He Whakaputanga & Treaty of Waitangi – Rapid Review Notes

Kinship & Social Foundations

• Communal hierarchy: whānau → hapū → iwi → waka

• Authority linked to environment (kaitiakitanga, mana whenua, ahi kā, rāhui)

• Myth-based worldview; ecotonal resource management

Kaitiakitanga

• No absolute land ownership; people are caretakers

• Proverb: “Whatu ngarongaro he tangata, toitū te whenua” – people pass, land endures

Declaration of Independence – He Whakaputanga $1835$

• Drafted by Busby, H. Williams, W. Colenso; signed $25$ Oct $1835$ by $34$ northern chiefs (United Tribes)

• Articles:

  1. Aotearoa declared $"whenua\ rangatira"$ (independent state)

  2. Collective $"kingitanga"$ held by chiefs

  3. Annual congress to legislate

  4. Copy sent to King William IV for protection

• Recognised by Britain, France, USA; retains distinct mana alongside the Treaty

Road to the Treaty

• Busby (British Resident $1833{-}1840$) lacked resources to curb settler lawlessness & tribal wars

• Conflict reports $1836{-}1837$ → Hobson’s mission; urged trading posts & treaty

• Hobson: consul $1838$, Lt-Gov $1839$; ordered to secure British sovereignty → arrived Bay of Islands $29$ Jan $1840$

Signing Process

• $5$ Feb $1840$ debate: chiefs swung by Tamati Waka Nene, Patuone, Hone Heke

• $6$ Feb $1840$ Waitangi: $43$ chiefs signed (mainly Māori text)

• Year-long circuits: total signatures – Te Tiriti $505$, English copy $39$

• Non-signers: e.g., Te Wherowhero; some swayed by gifts (red blankets, tobacco)

Treaty of Waitangi – Structure

1. Preamble

2. Article I

3. Article II

4. Article III (plus later-cited “Fourth Article” on faith)

Wording Differences

• Article I: Māori cede $"kāwanatanga"$ (governorship); English states “sovereignty”

• Article II: Māori guarantee “whenua, kāinga, taonga katoa”; English guarantees “full, exclusive & undisturbed possession” of land, forests, fisheries etc.

• Article III: full rights of British subjects

• Key absence: $"kingitanga"$, $"mana"$ (used in Declaration); both documents use $"rangatiratanga"$ but in differing roles

Chiefs’ Motivations

Reasons to sign:

• Control land sales & settler conduct

• Access trade; British ally to reduce inter-tribal war
  Reasons not to sign:

• Fear loss of independence/mana; prefer tikanga

• Treaty not presented in all regions

Core Concepts to Remember

• $rangatiratanga$ = inherent chiefly authority/independence

• $kāwanatanga$ = delegated governorship (contested translation of sovereignty)

• $mana$ = ultimate spiritual authority/prestige

• $kaitiakitanga$ = guardianship of resources

• Relationship between He Whakaputanga $1835$ & Te Tiriti $1840$ underpins modern Māori-Crown dialogue