New Zealand Grants Legal Personhood to Mount Taranaki
Parliament passes law recognizing Mount Taranaki as a legal entity, acknowledging its cultural significance to Māori and establishing co-governance framework.
New Zealand's Parliament has unanimously passed the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill, granting Mount Taranaki, also known as Taranaki Maunga, the legal rights of a person.
This legislation acknowledges the mountain's profound cultural and spiritual significance to the local Māori tribes, or iwi, and aims to address historical grievances stemming from colonial-era land confiscations.
Under the new law, Mount Taranaki is recognized as a legal personality, meaning it holds rights and responsibilities akin to those of a human being.
The mountain will be co-governed by a board comprising representatives from both the Crown and the eight Taranaki iwi, ensuring collaborative stewardship.
This model follows previous instances in New Zealand where natural features have been granted legal personhood, such as the Whanganui River in 2017 and Te Urewera forest in 2014. The legislation also formalizes the use of the mountain's Māori name, Taranaki Maunga, and includes an official apology from the government for past injustices, including the confiscation of over a million acres of land from local Māori in the 1860s.
Access to the mountain for the public will remain unchanged, allowing all New Zealanders to continue to visit and enjoy this significant landmark.
This legislation acknowledges the mountain's profound cultural and spiritual significance to the local Māori tribes, or iwi, and aims to address historical grievances stemming from colonial-era land confiscations.
Under the new law, Mount Taranaki is recognized as a legal personality, meaning it holds rights and responsibilities akin to those of a human being.
The mountain will be co-governed by a board comprising representatives from both the Crown and the eight Taranaki iwi, ensuring collaborative stewardship.
This model follows previous instances in New Zealand where natural features have been granted legal personhood, such as the Whanganui River in 2017 and Te Urewera forest in 2014. The legislation also formalizes the use of the mountain's Māori name, Taranaki Maunga, and includes an official apology from the government for past injustices, including the confiscation of over a million acres of land from local Māori in the 1860s.
Access to the mountain for the public will remain unchanged, allowing all New Zealanders to continue to visit and enjoy this significant landmark.
