Treaty and tribunal: Redressing longstanding grievances in Aotearoa/New Zealand

Abstract

The establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal in Aotearoa/New Zealand in 1975, and the subsequent extension of its remit, has been part of a significant new phase in the relationship between the country's indigenous people, the Maori, and the majority European-origin population, the Pakeha. The Tribunal's operation provides a direct link to the country's founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, concluded between representatives of the British Crown and Maori chiefs in 1840. The Tribunal has become the key mechanism through which Maori grievances regarding their treatment by Pakeha from 1840 onwards have been addressed. The paper outlines the historical background and examines how the Tribunal is endeavouring to address grievances within constraints imposed both financially and legally. Particular attention is given to the rôle of different groups in Maori society in terms of the disposition of benefits accruing from Tribunal rulings. The rôle of the Tribunal within the broader picture of Maori-Pakeha relations is considered, with the recognition that a Maori 'cultural renaissance', and acknowledgement of a 'Maori dimension' within new legislation, have helped to alter the basis of these relations.