Treaty of Waitangi
About the Treaty of Waitangi
New Zealand founding document, Maori ceded governorship, retained chieftainship over lands and treasures, granted British subject rights. English and Maori versions differ critically, kawanatanga versus rangatiratanga, fueling 180 years of dispute. Honored in the breach for a century, land wars, confiscations, the Maori renaissance forced the 1975 Tribunal and settlements process. Waitangi Day commemorates and contests nationhood annually.
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