In the Te Urewara forests of northern New Zealand, the fiercely independent Tūhoe Maori tribe undertakes the building of a grand new meeting hall using radically sustainable methods. Their “Living Building” embodies the community’s deep and respectful relationship with their land and the persistence of their culture in the face of brutal colonization. Ever the Land engages with Tūhoe’s project at manifold levels – from labor squabbles to bedtime stories to the negotiations with the national government – showing the centrality of the environment to Maori tradition.

Directed by Sarah Grohnert and produced by Alex Behse. Presented with the Embassy of New Zealand