Reflecting on 50 Years of the Waitangi Tribunal

Project Summary

In 2025 the Waitangi Tribunal will celebrate its 50th year since establishment by the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975.

Over the years a couple of books have been published about aspects of the Tribunal’s work, (including a collection edited by Janine Hayward and Nicola Wheen in 2004 and Giselle Byrnes also 2004) however the 50th anniversary of the Tribunal requires a further examination of their work and importantly the significant findings and recommendations for Māori communities.

This collection, edited by Carwyn Jones and Maria Bargh brings together Māori scholarly analyses of the Tribunal under the topic areas of particular interest to Māori: whenua, awa, ika, taonga, takutai moana, toiora, mana wahine, rangatiratanga and settlements. Contributors include: Margaret Mutu, Ani Mikaere, Linda Te Aho, Mamari Stephens, Luke Fitzmaurice-Brown, Horiana Irwin, Jayden Houghton, Peter Meihana, Jacinta Ruru, Tracey Whare.

The aim of the collection is to acknowledge the importance of the Tribunal, its processes and the cumulative weight and value of its findings and recommendations. Although successive governments have yet to appropriately act on these recommendations, many Māori communities continue to hold dear the independent research conducted by the Tribunal and the potential contained in Tribunal reports and recommendations.

Project Lead

Maria Bargh, Te Arawa, Ngāti Awa, Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington