This research explored the motivations for developing Māori community gardens (māra) and their role in Māori health promotion. Using a Kaupapa methodology (by Māori, for Māori), the researchers conducted interviews with 7 leaders of māra initiatives and analysed the data for key themes. The transcripts revealed that these people are motivated to develop māra as a means of empowering Māori collectives towards a vision of vital communities thriving as Māori. In particular, using ancestral lands for māra encourages people to feel inspired by a deep sense of shared cultural identity with those lands and to develop intergenerational links. The interviews described how the activities involved with māra link people with ancestral knowledge, customary practices and tribal connection. As land-centred community development initiatives, māra provide opportunities to practice Māori language and cultural processes within daily life, and thus help people to feel more committed to protecting cultural heritage as a resource for community life. The article notes that the underlying characteristic of māra, hands-on collective activity with shared decision-making, fosters social cohesion and collective efficacy. Such activity fits within the parameters of Māori health promotion and can help to achieve Māori health promotion outcomes.
