Treaty of Waitangi

The treaty of Waitangi has been a fatal decision on New Zealand history. A grasp of the treaty is necessary to understand New Zealand history and society.


Background to the treaty

New　Zealand was mostly a Maori world in the 1830s. There were about 100,000 Maori. In those days many Europeans arrived in New Zealand. There were about 200 in the North Island in the early 1830s. But, by 1839, there were about 2000 settlers all over country. More immigrants were arriving all the time. New Zealand was changing quickly in the late 1830s.

The declaration of Independence of New Zealand
James Busby engaged in the Declaration. I’ll introduce about him later. The purpose of this declaration is to protect favorable settlers and traders, and prevent violence by Europeans against Maori. The Declaration was signed in 1835. It has 52 signatures of Maori chiefs: 34 northern chiefs who signed on 28 October 1835 and then 18 others from around the country by 1839. Maori have seen the declaration as British recognition of an independent Maori nation. Unfortunately the declaration seems to have very little practical effect at the time.

Maori and Pakeha had long traded land with each other. Most settlers were acquiring land from Maori . But there were some troubles. Crime, violence and general lawlessness pervaded. The British Resident from 1833, James Busby, could do little to control it.


Substance of the treaty

The Treaty of Waitangi is the founding document of New Zealand. It is named after the place in the Bay of Islands where the Treaty was first signed, on 6 February 1840. The Treaty was prepared in just a few days. The Treaty of Waitangi has two texts. The Maori version is not an exact translation of the English. Different understandings of the Treaty have long been the subject of debate.


Key people


James Busby was the British Resident. New Zealand was regarded as a dependent territory of New South Wales when Busby was appointed as the official British Resident. Richard Bourke was governor of New South Wales. He instructed Busby to protect favorable settlers and traders, and prevent violence by Europeans against Maori while apprehending escaped convicts. His role was race relations conciliator in disputes between Maori and Pakeha, and mediator in matters affecting British subjects alone.





Captain William Hobson had been sent by the British government. He had been given important task. His job was to persuade Maori chiefs that Great Britain should take over the job of governing the northern part of New Zealand. He also should claim the South Island as British because Captain Cook, from Britain, had been the first to land there.

Henry Williams took an important role in the Treaty of Waitangi. He had translated the English document of the Treaty into Maori with his son. The Treaty of Waitangi was considered New Zealand's founding document. It was prepared over just a few days in February 1840. The translation was key to getting Maori agreement. The job of translating the document was an important task, but it had to be rushed. They received the document on the evening of 4 February, and it was needed for the meeting of the chiefs on the next day. Henry Williams used a dialect known as “Missionary Maori”, which was not traditional Maori. He invented some new words to put the ideas into Maori. For example he used the word kawanatanga to describe the British government ruling over New Zealand. The English word is sovereignty. But the Maori were confused by some of the differences of interpretation. Henry Williams was also involved in explaining the Treaty to Maori leaders at the meetings with William Hobson at Waitangi.


Tamati Waka Nene

Nene was a chief of Nga Puhi. He was favorable to Pakeha. He assisted the British Resident, James Busby. And he played an important role in the Treaty of Waitangi. Nene was one of its most influential supporters in the debate at Waitangi over the Treaty. He called on Hobson to stay , to help the Maori keep their lands and their customs. His speeches swayed opponent of chiefs to agreement.