The volcano known as Mount Taranaki, or Taranaki Maunga in the Māori language, was officially granted legal personhood in New Zealand on January 30th. This landmark decision, reported by NBC News, removes the mountain from government ownership and bestows upon it the same legal rights and responsibilities as a human being. The mountain will also be officially recognized by its Māori name, Taranaki Maunga, leaving behind its British colonial name, Mount Egmont.
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The Māori people consider the mountain an ancestor, and the local tribe will collaborate with government officials to ensure its care. This significant move rectifies a history of land confiscations and injustices against the Māori people. The Taranaki Maunga Collective Redress Bill, passed on January 30th, addresses these historical grievances.
Debbie Ngarewa-Packer, co-leader of the Te Pāti Māori political party, celebrated the bill’s signing, stating, “Today, Taranaki, our maunga (mountain), our maunga tupuna (ancestral mountain), is released from the shackles — the shackles of injustice, of ignorance, of hate.” Hundreds of Māori gathered outside the parliament building to commemorate this historic occasion.
The recognition of natural entities as legal persons has gained momentum globally, with New Zealand leading the way. In 2014, New Zealand became the first country to grant legal personhood to a natural entity, recognizing the Te Urewea sacred forest and granting its guardianship to the Tūhoe tribe. In 2017, the Whanganui River was also granted legal personhood, with the local iwi (tribe) assuming responsibility for its well-being.
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Other countries have followed suit, granting legal rights to natural elements in an effort to combat climate change. In 2020, Orange County, Florida, became the largest municipality in the United States to adopt a Rights of Nature law, primarily focused on protecting bodies of water. Chuck O’Neal, chairman of the Florida Rights of Nature Network, emphasized the significance of this law, stating that it grants waters legal rights “to exist, flow, be protected against pollution, and to maintain healthy ecosystems.” This global trend reflects a growing recognition of the intrinsic value of nature and the need for its legal protection.
