A proposal in New Zealand aimed at redefining the nation's founding treaty between the British Crown and Māori chiefs has sparked political unrest, with over 35,000 people marching to the country's parliament today in protest.
While the bill is not expected to become law, it has become a flashpoint over race relations and a pivotal moment in a 180-year-long difficult conversation about how New Zealand should fulfill its promises to its indigenous people made at the time of colonization—and what those promises specifically are.
Tens of thousands of people gathered in the capital, Wellington, this morning for the final stage of a week-long protest. The protests have spanned the country, with demonstrators marching through city streets to parliament. This follows the Māori tradition of “hīkoi” (walks), intended to draw attention to breaches of the 1840 Treaty of Waitangi, and is likely the largest demonstration of treaty rights in modern New Zealand history.
The Treaty of Waitangi, considered New Zealand's founding document, was signed during the colonial era by representatives of the British Crown and 500 Māori chiefs. The treaty, in both English and Māori versions, outlined guiding principles for the relationship between the Crown and Māori. It promised Māori people the rights and privileges of British citizens, but the English and Māori versions differed on the powers the chiefs were giving up over their affairs, land, and autonomy. For decades, the Crown violated both versions.
By the mid-20th century, Māori language and culture had declined—the indigenous language was often forbidden, tribal lands were confiscated, and Māori were disadvantaged in many ways. Driven by Māori protest movements, over the past 50 years, New Zealand courts, lawmakers, and the Waitangi Tribunal (a permanent body set up to adjudicate treaty matters) have been working to address the discrepancies between the treaty versions and to remedy violations by building the meaning of treaty principles in their rulings. These principles are intended to be flexible but are generally described as partnership with the Crown, protection of Māori interests, and participation in decision-making.
While Māori remain disadvantaged in many ways, the recognition of the treaty through law and attempts at remedies have since changed the fabric of society. The Māori language has undergone a revival and is now common in everyday use, even among non-Māori. Policies have been put in place to address the widespread inequalities faced by Māori. The Crown and tribes have negotiated billions of dollars in settlements for treaty breaches, particularly the widespread confiscation of Māori land and natural resources.
However, some New Zealanders are unhappy with the remedies. They have found a champion in David Seymour, a member of parliament who leads a small libertarian party that won less than 9% of the vote in last year's election but has gained significant influence as part of a governing agreement. Seymour's proposed law would set specific definitions for the principles of the treaty and apply them to all New Zealanders, not just Māori. He says the piecemeal construction of the treaty's meaning has left a vacuum and given Māori special treatment.
Seymour's bill has been widely opposed—including by former prime ministers from both the left and right, 40 of the country's most senior lawyers, and the thousands of Māori and non-Māori New Zealanders protesting across the country. Seymour’s bill is not expected to pass final readings. It passed its first vote on Thursday due to political agreements, but most who supported it are not expected to do so again. Critics say the bill threatens constitutional upheaval and would undo rights promised in the treaty that are now enshrined in law. Critics have also slammed Seymour—who is himself Māori—for stoking anti-indigenous sentiment.
The peaceful walking protests are a Māori tradition and have occurred before at critical moments in the national conversation about treaty rights. Police in the country of 5 million people said that more than 35,000 people flooded the parliament grounds on Tuesday after marches through the city center shut down streets and drew thousands of onlookers, many holding signs in support of the protesters. As people outside the parliament waved flags, sang Māori songs, and listened to speeches, crowds who could not fit inside the parliament spilled out into the surrounding streets, which remained closed to traffic.
Many marched in opposition to Seymour’s bill. But others at the protests were demonstrating against a range of policies by the right-wing government regarding Māori affairs—including an order, pushed by Seymour, that public institutions should no longer create policies specifically to correct inequities for Māori.