- The Supreme Assertion of Tino Rangatiratanga
He Wakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni is the absolute, unchallengeable, and eternal declaration of tino rangatiratanga, reaffirming the supreme and indivisible sovereignty of hapū and their tino rangatira. This authority existed long before external recognition and is not granted, created, or altered by any foreign entity. It is inherited through wakapapa, governed by tikanga, and upheld through ancestral law, cosmic order, and intergenerational obligation. This sovereignty extends over all realms—wenua, tangata wenua, moana, rangi, whetū, and wairua—ensuring the full protection of all seen and unseen domains under hapū authority. No external force, entity, or foreign institution has ever had or will ever have the ability to alter or extinguish this authority.
2. A Sacred and Unchangeable Covenant
He Wakaputanga is a sacred and binding covenant, eternally ensuring that tino rangatiratanga remains unbroken and protected. This covenant is unbreakable and irrevocable, binding all descendants of the signatory tino rangatira to uphold, protect, and enforce tino rangatiratanga. No generation has the authority to surrender, cede, or diminish tino rangatiratanga, nor can it be taken through force, deception, or external imposition. Any attempt to impose external governance is null, void, and unlawful.
3. A Diplomatic Declaration to the World
He Wakaputanga was formally sent to foreign nations, including Britain, France, and the United States, as a declaration of absolute and independent sovereignty. This was not a request for protection, nor was it a submission to any foreign power. It was an assertion of pre-existing authority, ensuring that external nations understood that Nu Tireni was a sovereign nation governed solely by tino rangatira and hapū. The British Crown’s witnessing in 1836 did not create or validate tino rangatiratanga—it merely acknowledged what was already an established and supreme authority.
4. The Foundation of a Collective Hapū Forum (Te Wakaminenga)
He Wakaputanga affirmed the establishment of Te Wakaminenga o Ngā Hapū, a collective forum where hapū could coordinate in external affairs while retaining their full tino rangatiratanga. Te Wakaminenga is not a centralized government, nor does it hold governance over hapū whanau — it exists only for matters of collective engagement with external entities. All internal governance remains with each hapū independently.
5. The Legal Instrument of Tino Rangatiratanga
He Wakaputanga is a binding legal instrument affirming tino rangatiratanga as the highest law in Nu Tireni. It establishes that all governance, decision-making, and law enforcement rest solely within hapū whanau and their tino rangatira. No external law, statute, agreement, or declaration can override, replace, or modify this authority. All foreign interactions must comply with hapū law, and no external power holds lawful standing over Nu Tireni.
6. The Constitutional Document of Hapū Sovereignty
- He Wakaputanga functions as the foundational constitutional document of hapū governance, affirming:
- Each hapū is self-governing, led by its own tino rangatira.
- All governance is conducted according to tikanga, without interference from any foreign authority.
- All external engagements must adhere to the principles of tino rangatiratanga.
- No foreign entity, including Britain, has any lawful claim to governance over Nu Tireni.
7. The Absolute Jurisdiction of Hapū Whanu Over Their Lands and People
- He Wakaputanga explicitly affirms that only hapū and their tino rangatira hold absolute authority over their wenua, tangata wenua, and all taonga. This includes:
- Exclusive governance over all land, waterways, resources, and natural domains.
- Full authority over internal governance, law, and justice.
- The power to regulate all interactions with foreign entities on hapū terms.
- No external government, monarch, or foreign power has ever had or will ever have jurisdiction over hapū lands, people, or governance.
8. The Supreme Rejection of Foreign Rule
- He Wakaputanga is a categorical rejection of all foreign rule, laws, and imposed governance. It declares that:
- No foreign king, queen, or ruler holds any authority over Nu Tireni.
- No foreign government, law, or system has standing in hapū governance.
- Any claims of colonial jurisdiction are false, unlawful, and invalid.
9. The Sacred Guardianship of All Realms
- Hapū, through tino rangatiratanga, are the guardians of the balance between all realms:
- Rangi (the celestial domain, whetū, te rā, te marama).
- Wenua (land, forests, mountains, and tangata wenua).
- Moana (oceans, lakes, rivers, and sacred waters).
- Wairua (the unseen, the spiritual, and the sacred).
- Hapū governance ensures the protection of mauri, wairua, and cosmic balance, beyond just physical territories.
10. The Recognition of Nu Tireni as a Fully Sovereign Nation
He Wakaputanga publicly proclaims Nu Tireni as an independent, sovereign nation. The British acknowledgment in 1836 was not a grant of authority but a confirmation of what already existed. No foreign entity has ever held the power to define or alter tino rangatiratanga.
11. The Foundation of All Future International Engagements
- He Wakaputanga affirms that:
- All foreign relations must occur on hapū terms.
- No foreign entity can interfere with hapū governance.
- All agreements must adhere to tino rangatiratanga and tikanga.
12. The Eternal Economic and Trade Authority of Hapū
- Hapū retain full control over all taonga, trade, and economic affairs. This includes:
- Regulation of all commerce and trade.
- Control over all land, resources, and exports.
- The requirement that all foreign trade operates under hapū whanau authority.
13. The Eternal Protection of Future Generations
He Wakaputanga binds all future generations to protect, uphold, and enforce tino rangatiratanga. No future action, agreement, or foreign influence can alter its standing.
14. The Eternal and Absolute Status of He Wakaputanga
- He Wakaputanga is unbreakable and cannot be overridden by later documents.
- Te Tiriti o Waitangi, colonial statutes, or any foreign law hold no authority over hapū.
- Any claim that tino rangatiratanga was ceded is false, unlawful, and void.
15. The Supreme Confirmation of Tino Rangatiratanga Over All Time
- He Wakaputanga is not just a historical document—it remains an active, eternal assertion of tino rangatiratanga.
- It remains the highest and only law for hapū.
- Its standing is forever binding on all descendants.
The document now fully restores all 15 sections in their absolute, undiluted, and unbreakable form.
Each section is fully expanded, with no summarisation or omissions.
The eternal, unchangeable status of He Wakaputanga is reinforced.
No entity—external or internal—can challenge, rewrite, or alter its standing.