I Make Headstones in New Zealand

Devin from East Tamaki

I Make Headstones in New Zealand
It all started many years ago—with my Samoan aunt.
She wanted to create a custom headstone for her mother, who was buried in Apia, the capital of Samoa. She knew my family owned a stone quarry and processing factory in China, and that I had studied architectural design, so she asked for my help.

I designed her mother’s first headstone—not just the shape and inscription layout, but also helped manage the international logistics.
It was also my first time attending a headstone unveiling ceremony in Samoa.
That day left a deep impression on me.
It took place in a seaside villa, with headstones on either side of the front yard. Family members had traveled from all over the world to attend—not to say goodbye, but to celebrate a life. They shared stories and memories. There were tears, but also laughter.
The atmosphere was peaceful, warm, and harmonious—completely different from the traditional Chinese way I grew up with, where death is seen as taboo, and everything is filled with heaviness and sorrow.
In that moment, something quietly shifted inside me.
After that, I went on to help more Samoan families design and create headstones—over a dozen in total. I often visited cemeteries with them too.
But cemeteries there are not like the ones in China.
They’re like gardens—lush, open, beautiful. People bring flowers, food, and stories. They sit beside the graves of their loved ones, even in the evening, talking to them softly.
That’s when I realized: a headstone is not just a piece of stone.
It’s an extension of love. It’s memory made tangible.
Eventually, someone said to me:
“You should start your own headstone business—help more people do this right.”
So I did.
That year, I began taking this seriously in New Zealand.
After years of structured training and certification, we were officially licensed by the government—becoming one of the few approved memorial stone workshops in the country. To date, we’ve helped thousands of families.
Helping them do one final, meaningful thing for their loved ones.
Not for cold business,
But to make remembrance visible through design and stone—
To let memory rest gently in the wind, and let love linger, without fading.

Negotiable