Treaty of Waitangi

The Treaty of Waitangi was a document signed in 1840 by Captain William Hobson as consul for the British Crown and Māori chiefs from the North Island of New Zealand, establishing a partnership between the Māori people and the British Crown. The treaty has a quasi-legal status and is recognized as an agreement rather than a treaty, with no independent legal status beyond its recognition in various statutes. It has been interpreted as establishing Māori entitlement to enjoyment of land and natural resources, and as establishing a partnership between equals, but its meaning and implications have been subject to ongoing interpretation and controversy.learn more on wikipedia