Land loss, confiscation, arability and colonisation: the experience of iwi in Aotearoa New Zealand

Abstract

This article examines the history of land alienation experienced by Māori in Aotearoa New Zealand across different iwi (tribes), exploring the connection between land loss and arability. The analysis uses geospatial data of Māori landholdings through time and explores the relationship that they have with Land Use Capability, a summary measure of the land’s economic potential. Two related factors are found to determine the variation of land alienation between iwi: (a) the arable profile of Māori land within the rohe (traditional land boundaries or territories) of an iwi and (b) the experience that iwi had with land confiscation. Iwi who held a large proportion of arable land and those that experienced land confiscations were more likely to experience land alienation. These findings reaffirm the historical narrative that Māori land suitable for arable use was targeted for alienation and illustrates the role of colonisation in perpetuating the historic trauma caused by these events.