A SIMPLE GUIDE TO THE PRINCIPLES OF THE TREATY OF WAITANGI BILL
(also known as the Treaty Principles Bill)
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What is Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is a treaty that was signed at Waitangi in 1840.
A treaty is an agreement by independent nations.
Te Tiriti is a treaty between representatives of the British Crown and many Māori nations called hapū in 1840.
It was written in the Māori language and its name is Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Hapū nations had already declared their independence and sovereignty to the world in 1835.
They did not give away their independence or sovereignty in Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
What was agreed in Te Tiriti o Waitangi?
Here are the main points of Te Tiriti, with some of the key words in Māori.
- The leaders (rangatira) who signed Te Tiriti o Waitangi agreed for non-Māori to come and settle here and to have a governor representing their interests (kawanatanga).
- Te Tiriti acknowledges the authority Māori have to govern themselves as independent nations (rangatiratanga).
Te Tiriti guarantees Māori keep control over their lands and all that is precious (taonga). - Te Tiriti allows for non-Māori to have land to live on, in areas that Māori agreed.
- The British also offered Māori equal rights with the people of England.
The agreements in Te Tiriti have been broken many times.
The British had another copy of the ‘treaty’ written in English. It was not the same. Their English text said that Māori gave their sovereignty to Britain. Māori did not agree to this.
The British formed a settler government.
The agreements in Te Tiriti o Waitangi were broken thousands of times by the settler government throughout our history.
- The government took Māori land and gave it to settlers.
- The government made decisions in the interests of settlers.
- The government tried to take away Māori language and make everyone speak only English.
- Māori children were taken from their families.
Strong Māori movements fought against all these things. Māori fought for Te Tiriti to be honoured.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is important for everyone today
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is important for everyone living in Aotearoa.
For non-Māori New Zealanders, Te Tiriti is the original agreement allowing us or our ancestors to come and settle here. Te Tiriti gives us a place to belong and connects us to Aotearoa.
Māori rights did not come from Te Tiriti. Māori already had rights as first peoples. Māori were many independent nations with their own authority, laws and social systems long before Te Tiriti.
Te Tiriti guarantees Māori will keep their rights.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi is for everyone and we all have a place to belong. We are still working towards honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi today.