A New Zealand Mountain granted legal personhood. Here’s why that matters

New Zealand’s Parliament has passed the Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill, granting legal personhood to Mount Taranaki and surrounding peaks under the name Te Kāhui Tupua. This law recognizes the mountain as “a living and indivisible whole,” with the same rights and responsibilities as a person. Governance will be carried out by a group of local Māori iwi and government-appointed members, who will act as the mountain’s legal voice.

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The legislation addresses the historical removal of the mountain from Māori control during colonization, when it was renamed Mount Egmont and nearby land was confiscated. It fulfills agreements made in the 2023 Treaty of Waitangi settlement with eight Taranaki iwi. Public access will continue, but the law enforces protections aimed at preventing forced sales, supporting traditional practices, and conserving native wildlife and cultural heritage.

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For additional details, find the article HERE.