Te Tiriti

The Treaty of Waitangi, sometimes referred to as Te Tiriti, is a document of importance to the history of New Zealand, and its national identity. The cornerstone legislative recognition of the Treaty in the Treaty of Waitangi Act 1975 represented a paradigm shift and a radically altered official discourse, relating to Māori rights and the relationship between Māori and the Crown. The role of the Treaty in the relationship between Māori and the Crown has become more prominent from the late 20th century. Although the Treaty of Waitangi is not incorporated as a binding international treaty within New Zealand's domestic law, its status as international law is debated. It was first signed on 6 February 1840 by Captain William Hobson as consul for the Crown and by Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand. The treaty's status has clouded the question of whether Māori had ceded sovereignty to the Crown in 1840, and if so, whether such sovereignty remains intact.