Te Tiriti o Waitangi in work, Te Tiriti o Waitangi kei te wāhi mahi

Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) is a written agreement made in 1840 between the British Crown (the monarch of Great Britain) and more than 500 rangatira Māori (chiefs) of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Te Tiriti is important today because it sets the expectation that Māori and Tangata Tiriti (non-Māori who live in Aotearoa New Zealand) should live and work as equals in a partnership.

Te Tiriti is a founding document of government that applies to all New Zealanders. It may sometimes recognise Māori rights and interests in law.

Many workplaces in Aotearoa are taking steps to honour Te Tiriti, including:

• demonstrating an appreciation of kāwanatanga (governance), rangatiratanga (sovereignty) and other key Te Tiriti concepts and how they apply to their work
• teaching staff about Te Tiriti
• encouraging staff to learn and use te reo Māori and tikanga Māori
• building good relationships with Māori communities, organisations and businesses
• learning from Māori about how to run their businesses in a way that respects Māori values and culture.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi consists of 3 articles that you can use to guide your mahi.

Article 1 sets out the Crown’s right to govern and its responsibility to protect Māori interests under that governance.

Article 1 in the workplace

Your mahi may need to demonstrate these responsibilities and identify Māori interests by engaging with local Māori about concerns within the community.

Article 2 sets out the Crown’s promise that Māori will have the right to make decisions over resources and taonga (treasures) they want to keep.

The Crown has to understand what Māori consider to be taonga, and recognise the right of Māori to control decisions that relate to their taonga.

Article 2 in the workplace

Consider how your mahi can enhance Māori wellbeing and outcomes. It is important to recognise the collective strength and capability of whānau to achieve better outcomes in areas like health, education, housing, employment and income levels.

Article 3 sets out the Crown’s promise that its responsibilities to New Zealand citizens are owed equally to Māori.

Māori and Tangata Tiriti have equal rights. There is equal protection for what is treasured. This can mean things like physical taonga, or cultural taonga like Māori tikanga and te reo Māori.

Article 3 in the workplace

Māori and Tangata Tiriti can participate equally at all levels within the workplace and Māori have a say in decisions that affect them.

When you go for a job interview the employer might ask what you know about Te Tiriti and how you will apply its articles to your mahi. Read or watch videos about Te Tiriti to help you prepare your answer.

Talk about your understanding of Te Tiriti and how you demonstrate the articles in your work decisions and relationships.

You can ask the employer what they’re doing to honour Te Tiriti.