Beyond legal personhood for the Whanganui River: collaboration and pluralism in implementing the Te Awa Tupua Act

Abstract

There is now a large body of scholarly literature on the legal and governance arrangements for the Whanganui River in Aotearoa New Zealand, given the rights of a legal person under Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017. Most of this literature focuses on the innovation of legal personhood and rights of nature rather than situating the Act in its local context or examining its implementation in practice. This article analyzes two cases of implementation–Te Pūwaha (the revitalisation of the Port of Whanganui); and Te Kōpuka nā Te Awa Tupua, the collaborative group charged with developing a strategy for the river. We shift attention away from legal personality to three other elements: The centrality of Māori kawa (value-based, Indigenous law); the establishment of a comprehensive set of new institutions and practices; and the devolution of authority to hapū (subtribes) and communities. These elements represent a paradigm shift towards a relational and reciprocal form of governance. While Te Awa Tupua Act does have some alignment with rights of nature, it should primarily be understood as recognising Indigenous rights and the authority of Indigenous law.