A New Zealand mountain is granted personhood, recognizing it as sacred for Māori

WELLINGTON, New Zealand -- A new law passed on Thursday grants personhood to Taranaki Maunga, a mountain in New Zealand revered as an ancestor by Indigenous Māori people. This legal recognition, acknowledging the harms inflicted upon the land since colonization, aligns with previous instances where natural features, such as rivers and forests, have been granted similar rights in the country.

Taranaki Maunga, also known as Mount Taranaki, stands at 2,518 meters (8,261 feet) and is a popular destination for tourists and outdoor enthusiasts. The new law, which refers to the mountain as Te Kāhui Tupua, bestows upon it all the rights, responsibilities, and legal liabilities attributed to a person, consolidating its identity with the surrounding landscape and its various elements.

The legislation aims to rectify historical injustices related to colonization, including the confiscation of land from Māori tribes and the marginalization of their practices and voices. With the establishment of a new governing entity comprised of local Māori and appointed conservation officials, Taranaki Maunga will have dedicated representation to advocate for its interests and wellbeing.

Māori representatives celebrated this achievement, recognizing it as a significant step towards healing and restoring their connection to the land. Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, a descendant of Taranaki tribes, expressed that the mountain is now liberated from historical injustices, embodying a renewed sense of cultural identity and heritage.

New Zealand has pioneered the legal recognition of natural entities with this measure, first seen in 2014 with Te Urewera, a forest in North Island, and later with the Whanganui River in 2017. The recent unanimous vote in Parliament, met with a traditional Māori song, highlights a moment of unity amid ongoing discussions around race relations and the Treaty of Waitangi in New Zealand.