King Tuheitia Potatau te Wherowhero VII, considered the king of the Maoris, made a passionate plea on March 28, 2024. The declaration from the Maori representative of New Zealand was co-signed with Travel Tou Ariki, the high representative of traditional chieftainship of the Ariki in the Cook Islands.
« The sound of our ancestor’s song has weakened, and their habitat is threatened, which is why we must act now, » King Tuheitia declared in a rare public statement, shared by AFP and its partners. To help save these marine mammals, King Tuheitia proposes granting legal personality to whales, identical to that of human beings. King Tuheitia stated that granting the same status to whales would act as « a protective cloak for our taonga (treasure), our ancestor, the whales. »
The idea is not perceived as outlandish in New Zealand. The country has already adopted other laws granting legal status to natural elements such as rivers and mountains that are important to the Maori people. The Mount Taranaki volcano and the Whanganui River are considered by the Maori as ancestors and hold spiritual significance. Both were granted personhood status in 2017.
Maori leaders advocate for indigenous knowledge to be combined with science for a « more holistic approach » to whale conservation. Maoris represent about 17% of New Zealand’s population, approximately 900,000 people. After years of British colonization, indigenous and settler populations managed to sign the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840. This treaty grants recognition of Maoris and their culture and also gives them authority over « taonga, » or « treasures, » which can be intangible.
In total, six of the 13 largest whale species are considered « endangered » or « vulnerable » by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), as noted by the WWF. « We can no longer turn a blind eye, » declared the paramount chief Travel Tou Ariki. « Whales play a vital role in the health of our entire oceanic ecosystem. Their decline disrupts the delicate balance that supports all life in Te Moana (the sea). »
