The Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. It was an agreement between the British Crown and Māori chiefs. Prior to the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, Māori conducted their affairs in accordance with tikanga Māori (Māori customary protocols). As a consequence of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, the English legal system was established as the legal system of New Zealand. Today the Treaty is widely accepted to be a constitutional document that establishes and guides the relationship between the Crown (the Government of New Zealand) and Māori.
- The Waitangi TribunalThe Waitangi Tribunal was established in 1975. It is a permanent commission of inquiry charged with making recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to actions or omissions of the Crown that potentially breach the promises made in the Treaty.
- Treaty of WaitangiSee the Treaty of Waitangi page on our New Zealand Legal Research Guide. This includes information about the Treaty, links to articles and books, and information about and cases in the Waitangi Tribunal.
Books
First Nations Authors
Indigenous Peoples and the State: International Perspectives on the Treaty of Waitangi by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: Routledge, 2019
New treaty, New Tradition: Reconciling New Zealand and Māori Law by Call Number: KM 208.432 L1 JONEPublication Date: Victoria University Press, 2016
Ally Authors
Aboriginal Rights Claims and the Making and Remaking of History by Call Number: BA 346.043208997 RAYPublication Date: McGill-Queen's University Press, 2016See chapter 5: The Waitangi Tribunal and New Zealand History
The Treaty of Waitangi Companion: Maori and Pakeha from Tasman to Today by Call Number: E-bookPublication Date: Auckland University Press, 2013
