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Story: Papatūānuku – the land

Waiting for the land court

Image
Waiting for the land court

A group waits for a Native Land Court hearing in the Whanganui area, in the late 1860s. Such hearings were part of a process which led to the loss of much tribal land. This loss of land destabilised Māori society, which relied on Papatūānuku (earth mother) as a foundation.

Using this item

Alexander Turnbull Library, William James Harding Collection (PAColl-3042)

Reference: 1/1-000013; G

by William James Harding

Permission of the Alexander Turnbull Library, National Library of New Zealand, Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa, must be obtained before any re-use of this image.

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How to cite this page

Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, Papatūānuku – the land – Loss of land, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/11483/waiting-for-the-land-court (accessed 4 June 2026).

Story by Te Ahukaramū Charles Royal, published 1 March 2009.