānau, hapū and iwi. This thesis sought to capture and highlight the essence of contemporary Māori placemaking in te whare tapu ō Ngāpuhi, the far north of Aotearoa, New Zealand. ĀKAU, a design and architecture firm that works with local taitamariki in Kaikohe provided the centre point and case study for the research. In addition to this, several interviews took place with design kaimahi working within Northland. This research found that the many place-keepers and place-makers of contemporary Māori placemaking create much more than built outcomes. It also highlighted significant opportunities for mainstream practice to transform how its practitioners and processes interact with our communities. This thesis demonstrates how mainstream methods of placemaking and professionals who prioritise rules over people and process, fail to be active treaty partners to contemporary Māori placemaking.