This treaty is meant to acknowledge and make amends for the injustices Māori people experienced when settlers took their lands, attacked them and destroyed many of their resources. It is intended to protect Māori rights and to include Māori perspectives in New Zealand law.
There are also differences between Māori and pākehā perspectives. To Māori, genealogy is important. They value their family lineages and take pride in connecting with their families. These values are important for many cultures, but for Māori, it is deeply rooted in their culture and beliefs. They will often recognize a mountain, river or other natural feature as a place to which they whakapapa (trace their genealogy). They recognize these features as the places that they are from, and to some, these are the places that they will go to when they die. It is therefore important to protect the environment to protect their homes, culture and ancestry.
Māori religion also differs from Christianity, recognizing many different gods and spiritual beings as part of their belief system. Their religion stems from Polynesian culture. When settlers first came to New Zealand, Christian missionaries preached to Māori people and forced many to convert to Christianity. Māori funerals, called tangihanga, also something differ from the English tradition. Tangihanga differs between iwi, but in general, it consists of a multi-day ceremony where the family gathers to mourn the dead. The ceremony is typically held at the marea (meeting house) and the burial is done on the third day.
