Tangata Whenua and the Treaty of Waitangi: Summarising Aspects of our Contemporary Journey

Iwi/hapū/whānau are in a period of deep reorganisation and redevelopment signalled most particularly by the settlement of Treaty of Waitangi claims. The settlement of Treaty claims offers a handy ‘marker point’ in our contemporary history.

Iwi/hapū/whānau seek to bring about a new ‘post-settlement’ future for its members that is both inspired and informed by the history and culture of their forebears together with the circumstances and opportunities of contemporary and future realities.

The chief difference between the pre and post-Treaty settlement realities is this: whereas iwi/hapū/whānau have been in a conflicted relationship with the Crown/Government since the 19thcentury, tangata whenua communities wish to move to an empowered position in their relationship with the Crown, Government and the world at large. This is the movement from victimhood to empowerment, from grievance to opportunity, from a preoccupation to uphold and defend a culture to creating anew.

Overall, iwi/hapū/whānau seek to be tangata whenua today and into the future – invoking and harnessing the entire continuum of tangata whenua history, identity and culture since first arrival from Polynesia through to the present day; reworking the philosophy and practices of tangata whenuatanga according to present and future opportunities, circumstances and challenges.

Iwi/hapū/whānau are tangata whenua-indigenous communities whose humanity is inextricably and intimately connected to the physical places, lands, seas, forests, species, waterways and much more of their historical and ongoing concern. Tangata whenuatanga-indigeneity has, as its central premise, a kinship based relationship between people and the natural world. The health and wellbeing of the localities and places where iwi/hapū/whānau maintain mana whenua is central to the health and wellbeing of the people themselves.

Iwi/hapū/whānau are also partners to the Treaty of Waitangi. Whilst iwi/hapū/whānau have rightfully appealed to the Treaty to assist in the alleviation of grievances, this is not their long-term view or vision for the Treaty. Rather, iwi/hapū/whānau seek to restore the Treaty relationship back to its original innovative intent - the creative encounter between kāwanatanga and tino rangatiratanga. Iwi/hapū/whānau no longer wish to remain conflicted and hence victims in their relationship with the Crown/Government.

Iwi/hapū/whānau see the Treaty as protecting certain rights, particularly with respect to lands, forestry, fisheries, intangible heritage such as the Māori language and other ‘treasures’ of tribal estates. Iwi/hapū/whānau will continue to advocate for those rights while also seeking a less conflicted relationship with the Crown Treaty partner.

In summary, therefore, iwi/hapū/whānau do not wish their interests and identities to be undermined and diminished through being labelled an ethnic minority or an interest group. Iwi/hapū/whānau assert themselves as tangata whenua of Aotearoa-New Zealand and an empowered partner to a solemn pact and agreement signed in 1840 called the Treaty of Waitangi.

Iwi Development Today
The key challenges and opportunities facing iwi/hapū/whānau development today can be grouped as follows:
  • Tangata: Who are the members of the iwi/hapū/whānau? Where are they located
  • Whenua: Where are the physical locations, places and sites of significance to this group of people?
  • Tangata Whenua: How can members come together to act collectively? What is their shared vision? What does it mean to be tangata whenua today and what is the value of this worldview today? What activities, initiatives, organisations, businesses and more can tangata whenua create and sustain for both their own benefit and for New Zealand overall?
Particular initiatives and programmes of iwi activity include (not exhaustive):
  • Reorganisation of representational authorities
  • Rebuilding and fostering the unity and cohesion of iwi/hapū/whānau communities
  • Reconnecting iwi/hapū/whānau with their traditional homelands
  • Developing economic, environmental, social and cultural development portfolios of activities
  • Settlement of Treaty of Waitangi claims
  • Maintenance of existing organisations and structures e.g. marae
This is a substantial and significant range of activities conducted with significant amounts of volunteer time and labour. Naturally, iwi/hapū/whānau will consider any proposal in light of these aspirations, plans and activities.

Rebuilding the Tangata Whenua Relationship with Land, Sea and Sky
Iwi/hapu/whānau communities wish to rebuild their relationship with their natural environments including the marine environment. Whilst these relationships were compromised severely in the past 150 years, they were never entirely severed or brought to an end. Iwi/hapū/whānau continue to relate to the lands (whenua) and waterways (moana) of their historical and ongoing concern and wish to grow this relationship again and into the future.

The reason for seeking to grow this relationship arises not just from a history of being tangata whenua but also from the understanding that a kinship based relationship with natural world environments is fundamental to the health and wellbeing of iwi/hapū/whānau going forward. Furthermore, indigeneity has much to offer the world at large in the context of the fundamentally problematic relationship that now exists between humankind and natural world environments.

The relationship between iwi/hapū/whānau has been built up over many generations and through many events in the history and culture of these communities. The indigenous kinship based relationship between people and land/sea is expressed through various cultural customs such as (not exhaustive):
  • Burying the placenta (whenua) of new born children in the land (whenua), at sites and localities of significance to that community
  • Burying the bodies of loved ones at sites of significance to the iwi/hapū/whānau furthering the relationship of that community to that place
  • Partaking of the produce (hua) of the land and sea so that the material of the physical body is comprised of the same material as the produce of the land and sea
  • Naming places, sites and localities after certain ancestors and events associated with those ancestors (the essence and/or mana of the ancestor is left at those places, subsequent generations are able to visit those places and draw sustenance from those places). In some instances, the location is named after the ancestor his/herself or a part of the body.
  • Spilling of blood in the land, the sweat of brow falling into the land.
  • Conducting rites of passage (baptisms, weddings, funerals) at sites of significance
These customs have never entirely disappeared in iwi/hapū/whānau communities and the core wisdom, upon which these customs arise, continues to be meaningful.

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