Lecture 5 – Traditional concepts and practices (Te Tiriti and indigenous justice)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key traditional concepts and practices from the notes (Te Tiriti, tikanga, whakapapa, mana, and restorative justice terms).

Te Tiriti o Waitangi

The 1840 treaty between Māori and the Crown outlining governance (Article 1), rangatiratanga (Article 2), and rights of Māori as British subjects (Article 3); key historical context for Māori-Crown relations.

Rangatiratanga

Māori concept of chieftainship and sovereignty; authority over lands, villages, and treasures; guaranteed to Māori under the Māori version of Te Tiriti (Article 2).

Kawanatanga

Governance or sovereignty delegated to the Crown by Article 1 of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Taonga

Treasures or valued resources protected by Te Tiriti; includes lands, forests, fisheries, and other properties.

Tikanga

Māori customary practices and values that guide behavior; culturally rooted, flexible by iwi/hapū, and underpinned by principles such as tika and laws of tapu/noa.

Tika

Correctness or appropriateness within tikanga; aligns with tapu/noa and underlying values.

Tapu

Sacred restrictions or boundaries that govern behavior and access to resources, people, and places.

Noa

The state opposite of tapu; normal or free from sacred restrictions; function of balancing tapu in practice.

Whakapapa

A network of relationality linking humans, gods, and nature; genealogical ordering that gives a sense of place and belonging.

Mana

Spiritual power, excellence, and knowledge; authority granted by gods, ancestors, and people; central to social rank and collective well-being.

Mana atua

Mana derived from the gods or divine beings; spiritual power that enables action.

Mana tūpuna

Mana inherited from and connected to one's ancestors; ancestral authority.

Mana whenua

Mana of the land’s guardians; authority and rights tied to a specific territory or place.

Mana tangata

Mana of the people; personal authority, status, and prestige of individuals.

Muru

Traditional restorative practice of redress to restore social balance after a transgression; involves protocol, discussion of what is taken, and restitution; aims to maintain communal harmony.

Whakawā

Formal dialogue and justice process used within muru to investigate, argue, and reach a decision.

Kōrero

Dialogue or talk; an informal or formal form of dispute resolution used in resolving conflicts.