The expression “tangata whenua” used by Māori to designate themselves as the indigenous people of Aotearoa (New Zealand) and as groups linked to marae built on their ancestral lands reflects their special relationship to their territories. While many Māori now reside in urban centres that have emerged as a result of British colonization, the willingness to uphold this relationship and this tangata whenua status still occupy an important place in the Māori protest movements. These issues are often raised by contemporary Māori artists. This article intends to examine how the adoption of some artistic practices allows them to assert the current relevance of Māori concepts defining relationship to the land.