Tangata Whenua
Encyclopedia
Tāngata whenua is a Māori
term of the indigenous peoples
of New Zealand
and literally means "people of the land", from tāngata, 'people' and whenua land.
of New Zealand may be divided into three levels of kinship, on which traditional governance was based.
The numerically smallest level, whānau, is what westerners would consider the extended family, perhaps descended from a common great-grandparent. Traditionally a whānau would hold in common their food store (their forest or bush for hunting birds and gathering or growing plant foods, and a part of the sea, a river or a lake for gathering eel, fish, shellfish and other foods). These food stores were fiercely protected and when one's resources could no longer support the growing whānau, war with a neighbouring tribe might eventuate.
The next level, hapū
(sub-tribe) is a group of several related whānau, and traditionally was the primary governance unit. In war and when decisions needed to be made in negotiations with outside tribes, the whānau leaders would gather and the hapū would make the decisions.
But several (or many) hapū can trace their ancestry, usually on the male line, back to a particular waka
, the ocean-going canoe upon which the common ancestors of that tribe arrived on these islands of Aotearoa
, now New Zealand, and this unified level is called the Iwi
. Until the British arrived, Iwi was not a governance unit, but among other things, a way to establish kinship and commonality, part of a "who's who" which forms the formal greeting ceremony of "pōwhiri" when one group visits another.
However, under British and subsequent New Zealand law, typically an Iwi forms itself into a legally recognised entity, and under the Treaty of Waitangi
these entities are accorded special rights and obligations under New Zealand law... when they are recognised as tāngata whenua They must have a provable relationship with a specific area of geography, and if this is acknowledged by the national or local authority, they become the legal tāngata whenua. (Some areas may have several groups given tāngata whenua status, which can make the process more complex).
When, for example, a major real estate development is proposed to the territorial authority, the tāngata whenua must be consulted, although the mere fact that "consultation" take place does not mean that the views of the tāngata whenua will necessarily be listened to. When bones are found, the tāngata whenua are supposed to be called. In addition to these sorts of legally mandated requirements, when a person wishes to have land blessed, or when an untimely sudden death occurs, an elder (kaumātua
or tohunga) of the tāngata whenua may be asked to perform a cleansing ritual.
. As used notably by Judge Edward Taihakurei Durie
, the notion of tāngata tiriti underlines partnership and acceptance.
Maori language
Māori or te reo Māori , commonly te reo , is the language of the indigenous population of New Zealand, the Māori. It has the status of an official language in New Zealand...
term of the indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and literally means "people of the land", from tāngata, 'people' and whenua land.
Meanings
- In the context of tribal descent and ownership of land, tāngata whenua are the people who descend from the first people to settle the land of the district, whereas the actual manaManaMana is an indigenous Pacific islander concept of an impersonal force or quality that resides in people, animals, and inanimate objects. The word is a cognate in many Oceanic languages, including Melanesian, Polynesian, and Micronesian....
may reside with later arrivals. - At a particular maraeMaraeA marae malae , malae , is a communal or sacred place which serves religious and social purposes in Polynesian societies...
, the tāngata whenua are the owners of the marae, in contradistinction to the manuhiri or guests. After the welcoming ceremony on a marae, the guests may be afforded the temporary, honorary status of tāngata whenua, and may even be invited to participate as locals as the ceremonies continue. - In the national context of New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Māori are the tāngata whenua, and in this sense the term is equivalent to 'indigenous'. - Tāngata whenua has also become a New Zealand EnglishNew Zealand EnglishNew Zealand English is the dialect of the English language used in New Zealand.The English language was established in New Zealand by colonists during the 19th century. It is one of "the newest native-speaker variet[ies] of the English language in existence, a variety which has developed and...
term with specific legal status.
Law and custom
The Indigenous peoplesIndigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of New Zealand may be divided into three levels of kinship, on which traditional governance was based.
