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Historical Overview of the Treaty of Waitangi

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Historical Overview of the Treaty of Waitangi Historical Overview of the Treaty of Waitangi Early Connections consent to any changes to this state of affairs. The Treaty journey goes back many centuries to What the Treaty Says the time when Polynesians, migrating Lord Normanby (British Secretary of State for throughout the Pacific, identified Aotearoa as a the Colonies) said, in the instructions he gave to desirable place to settle. Over the centuries, the Captain Hobson in August 1839, that he was to early arrivals spread out and new groups came establish government amongst Europeans in to join them. order to avert ‘the same process of war and Many centuries later, Europeans eventually spoliation’ that had occurred elsewhere when extended their explorations in this direction as Europeans arrived (Buick, 1976, pp 71-72). well, with Abel Tasman naming the place Nieuw Unfortunately, the process for discussing and Zeeland on his map in 1642. By the early 1800s, agreeing to the Treaty was problematic, which people of many nationalities were living led to fundamental misunderstandings between alongside the hapū — although in 1840 Māori the English Crown and hapū signatories, still vastly outnumbered them. especially in relation to who held sovereignty: Generally, these early relationships were mutually the hapū believed they had retained it while the beneficial: European Crown believed that it had been ceded to them. traders were keen to have By definition, what distinguishes These different perspectives are reflected in the new markets; a ‘treaty’ from other types of two main documents that are referred to as ‘the missionaries were pleased agreements is that it must be Treaty’: the Māori Text and the English Version. between sovereign parties. to find new converts; and Although the British Crown and subsequently settlers relied on tangata the New Zealand government have tended to whenua for survival as they established new focus on the English Version, the Māori Text is homes for themselves. Tangata whenua valued increasingly recognised because new material resources such as iron tools and • many more hapū signed it (over 500 wool, and were interested in European ideas such compared to only 39 signatures on the English as a written language. At that time Europeans Version) comprised just 1% of the population. • rangatira signing the Māori Text knew what they were agreeing to as it was in their own As in any relationships there were some language, while those who signed the English difficulties. There were cross-cultural Version did so based on explanations in Māori misunderstandings and problems caused by by British missionaries and others European lawlessness which had an impact on • an international legal principle recognises land dealings. At that time tangata whenua raised that the Māori Text takes precedence their concerns with missionaries and traders. Whichever document is considered, however, European governments were not particularly the fundamental point is that the Treaty created keen to get involved because New Zealand was a unique relationship between the government too far away and appeared to be of little and the hapū strategic value, but the Europeans and tangata Relationships Deteriorate with Colonisation whenua who were living together here wanted to address the problems in order to retain the Unfortunately, the colonisation process that benefits of their relationships. In 1835 the followed was typical of European colonisation British Resident, James Busby, decided to take a elsewhere. The Treaty relationship, as step in this direction by writing the Declaration envisioned by the Crown in 1840, contained of Independence to the King of England on some significant aspects: behalf of many hapū in the north. In addition to • The British recognised hapū sovereignty, and asserting hapū sovereignty, it stated that the ownership of land. hapū would protect and befriend British people • It was a voluntary arrangement. living in their communities in exchange for the • It was intended to enhance relationships for King protecting the hapū from colonisation. mutual benefit. Thus, the foundation was laid for a somewhat • The coloniser had good intentions. different approach to colonisation in New • The British were taking responsibility for Zealand: when the British Colonial Office sent misbehaving Europeans. Captain Hobson to arrange a formal relationship From the beginning, differences of between the Crown and the hapū it was understanding about what the Treaty said emphasised that the hapū were sovereign and created friction, but the problems escalated owned the land, and that Hobson was dramatically as large numbers of Europeans responsible for ensuring their full, informed ©2008 TRC/AWEA: Readers are welcome to reproduce the contents for non-commercial purposes as long as the source is acknowledged. www.trc.org.nz arrived who did not know or care about the Buick, T. L., (1936) The Treaty of Waitangi: How Treaty, who had not been in positions of New Zealand became a British Colony. New dependence on tangata whenua for survival and Plymouth: T. Avery who therefore did not particularly value An early account of the Treaty relationships with hapū. By 1860, Māori were less than half the population in the country, and Calman, R. (2003) The Treaty of Waitangi. Auckland: their land was being taken at an equally rapid Reed rate. A good introduction which is short and easy to read Decline in Maori Population and Control of Land Durie, Mason. (1989) Te Mana, Te Kawanatanga: the 100 population 90 Politics of Maori Self-Determination. Auckland: 80 land Oxford University Press 70 total 60 Contemporary Māori development and aspirations of 50 40 Moon, P. (2002) Te ara ki te Tiriti: The path to the 30 percentage Treaty of Waitangi. Auckland: David Ling 20 10 Documents British intentions leading to the formation 0 of the Treaty 1821 1831 1841 1851 1861 1871 1881 1891 1901 1911 1921 1931 1941 1951 1961 1971 1981 1991 Moon, P. and Biggs, P. (2004) The Treaty and its The overriding of hapū authority and their Times: the illustrated history. Auckland: Resource rights in the land, the denial of fundamental Books human rights to Māori, and the devastating A colourful and accessible history effects of colonisation on Māori communities are now well recorded and are still very evident New Zealand History online today (see, for example, Walker, 1990; Orange, http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/category/tid/133 1989;Te Puni Kōkiri, 2000). Office of Treaty Settlements (2002) http:// The Treaty Today www.ots.govt.nz/ The Treaty movement as we know it today The negotiation process and settlement progress emerged from Māori activism in the 1970s, which in turn influenced Pākehā in the anti- Orange, C. (1991) An illustrated history of the Treaty racism and peace movements, amongst others, of Waitangi. Wellington: Allen & Unwin to become more proactive. The easiest-to-read introduction to the topic In the 1980s, for the first time, the government Te Puni Kokiri. (2000) Progress towards closing social was proactive in considering how the Treaty and economic gaps between Māori and non-Māori: a might be incorporated into the future of New report to the Minister of Māori Affairs. Wellington: Te Zealand, by including references to it in some Puni Kokiri legislation; previously, government activities Aggregated information from various social and had been confined to responses to Treaty economic sources breaches, for example in establishing the Waitangi Tribunal in 1976. The 1990s were Treaty Educators for Migrants Group (2006) dominated by emergence of a ‘settlement’ Tangata Tiriti - Treaty People. Auckland Workers process to address injustices in taking land from Educational Association Māori. The beginning of the 21 st century has Provides simple, accurate information in plain English been characterised by a curtailment, and in about the Treaty of Waitangi for recent migrants some cases reversal, of previous progress as the Treaty Resource Centre. http://www.trc.org.nz government has responded to perceived public dissatisfaction with Treaty-identified strategies. Activities and other resources not available elsewhere. Further Reading Waitangi Tribunal Reports (2002) Belich, J. (1988) The New Zealand Wars and the http://www.waitangi-tribunal.govt.nz/reports/ Victorian interpretation of racial conflict. Auckland: Report summaries are available, as well as full Tribunal Penguin reports Introduction and conclusion include analysis of why Walker, R.J. (2004) Ka Whawhai Tonu Matou: Struggle wars occurred without End. (2nd ed) Auckland: Penguin A history of Aotearoa/New Zealand, from creation and Polynesian migration through to the present ©2008 TRC/AWEA: Readers are welcome to reproduce the contents for non-commercial purposes as long as the source is acknowledged. www.trc.org.nz .
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