Gain an understanding of our shared cultural history through the lens of the Treaty of Waitangi - our nations founding constitutional document. In essence the Treaty underpins relationships between the state sector, driving the policy settings within which primary industries operate in within NZ. It is also a significant underpinning factor driving the Māori economy which is heavily invested in primary industries.

The Treaty of Waitangi workshop is designed to give participants a sweeping introduction to the Treaty of Waitangi including how it underpins government policy settings and the Māori economy with specific reference to primary industries. It is designed for those with little to no previous understanding and progresses throughout the workshop to consolidate and build upon existing knowledge for those who may have some experience in the area.

Workshop objective

You will understand the evolution of te Tiriti o Waitangi - the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand, and how it applies in modern New Zealand society.

In particular you will gain a good understanding of the historical background leading up to the signing of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi by Māori including what motivated each party to enter into the Treaty partnership, and the expectations of each party at that time.

You will have a further working understanding of the changing face of Aotearoa post signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, including the impact of breaches of the Treaty on Māori, Crown redress, and how the Treaty as our founding constitutional document continues to shape our nation today.

You will understand the importance and effect of Te Tiriti o Waitangi Policy within New Zealand’s agricultural and research sectors as a driver for the Māori economy and a useful precedent that can guide businesses wishing to engage with Māori.

Workshop outline

Session One: Pre-Treaty Aotearoa: What led to te Tiriti – the Treaty?

Understanding the nature of Māori society and exercise of political autonomy including Maori relationships with the natural environment and the exercise of mana whenua and tino rangatiratanga in the pre-Treaty State of Aotearoa.

Insights into the early Māori economy which revolved around agriculture and horticulture and which was thriving, leading to a desire from Māori to engage with the British Crown, traders, settlers and missionaries culminating in the Declaration of Independence 1835.

Shift in British policy from “a reluctance to intervene” to desire to attain sovereignty by means of a Treaty. Analysis of Crown drivers including desire for land and settlement, and to protect British residents and Māori in New Zealand.

Session Two: Te Tiriti o Waitangi v The Treaty of Waitangi

An analysis of the different versions of the Treaty, the signing of Te Tiriti, disparities between the text and the implications for:

• cession of sovereignty v tino rangatiratanga

• full, exclusive and undisturbed possession

• Protective pre-emption v Crown monopoly on land sales

• Equality at law

• Contra proferentem v NZ founding constitutional document

Session Three: The rise of New Zealand and displacement of Aotearoa

An analysis of immediate Māori and Crown responses to te Tiriti - the Treaty and the subsequent social, economic,

political and cultural impacts on Māori through the period: 1840 to 1975. Critical features of this period include:

• The Kingitanga

• The prophetic movements of Te Kooti, Rua Kenana, Te Whiti o Rongomai

• The New Zealand Land Wars

• Significant legislative enactments beginning with the Native Land Act and the establishment of the Native Land Court

• Assimilation and urbanisation

Session Four: A principled approach: the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal and the move toward Partnership

A discussion on the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, how they were established and the reasoning behind them.

An overview of the Waitangi Tribunal and historic (iwi) Treaty settlements which are all but completed now.

Session Five: Implications for the Primary Industries Sector

An opportunity for participants to consider how the implementation of Treaty principles within New Zealand drives the Māori economy in contemporary society and what that means for those businesses wishing to engage with Māori in the primary industries sector.

Presenter

Tania Te Whenua (BA LLB AGNZ, Ngai Tūhoe, Whakatōhea)

Tania's vision is to make Māori education dynamic, accessible and relevant to all audiences. Along with being a passionate educator, Tania is a practicing Māori lawyer and Principal of Te Whenua Law and Consulting. Tania is Deputy Chair of Te Taumata - the Māori Trade Advisory Board to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and an Honorary Advisor to the Asia New Zealand Foundation. She is a member of the Civil Advisory Board to the Director General of the World Trade Organisation, a member of the World Economic Forum Steering Group on Trade and Labour, and a member of the IndoPacific Forum for CUTs International. She is chartered associate member of Governance New Zealand and a board member of Governance New Zealand Women on Boards, the New Zealand Rugby League Board, and Te Ora the Māori Medical Pratitioners Association. Tania is also an Iwi (tribal) representative on the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Rivers Advisory Committee, a Local Government Development Contributions Commissioner and a Senior Associate at Vic Professional Te Herenga Waka University (formerly Victoria University of Wellington), where she was the former Māori Programme Manager. Prior to this Tania held the role of senior researcher Māori at Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand, where she worked across the curatorial and repatriation teams to support the generation of knowledge on Māori taonga and customary practices. Tania is known for fostering confidence in those with little or no exposure to the Māori language and culture in a safe learning environment.

Registration

Please register to attend this event by clicking the "registration" button at the top of the page.

Non-members wishing to attend must initially sign up as a new user (if they haven't done so before) via the registration button, then login to register. If you are having problems registering for this event, please email events@nzipim.co.nz

Please note: there is a minimum of 15 delegates for these events to go ahead, if we are unable to run this workshop you will have the option to move your registration for a future workshop.