Sovereign Neighbours

The relationship between Maori and the British Crown (which delegated its authority to the New Zealand government) has historically been filled with broken promises. Maori reached their nadir at the turn of the 20th century when their population had fallen to half of what it was at first contact - According to Senior Researcher in Maori Studies, Massey University, New Zealand. Ever since the 1840 signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, a raft of government initiatives have resulted in Maori losing both resources and power. [node:read-more:link]

In the two days of the Gathering of Nations the 150 participants, delegates and observers from all over Australia, were presented with research and information in respect to the key issues facing First Nations Peoples today and the progress to date in the assertion of First Nations sovereignty at a national level. We very clearly articulated the internationally accepted process for assertion of sovereignty by Nations and Peoples subjugated by a foreign power and expanded on the need for decolonisation. [node:read-more:link]