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Tikanga Māori in the law and the Māori-Crown relationship

21 February 2019

Following Waitangi Day, Te Waka Ture, Chapman Tripp’s Māori Legal Group, took stock of the Articles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what is happening in the Māori-Crown relationship in present day Aotearoa.

While we can’t rewrite history, we can address its present day legacy, so we have taken this opportunity to reflect on Tikanga Māori in the law and the Māori-Crown relationship that:

  • traces the growing recognition of tikanga Māori in the law
  • explores what the Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei case means for Crown engagement
  • assesses the importance of Te Arawhiti (the new Office for Māori-Crown Relations), and
  • proposes a child-focused approach to improve outcomes for Māori.

To reinforce our commitment and dedication to Māori culture, we have also released our formal te reo Māori policy. It is our way of acknowledging the indigenous language of our country, and recognising te reo Māori status as an official language under Te Ture mō Te Reo Māori 2016, the Māori Language Act 2016. Developed in consultation with staff, the policy encourages using te reo Māori at levels appropriate to people’s skill levels and sets out actions to ensure the firm builds on its commitment to foster te reo Māori.

Tikanga Māori in the law and the Māori-Crown relationship paper

Read about our te reo Māori policy.

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