The Treaty of Waitangi

"Today the Treaty of Waitangi has come to signify what both joins and divides the people of New Zealand. It had different meanings also for those present at the 1840 signings - over 500 Māorichiefs and representatives of the British Crown. That these distinct meanings were conveyed in two languages only added to the complexities now woven around this crucial agreement. [This book] is a comprehensive study looking at the place of the Treaty in New Zealand history. The story is told of the early negotiations that led to Treaty signings around the country. In the yers that followed, settler governments showed a determination to circumvent Treaty guarantees, and wars of sovereignty were fought. Land rights were always central to the Treaty's history, which has been marked not only by protest and negotiation but also by commemoration and partnership. The longstanding Māori struggle to retain a degree of autonomy and control over resources has continued to the present day. ... [In] new concluding chapters, Claudia Orange brings the narrative up to 2010 - covering the Waitangi Tribunal, the impact of major settlements, and legislation such as the Foreshore and Seabed Act of 2004. Today, Māori and Pakeha are all affected by the terms of the Treaty, and few can be unaware of its significance."--Back cover.