Mana Maori Motuhake - Maori self-determination

Abstract

This paper examines briefly the path of economic and political development of the Maori people in New Zealand. The authors describe how Maori have developed many strategies since the 1830s to regain control over their resources and affairs. Issues of political representation, land ownership and fishery management are set within the context of debate about the Treaty of Waitangi and the establishment of the Waitangi Tribunal. That debate is complicated by the tensions between Maori national and iwi regional bases for political action. This theme is examined in a conclusion that outlines the growth of tribal fundamentalism in the 1990s and assesses its potential as a vehicle for Maori economic and political self-determination. -Authors