The Struggle for Māori Fishing Rights

"Māori fishing rights were ignored by the Crown from the time the Treaty of Waitangi was signed in 1840. Although guaranteed by the Treaty, Māori struggled to re-establish these rights until the 1980s after years of argument in the courts. Four pou, or pillars of support, significantly assisted in the recognition and eventual recovery of Māori fishing rights: the Treaty of Waitangi; the courts; the Waitangi Tribunal and the resilience and tenacity of Māori people, who never gave up fighting for what was right. The strong tradition of fairness and justice in New Zealand society provided a platform for Māori and Pākehā to support the four pou and address the injustices that denied Māori fishing rights, rights to land and other natural resources, and their human rights. The Struggle for Māori Fishing Rights delves into the restoration of Māori fishing rights, and it reveals that this is not an isolated event but is part of a wider ethos throughout New Zealand society that accepts Māori have been unjustly treated since the 1840s and chooses to redress those injustices"--Back cover.