The Waitangi Tribunal sits at the heart of the Treaty settlement process, with a unique remit to investigate claims and recommend settlements. But although the claims process has been hugely controversial, little has been written about the Tribunal itself. These essays, by leading academics, lawyers and researchers, successfully fill that gap, examining the Tribunal’s role in reshaping Māori identity and society, the Tribunal’s future mission, and its contribution to ideas of justice and reparation. This perceptive analysis of a key institution is vital reading for anyone seeking to understand Treaty settlements. Contributors: Paul Hamer Geoff Melvin Grant Phillipson Richard Boast Tom Bennion Stephanie Milroy Jacinta Ruru Deborah Edmunds John Dawson Richard Price Debra Fletcher Evan Te Ahu Poata-Smith Donna Hall Andrew Sharp

Negotiating a claim before the Waitangi Tribunal can involve troubling challenges to an iwi’s legitimacy, sometimes from unexpected places. In this unique behind-the-scenes account of the negotiation of Ngāi Tahu’s Waitangi Tribunal claim, Sir Tipene O’Regan describes what happened when claims of New Age mysticism attempted to undermine traditional whakapapa and academic scholarship.

"The Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840 by over 500 chiefs, and by William Hobson, representing the British Crown. To the British it was the means by which they gained sovereignty over New Zealand. But to Maori people it had a very different significance, and they are still affected by the terms of the Treaty, often adversely.The Treaty of Waitangi, the first comprehensive study of the Treaty, deals with its place in New Zealand history from its making to the present day. The story covers the several Treaty signings and the substantial differences between Maori and English texts; the debate over interpretation of land rights and the actions of settler governments determined to circumvent Treaty guarantees; the wars of sovereignty in the 1860s and the longstanding Maori struggle to secure a degree of autonomy and control over resources." --Publisher.

An Unsettled History squarely confronts the issues arising from the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand today. Alan Ward writes lucidly about the Treaty claims process, about settlements made, and those to come. New Zealand’s short history unquestionably reveals a treaty made and then repeatedly breached. This is a compelling case – for fair and reasonable settlement, and for the rigorous continuation of the Treaty claims process through the Waitangi Tribunal. The impact of the past upon the present has rarely been analysed so clearly, or to such immediate purpose.

The settlement of iwi claims under the Treaty of Waitangi has drawn international attention, as other nations seek ways to build new relationships between indigenous peoples and the state. Here leading scholars consider the impact of Treaty settlements on the management and ownership of key resources (lands, forests and fisheries); they look at the economic and social consequences for Māori, and the impact of the settlement process on Crown–Māori relationships. And they ask ‘how successful has the settlement process been?'

"In this new edition of her popular illustrated history, Dr Orange brings the narrative of Te Tiriti/Treaty up to date, covering major developments in iwi claims and Treaty settlements - including the 'personhood' established for the Whanganui River and Te Urewera, applications for customary title in the foreshore and seabed, and critical matters of intellectual property, language and political partnership"--Publisher information.

In May 2017 the exhibition He Tohu opened at the National Library in Wellington. This celebrates three founding documents in New Zealand’s history – He Whakaputanga: The Declaration of Independence (1835), the Treaty of Waitangi: Te Tiriti o Waitangi (1840) and the Women’s Suffrage Petition (1893). The originals of these documents are on display at the National Library, in a wonderful exhibition that tells the history of the times and the story of the documents themselves. Three slim paperbacks showcase each of the documents, published by BWB in conjunction with the National Library and Archives New Zealand. Each book is focused on the document itself, and feature a facsimile of the document (or part of it). The documents are framed by an introduction from leading scholars (Claudia Orange, Vincent O’Malley and Barbara Brookes), and a Māori perspective on the document in te reo. Short biographies of many signatories are included – showing the wide range of people who signed. The books are printed in full colour so that the richness of these significant, old documents is shown.

The essays in Part One discuss aspects of the legal and historical significance of the gaining of sovereignty over New Zealand by the Crown. The essays in Part Two are studies of Maori reaction to the guarantees given by the Crown to protect their "rangatiratanga" - their tribally based heritage and identity.

The author looks at where the Treaty of Waitangi should be in New Zealand's law and constitution, addressing and providing concrete suggestions to questions such as: What was the place of the Treaty of Waitangi in the law and constitution in 1840? What has the Treaty been reinterpreted to mean in New Zealand today? What is its current legal status and force? and What is its current place in New Zealand's law and constitution?

The land claims presented before the Waitangi Tribunal, first established in 1975 as a permanent commision of inquiry to address claims by the Maori people, are discussed in this analysis of the role of legal courts and commissions in mediating disputes with indigenous peoples.