Most families and individuals choose a traditional burial service based around personal, religious and cultural preferences. Commonly, this leads to an in-ground burial, cremation or perhaps an environmentally friendly choice, which is time sensitive and where the body is placed in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. Evaluating the costs, including the burial plot, casket, headstone, and ongoing maintenance, are also considerations.
However, there are less traditional options available: Ever thought of burying a loved one at home? This is an option, providing the private land was used as a burial ground before 1 April 1965, when the Burial and Cremation Act 1964 took effect, or there is no public cemetery available within 32 kilometres of where the person died. If anyone is intending to bury a body on private land, they must first get permission from the District Court. Burial at sea may be a fitting option when the ocean has played a special part in a person’s life or career.
The Environmental Protection Agency administers the exclusive economic zone, which is 12 to 200 nautical miles off shore. There are five designated EPA areas where burial at sea is permitted – the nearest one to Mahurangi is east of Cape Reinga. There will be special requirements, which a funeral director will be able to explain.
It should be noted, however, that Māori consider burial at sea inappropriate. Scattering ashes in Auckland waterways and the Hauraki Gulf and Waitemata, Kaipara and Manukau harbours is prohibited. Space burials involve sending a portion of a person’s cremated remains into space, providing a unique and memorable final resting place.
The practice gained popularity with companies like Celestis offering services that launch ashes into orbit or even beyond. The concept appeals to those who have a strong connection to space and want their legacy to be part of the cosmos. While still a niche market due to costs and logistical challenges, space burials intertwine the final frontier with one of humankind’s most profound rituals.
Ultimately, the right burial respects the deceased’s wishes and provides a meaningful way for loved ones to honour and remember them. A local funeral director says unconventional services do require a little more organisation and pre-planning..
