New Zealand Mountain Recognized as a Legal Entity with Rights Similar to Those of a Person
Mt. Taranaki, a renowned landmark in New Zealand, has been bestowed with legal rights akin to those of a person, excluding rights related to taxation and driving.
In a unanimous decision by the New Zealand Parliament on January 30, the government consented to compensate eight tribes in the Taranaki region for wrongful land confiscations that occurred in the 1800s, concluding nearly a decade of dialogues between the Crown and tribal representatives.
Similar legal statuses have previously been conferred to two other sites in New Zealand.
“In each instance, a governing entity is required to act on behalf of the legal personality,” the Explanatory Note of the Bill indicated.
“The land vested in the legal identity will remain a national park overseen under the National Parks Act 1980, as revised by this Bill,” it noted, ensuring continued public access.
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This recent agreement signifies the 100th settlement achieved under the Treaty of Waitangi.
The light fades on Mt Taranaki just before the teams walk out during the 2011 Rugby World Cup match between Namibia vs Wales at Stadium Taranaki in New Plymouth on Sept. 26, 2011. Marty Melville/AFP via Getty Images
Around 400 descendants from the eight tribes were present in Parliament to witness the Bill’s approval, with the nation’s Treaty Negotiations Minister Paul Goldsmith formally recognizing the “immeasurable harm” inflicted in the past.
Goldsmith detailed that after the Treaty was signed in 1840, the government began purchasing land from individuals or groups, frequently without the consent or knowledge of Māori leaders or the broader community. At that time, Māori land was predominantly owned communally, often involving many individuals.
Conflict between the British Crown and the local tribe Te Ātiawa erupted on March 17, 1860, soon expanding to include other tribes from both within and beyond Taranaki.
A peace agreement was reached in April 1861, but hostilities resumed by mid-1863.
This settlement recognizes that the Crown unjustly penalized Māori, utilizing the New Zealand Settlement Act of January 30, 1865, to seize 1.2 million acres (485,623 hectares), including the mountain, which is currently appraised at approximately $29.9 billion.
Initially named Mount Egmont, the mountain was officially renamed Mount Taranaki in 2019.
However, the adjacent national park retains the Egmont name. Under the settlement conditions, it will now be referred to as Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki (meaning the “highly regarded and treasured lands of Taranaki”), while the mountain will again be renamed Taranaki Maunga.
Māori Party co-leader and descendant of one of the affected tribes, Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, expressed that this signifies that “Taranaki is liberated from the shackles of muru raupatu [confiscation].”
The mountain holds substantial cultural significance for the Taranaki Māori, and granting it legal personhood is a long-awaited acknowledgment of their belief that it is an ancestor.
Taranaki Maunga is the second-highest peak in New Zealand’s North Island and is recognized as one of the most symmetrical volcanic cones globally. It is a popular climbing spot for both tourists and locals.
