Rangatiratanga Essay

The theft of rangatiratanga from Māori by Pākehā in New Zealand is closely intertwined with the loss and subsequent revitalisation of Te Reo. Both rangatiratanga and Te Reo are essential Māori culture – to lose just one is for Māori culture to be diminished. Māori culture has faced strong opposition since the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi in 1840. To understand rangatiratanga today, it is important to turn to history. In this essay, I will look at the state of rangatiratanga through the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori. Though recent progress has seen improvements to the development of Māori sovereignty, I will ultimately conclude that Māoridom is in a dire position. I argue that even though there are important steps being taken by Māori to ensure the survival of their culture, Māori will be fighting an uphill battle as long as they are …show more content…
For there to be true rangatiratanga, there must be a complete systematic overhaul of Western values in New Zealand and mainstream acceptance of tikanga and Māori ways. To illustrate my position, I will first look at the history which placed Te Reo in an alarming position. Secondly, I will look at the turning point in Māori process, and the results of this. Thirdly, I will look at how Māori are trying to maintain their culture through education and media. Lastly, I will present my critiques and recommendations to ensure not just the survival, but the flourishing of Māori culture in New Zealand.
To understand the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori in more recent years, we must first understand what happened in Aotearoa to make this revitalisation necessary. In 1835, He Whakaputanga o te Rangatira o Nu