“Creating connection with each other and with the land. Love land. Serve people”
Contemporary Māori landscape design and visual art inspired by whenua
Meretuahiahi Ward – Landscape Designer & Artist
Storytelling Through Place | Rooted in Whakapapa
Meretuahiahi Ward is a wahine Māori artist and landscape designer whose work transforms environment into living narrative. As Lead Designer at Mere Ward Landscapes and Design Studio, she brings a distinctive, culturally grounded approach to every project, designing spaces that reflect identity, heritage, resourcefulness, and deep connection to whenua.
Rooted in whakapapa to Tainui, Te Arawa, Ngāi Tūhoe, and Te Whakatōhea, Meretuahiahi's practice is guided by mātauranga Māori and an intimate relationship with the natural world. She specialises in community-focused, meaningful spaces where design becomes a living expression of culture, history, and collective values.
Alongside her landscape work, Meretuahiahi is an active visual artist. Her art draws on Māori perspectives and the unique qualities of Aotearoa’s native flora and fauna, serving as a powerful medium to reframe how people see, understand, and engage with their environment and each other .
Through both landscape design and artistic expression, Meretuahiahi continuously seeks innovative ways to communicate cultural narratives and inspire more meaningful, respectful interactions with Papatūānuku.
Discover Meretuahiahi Ward at Oyster & Moon – where whenua meets artistry, and every artwork tells a story of belonging.
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Artist Origins
| Ethnicity | Māori |
|---|---|
| Tribe/Iwi | Te Arawa, Waikato, Tūhoe |