The numerically smallest level, whānau, is what westerners would consider the extended family, perhaps descended from a common great-grandparent. Traditionally a whānau would hold in common their food store (their forest or bush for hunting birds and gathering or growing plant foods, and a part of the sea, a river or a lake for gathering eel, fish, shellfish and other foods). These food stores were fiercely protected and when one's resources could no longer support the growing whānau, war with a neighbouring tribe might eventuate.
The next level, hapū
Hapu
A hapū is sometimes described as "the basic political unit within Maori society".A named division of a Māori iwi , membership is determined by genealogical descent; a hapū is made up of a number of whānau groups. Generally hapū range in size from 150-200 although there is no upper limit...
(sub-tribe) is a group of several related whānau, and traditionally was the primary governance unit. In war and when decisions needed to be made in negotiations with outside tribes, the whānau leaders would gather and the hapū would make the decisions.
But several (or many) hapū can trace their ancestry, usually on the male line, back to a particular waka
Waka (canoe)
Waka are Māori watercraft, usually canoes ranging in size from small, unornamented canoes used for fishing and river travel, to large decorated war canoes up to long...
, the ocean-going canoe upon which the common ancestors of that tribe arrived on these islands of Aotearoa
Aotearoa
Aotearoa is the most widely known and accepted Māori name for New Zealand. It is used by both Māori and non-Māori, and is becoming increasingly widespread in the bilingual names of national organisations, such as the National Library of New Zealand / Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa.-Translation:The...
, now New Zealand, and this unified level is called the Iwi
Iwi
In New Zealand society, iwi form the largest everyday social units in Māori culture. The word iwi means "'peoples' or 'nations'. In "the work of European writers which treat iwi and hapū as parts of a hierarchical structure", it has been used to mean "tribe" , or confederation of tribes,...
. Until the British arrived, Iwi was not a governance unit, but among other things, a way to establish kinship and commonality, part of a "who's who" which forms the formal greeting ceremony of "pōwhiri" when one group visits another.
However, under British and subsequent New Zealand law, typically an Iwi forms itself into a legally recognised entity, and under the Treaty of Waitangi
Treaty of Waitangi
The Treaty of Waitangi is a treaty first signed on 6 February 1840 by representatives of the British Crown and various Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand....
these entities are accorded special rights and obligations under New Zealand law... when they are recognised as tāngata whenua They must have a provable relationship with a specific area of geography, and if this is acknowledged by the national or local authority, they become the legal tāngata whenua. (Some areas may have several groups given tāngata whenua status, which can make the process more complex).
When, for example, a major real estate development is proposed to the territorial authority, the tāngata whenua must be consulted, although the mere fact that "consultation" take place does not mean that the views of the tāngata whenua will necessarily be listened to. When bones are found, the tāngata whenua are supposed to be called. In addition to these sorts of legally mandated requirements, when a person wishes to have land blessed, or when an untimely sudden death occurs, an elder (kaumātua
Kaumatua
Kaumātua are respected tribal elders of either gender in a Māori community who have been involved with their whānau for a number of years. They are appointed by their people who believe the chosen elders have the capacity to teach and guide both current and future generations...
or tohunga) of the tāngata whenua may be asked to perform a cleansing ritual.
Tāngata whenua and tāngata tiriti
The notion of tāngata whenua is sometimes contrasted with that of tāngata tiriti – literally, "the people of the Treaty". Tāngata tiriti refers to non-indigenous New Zealanders, who are in the country by virtue of the Treaty of Waitangi. It is close to, but not necessarily synonymous with, the term PakehaPakeha
Pākehā is a Māori language word for New Zealanders who are "of European descent". They are mostly descended from British and to a lesser extent Irish settlers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, although some Pākehā have Dutch, Scandinavian, German, Yugoslav or other ancestry...
. As used notably by Judge Edward Taihakurei Durie
Edward Taihakurei Durie
Sir Edward "Eddie" Taihakurei Durie, KNZM was the first Māori appointed as a Justice of the High Court of New Zealand and is regarded as leading legal expert on the Treaty of Waitangi....
, the notion of tāngata tiriti underlines partnership and acceptance.