Tupuna means 'ancestor'. Tupuna is one's relationship and connection in terms of whakapapa - bloodline; heritage; and identity. This connection is both physical and metaphysical, which means that Atua (Maori gods and guardians) or natural formations (eg. mountains or rivers) are also considered ancestors.

Tupuna is also a metaphor for flourishing, thriving and growing, because it relates to what has come before - the beliefs, knowledge, experiences and wisdom that has spilled over into each new generation. In other words, we are the sum of what has evolved over time and space. Future generations are always thought of as the 'hopes and dreams' to come. The present generation are those hopes and dreams manifestated.