An Indigenous Protest in New Zealand Opens Historical Wounds, Testing Ardern

An Indigenous Protest in New Zealand Opens Historical Wounds, Testing Ardern
New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, during a press conference at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, May 15, 2019 (Photo by Raphael Lafargue for Sipa via AP Images).

Since 2016, protesters from New Zealand’s indigenous Māori population have occupied a plot of land at Ihumātao, near Auckland, to prevent construction of a housing development.* The land was confiscated from its original Māori inhabitants in the 19th century, and protesters are demanding that it be incorporated into a nearby public reserve. The standoff intensified last month after police unsuccessfully tried to evict the protesters, and it could damage Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern’s standing among the Māori population if it is not resolved peacefully. In an email interview with WPR, Grant Duncan, a professor of political studies at Massey University’s Auckland campus, discusses the historical issues behind the protest and the limited options that Ardern has to intervene.

WPR: What is the history of the dispute over Ihumātao, and why is it such an important issue for the Māori?

Grant Duncan: Ihumātao is the site of one of the earliest Polynesian settlements in New Zealand, which Māori know as Aotearoa. There is evidence of continuous agricultural activities since the 14th century, and it has spiritual and historical significance for Māori, partly due to the presence of burial sites.

Keep reading for free!

Get instant access to the rest of this article as well as three free articles per month. You'll also receive our free email newsletter to stay up to date on all our coverage:

Or, Subscribe now to get full access.

Already a subscriber? Log in here .

What you’ll get with an All-Access subscription to World Politics Review:

A WPR subscription is like no other resource — it’s like having your own personal researcher and analyst for news and events around the globe. Subscribe now, and you’ll get:

  • Immediate and instant access to the full searchable library of 15,000+ articles
  • Daily articles with original analysis, written by leading topic experts, delivered to you every weekday
  • Weekly in-depth reports on important issues and countries
  • Daily links to must-read news, analysis, and opinion from top sources around the globe, curated by our keen-eyed team of editors
  • Your choice of weekly region-specific newsletters, delivered to your inbox.
  • Smartphone- and tablet-friendly website.
  • Completely ad-free reading.

And all of this is available to you when you subscribe today.

More World Politics Review