Three ways te Tiriti has changed Aotearoa

How has te Tiriti o Waitangi positively impacted Aotearoa?

Te Tiriti o Waitangi is getting lots of airplay in the news and online. We’ve been thinking about three ways that Te Tiriti has had a profound and positive impact on the people of Aotearoa. 

The growth of te reo Māori 

Just 50 years ago, te reo Māori was relegated as a non-entity, and wasn’t heard or visible outside of Māori homes and on marae. Through te Tiriti, and Māori advocacy, there’s been a transformation in the way that Aotearoa sees and learns about the language. 

In the mid 1980s, the Waitangi Tribunal held a hearing into the status of te reo Māori, after Ngā Kaiwhakapūmau i te Reo brought a claim. The claimants argued that, under te Tiriti, te reo was a taonga that the Crown had a duty to protect. The Tribunal agreed, setting off a chain of events, despite government resistance, leading to Māori to become an official language. Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori was set up to to provide leadership for te reo Māori. 

Now, te reo Māori is undergoing a revival, and a high percentage of New Zealanders value its place in our national identity and culture. The beauty of the language is visible to all, and the Tiriti played an important role in these efforts to revive te reo.  

The Waitangi Tribunal hears claims from Māori

After 1985, the Tribunal was given the power to look into Māori claims dating back to 1840. Since the Tribunal was established, it has completed research and reports covering huge swathes of history in Aotearoa. It has helped Aotearoa to understand its history, warts and all. There’s a saying about if people know where they’ve come from, they’ll have a stronger sense of where they’re going. 

The Tribunal reports and findings have changed the history of Aotearoa, making recommendations on waterways, state asset sales, government policies and historic claims. There is rich history captured in their writings. This offers us a chance to delve into our past and to be informed. We can be confident that future generations will have this rich kōrero available to learn and treasure.     

We’ve had a worldwide impact 

It’s satisfying to know that te ao Māori is recognised for leading many Treaty-based initiatives, and that our neighbours and friends overseas often follow our lead. Canada, Australia, Hawai’i and native Americans have all set up language nests, following the model of kōhanga reo from the early 1980s. Since that time many cultural exchanges have been held to share our experiences reviving our languages. 

Aotearoa has built a reputation for working with the Tiriti, and Māori have carved a place through continual advocacy and by pushing the boundaries. Much of our legislation has incorporated Treaty approaches to government which benefits us all, as it builds equity into our wider culture. 

Te Tiriti āpōpō: The Treaty tomorrow 

When te Tiriti is in the news it’s a useful prompt for us to reflect and learn about the kaupapa and the history. The benefits we’ve described have touched the lives of all New Zealanders through the sharing of mātauranga Māori. Many indigenous people are experiencing the revitalisation of their languages and culture, and in our case, te Tiriti o Waitangi has played a central role in this. The future is indigenous!